{"id":10,"date":"2026-01-02T07:02:37","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T07:02:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zenkelab.org\/molcell\/?page_id=10"},"modified":"2026-02-07T20:11:51","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T20:11:51","slug":"welcome-to-the-martin-zenke-lab","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/molcell.de\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\">Welcome to the Martin Zenke Lab. We are part of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.medizin.rwth-aachen.de\/cms\/~iiq\/Medizin\/?lidx=1\">Faculty of Medicine of RWTH Aachen University<\/a> and\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ukaachen.de\/en.html\">RWTH Aachen University Hospital<\/a> Aachen, Germany. The Martin Zenke Lab is affiliated with the Department of Medicine IV, Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\"><ul class=\"wp-block-post-template is-layout-flow wp-block-post-template-is-layout-flow\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-475 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-featured category-news\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\"><figure class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/index.php\/2025\/11\/05\/lab-reunion-at-imp-vienna-austria\/\" target=\"_self\"  ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1664\" src=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20251105_Lab-reunion-IMP_Vienna-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Lab reunion at IMP, Vienna, Austria\" style=\"object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20251105_Lab-reunion-IMP_Vienna-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20251105_Lab-reunion-IMP_Vienna-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20251105_Lab-reunion-IMP_Vienna-1024x666.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20251105_Lab-reunion-IMP_Vienna-768x499.jpg 768w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20251105_Lab-reunion-IMP_Vienna-1536x999.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/20251105_Lab-reunion-IMP_Vienna-2048x1332.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:75%\"><h2 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/index.php\/2025\/11\/05\/lab-reunion-at-imp-vienna-austria\/\" target=\"_self\" >Lab reunion at IMP, Vienna, Austria<\/a><\/h2><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/S72vKQEezN4?si=EPEw_zkJXrmmh19C\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"574\" src=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/TEDx-talk-YouTube-video-1024x574.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-553\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.828645688294811;width:616px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/TEDx-talk-YouTube-video-1024x574.png 1024w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/TEDx-talk-YouTube-video-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/TEDx-talk-YouTube-video-768x430.png 768w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/TEDx-talk-YouTube-video.png 1108w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">TEDx talk by Martin Zenke: CRISPR meets stem cells in personalised medicine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:0px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-section-1 has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained is-style-section-1--1\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-66fad18a wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);flex-basis:45em\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1882\" height=\"478\" src=\"https:\/\/zenkelab.org\/molcell\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wordpress_header.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-178\" srcset=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wordpress_header.jpeg 1882w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wordpress_header-300x76.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wordpress_header-1024x260.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wordpress_header-768x195.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wordpress_header-1536x390.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1882px) 100vw, 1882px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\" style=\"margin-right:-5vw;margin-left:-5vw\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"590\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/zenkelab.org\/molcell\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/martin_zenke_lab.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12\" style=\"width:280px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/martin_zenke_lab.jpg 590w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/martin_zenke_lab-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/martin_zenke_lab-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:-12vw\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0;flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-text-annotation is-style-text-annotation--2\">About Martin Zenke<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-text-subtitle has-large-font-size is-style-text-subtitle--3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Martin_Zenke\">Martin Zenke, PhD is a Professor of Cell Biology<\/a>&nbsp;(<a href=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/CV_Zenke_short.pdf\" data-type=\"attachment\" data-id=\"519\">Biosketch<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/CV_Zenke_extended.pdf\" data-type=\"attachment\" data-id=\"518\">CV<\/a>) who&nbsp;leads the group since April 2022 after retiring from the position as director of the Institute for Biomedical Engineering &#8211; Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine of RWTH Aachen University in March 2022.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ebee8dc1 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading alignwide\">Research<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Martin Zenke Lab studies stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cells are differentiated into a large array of cell types with a focus on antigen presenting dendritic cells. The lab also studies induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) and employs CRISPR\/Cas editing for generating cells with desired properties.\u00a0 Patient and disease specific iPS cells are differentiated e.g. into hematopoietic stem cell, mesenchymal stem cells, dendritic cells, mast cells and megakaryocytes and used for disease modelling and compound screening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium is-resized\" style=\"margin-bottom:24px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" src=\"https:\/\/zenkelab.org\/molcell\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/StemCells_Figure1-300x228.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.3333333333333333;object-fit:cover;width:416px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/StemCells_Figure1-300x228.jpg 300w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/StemCells_Figure1-768x584.jpg 768w, https:\/\/molcell.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/StemCells_Figure1.jpg 912w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-x-large-font-size\">Stem Cells<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In multicellular organisms, specific stem cell types with distinct developmental potentials occur during life. Pluripotent stem cells are generated during early embryonic development and differentiate into derivatives of all three germ layers. Adult stem cells, developing at later stages, are more restricted in their potential and differentiate into cells of only one stem cell system. Adult stem cells occur in all tissues of the adult organism and are important for lifelong tissue homeostasis and repair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/index.php\/stem-cells\/\">Learn more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\" style=\"margin-bottom:24px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/zenkelab.org\/molcell\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/DendriticCells_Fig1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20\" style=\"aspect-ratio:4\/3;object-fit:cover\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-x-large-font-size\">Antigen Presenting Dendritic Cells<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Antigen presenting dendritic cells (DC) are immune cells with a central role in immunity and tolerance. DC sense antigens, which are taken-up, processed and presented by MHC molecules to elicit T cell responses. Specific DC subsets  differ in surface phenotype, function, activation state and anatomical localization, including classical DC type 1 and 2 (cDC1 and cDC2, respectively), plasmacytoid DC (pDC) and Langerhans cells (LC), the cutaneous contingent of DC in epidermis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/molcell.de\/index.php\/antigen-presenting-dendritic-cells\/\">Learn more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to the Martin Zenke Lab. We are part of the Faculty of Medicine of RWTH Aachen University and\u00a0 RWTH Aachen University Hospital Aachen, Germany. The Martin Zenke Lab is affiliated with the Department of Medicine IV, Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, RWTH Aachen University Medical School, Aachen, Germany. News About Martin Zenke Martin [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/molcell.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/molcell.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/molcell.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/molcell.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/molcell.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10"}],"version-history":[{"count":52,"href":"https:\/\/molcell.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":563,"href":"https:\/\/molcell.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10\/revisions\/563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/molcell.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}