3 Questions for Florian Ingelfinger

1. What is the focus of your research?

In simple terms, we develop methods that allow us to study individual immune cells in unprecedented detail.
Our work ranges from experimental approaches to analyze how immune cells infiltrate tumors over time and to investigate which cellular interactions suppress anti-tumor immune responses temporally, to computational machine-learning methods. These approaches enable us to identify disease-specific cellular fingerprints from complex single-cell datasets and determine which parts of the immune system are most affected e.g. by the presence of disease.
A particular focus of our research is on generative AI models. These models can for instance predict how the immune profile of a cell changes in response to a specific therapy. Combined with experimental validation, we use these approaches to identify new therapeutic targets in cancer and to make tumor detection and diagnosis faster and more reliable.

2. What do you like most about Freiburg?

Freiburg brings together outstanding expertise in immunology, hematology, oncology, and computer science. This multidisciplinary environment, the close proximity to clinical care, and access to the DKFZ infrastructure in Heidelberg through the DKTK network provide ideal conditions for innovative translational research with one clear goal: improving patient care.
Beyond the lab, Freiburg has plenty to offer as well. With the Black Forest, the Kaiserstuhl region, France, and Switzerland all close by, it's easy to recharge after a long day at work. In fact, some of my best ideas for new technologies have come to me while road cycling through the Black Forest!

3. What is one thing that makes a great workday for you?

Having lunch together with the team is always a personal highlight. I also enjoy our newly established Cold Brew Coffee Circle and the spontaneous brainstorming sessions with lab members and colleagues from collaborating research groups.
Another weekly highlight is our joint lab meeting and journal club together with the teams of Tobias Wertheimer and Rouven Hoefflin. Exchanging new data, methods, and ideas is incredibly valuable for our research.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself with the community?

We are always looking for highly motivated talents in immunology, oncology, and computer science who share our vision of advancing cancer detection and treatment through innovative technologies.
If you're interested in our research and would like to join our team, we'd love to hear from you!
You can also stay up to date with our latest research and news by following us on X, Bluesky, or LinkedIn.