Dr. Dr. Marina Kolesnichenko

Contact Information of Principal Investigator:
Marina.kolesnichenko(at)charite.de
And marina.k(at)oxfordalumni.org
Lab website:

Group Members
- Marina Kolesnichenko Group leader
- Luisa Barleben PhD student
- Sixiang Chen PhD/MD student
- Elif Ozcan PhD student
Scientific Scope
Transcription factor NF-κB plays a key role in immune mediated diseases by regulating expression of cytokines, growth factors, as well as of anti-apoptotic mediators. How its activation in epithelial cells versus in immune cells mediates return to homeostasis is poorly understood.
We are using single cell datasets, organoids, and transgenic mouse models, and techniques in biochemistry to determine how NF-κB regulates cell fate decisions, including differentiation, senescence, and cell death.
Our aim is to shed light on the contribution of NF-κB and its divergent transcriptomes to development and progression of immune mediated diseases of the gut to colorectal cancer.
Scientific questions:
- Which signalling pathways in intestinal epithelium contribute to inflammation versus resolution and which contribute to carcinogenesis?
- Where and how does NF-κB direct anti- versus pro-inflammatory responses in the gut?
- Which signalling pathways and mediators can be used as relevant targets for disease treatment?
For our projects we are collaborating with teams at the University of Oxford, UK, so there are opportunities for visits and joint research.
Selected References
- Mikuda N, Schmidt-Ullrich R, Kärgel E, Golusda L, Wolf J, Höpken UE, Scheidereit C, Kühl AA, Kolesnichenko M*. Deficiency in IκBα in the intestinal epithelium leads to spontaneous inflammation and mediates apoptosis in the gut. J Pathol. 2020 Jun;251(2):160-174. doi: 10.1002/path.5437. Epub 2020 May 29. PMID: 2222043.*Corresponding author
- Mikuda N#, Kolesnichenko# M, Beaudette P, Popp O, Uyar B, Sun W, Tufan AB, Perder B, Akalin A, Chen W, Mertins P, Dittmar G, Hinz M, Scheidereit C. The IκB kinase complex is a regulator of mRNA stability. EMBO J. 2018 Dec 14;37(24):e98658. doi:10.15252/embj.201798658. Epub 2018 Nov 22. PMID: 30467221; PMCID: PMC6293339. # joint first
- Kolesnichenko M*, Mikuda N, Höpken UE, Kärgel E, Uyar B, Tufan AB, Milanovic M, Sun W, Krahn I, Schleich K, von Hoff L, Hinz M, Willenbrock M, Jungmann S, Akalin A, Lee S, Schmidt-Ullrich R, Schmitt CA, Scheidereit C. Transcriptional repression of NFKBIA triggers constitutive IKK- and proteasome-independent p65/RelA activation in senescence. EMBO J. 2021 Mar 15;40(6):e104296. doi: 10.15252/embj.2019104296. Epub 2021 Jan 18. PMID: 33459422; PMCID: PMC7957429.*Corresponding author
- Brischetto C, Krieger K, Klotz C, Krahn I, Kunz S, Kolesnichenko M, Mucka P, Heuberger J, Scheidereit C, Schmidt-Ullrich R. NF-κB determines Paneth versus goblet cell fate decision in the small intestine. Development. 2021 Nov 1;148(21):dev199683. doi: 10.1242/dev.199683. Epub 2021 Nov 9. PMID: 34751748; PMCID: PMC8627599.
- Wizenty J, Müllerke S, Kolesnichenko M, Heuberger J, Lin M, Fischer AS, Mollenkopf HJ, Berger H, Tacke F, Sigal M. Gastric stem cells promote inflammation and gland remodeling in response to Helicobacter pylori via Rspo3-Lgr4 axis. EMBO J. 2022 Jul;41(13):e109996. doi: 10.15252/embj.2021109996. Epub 2022 Jun 29. PMID: 35767364; PMCID: PMC9251867.