The Immune Alliance - a German-Japanese Cooperation in Immunology Bilateral Cooperation

Dr. Akihiko Yoshimura is a leading immunologist who has studied immune regulation for over 30 years. He discovered the CIS/SOCS family, the first identified negative regulators of cytokine signaling, establishing a fundamental mechanism underlying inflammation, autoimmunity, and tumor immunity. He also identified the SPRED family of Ras/ERK pathway inhibitors and demonstrated that mutations in SPRED1 cause Legius syndrome. In addition, his group identified the NR4A transcription factor family as key regulators of immunological tolerance and T cell exhaustion, and discovered regulatory T cells in the brain after ischemic injury. Dr. Yoshimura has held professorships at Kurume University (1995), Kyushu University (2001), Keio University School of Medicine (2008), and, since 2024, the Tokyo University of Science. He is named a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2025) and a recipient of the Pfizer Prize from the International Interferon and Cytokine Society (2023).

Susana Minguet is Professor for Synthetic Immunology at the University of Freiburg, Germany, where she leads a research group focused on unraveling the molecular mechanisms that regulate T and B lymphocyte activation and differentiation. Her recent work has explored cell signaling pathways in the immune system, the impact of extracellular matrix dynamics on tumor cell migration, and the development of innovative CAR T cell therapies for cancer. Prof. Minguet has published extensively in high-impact journals and is recognized for contributions such as optimizing CAR T cell designs through CD3 diversity and defining γδ T cell roles in tumor immunosurveillance. She pioneers innovative research at the interface of oncology, immunology, and bioengineering to advance both fundamental and translational knowledge.