Dr. Markus Geuking

Dr. Markus Geuking

PhD
Pronouns: he/him/his

Positions

Associate Professor

Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases

Full Member

The Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Immunology Research Group

Research Core Lead - Snyder Flow Cytometry Core

The Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Nicole Perkins Microbial Communities Core Labs

Chair

The Calvin, Phoebe and Joan Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Immunology Research Group

Full Member

Inflammation Research Network

Full Member

Gastrointestinal Research Group

Academic Lead

IMPACTT Education Portfolio

Contact information

Web presence

Phone number

Office: 403.220.6840

Location

Office: HSC1885

Background

Educational Background

Research Associate Mucosal Immunology, University of Bern, Switzerland,

Postdoctoral Fellow Mucosal Immunology, McMaster University, Canada,

PhD Immunology, Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), Switzerland,

dipl.mol.biol (MSc equivalent) Molecular Biology, University of Zurich, Switzerland,

Biography

Dr. Markus Geuking is an Associate Professor at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine. He is a member of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases as well as of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. Dr. Geuking obtained his PhD in Immunology from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (Switzerland) where he worked in the lab of Nobel Prize Laureate Prof. Rolf Zinkernagel. His work focuses on host-microbial immune interactions in health and disease. His lab is employing germ-free and gnotobiotic mouse models in combination with genetically modified commensal bacteria to study the microbiota-immune crosstalk.

Research

Areas of Research

Mucosal Immunology/Microbiome

My research group investigates how the intestinal microbiota interacts with the host immune system at the level of T helper cells locally in the mucosa, systemically throughout the body, as well as centrally in the Thymus during T cell development. To study this, we make use of state-of-the art axenic and gnotobiotic in vivo models in combination with genetically modified commensal bacteria. Our research is relevant to a number of immune-mediated disorders that are modulated by the intestinal microbiota including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Type 1 diabetes (T1D) as well as allergic disorders. We are also studying how the intestinal microbiota impacts on systemic anti-viral immune responses as well as the consequences of antigen mimicry between commensal bacteria and viral infections.

My team uses axenic (=germ-free) and gnotobiotic (= known defined microbial status) in vivo models in combination with genetically modified commensal species to interrogate whether and how the microbiota can modulate T helper cell responses in health and disease.

The lab also develops genetically modified microbes as tools to study the microbiota-immune crosstalk.

Participation in university strategic initiatives

Courses

Course number Course title Semester
CMMB 565 Advanced Topics In Microbial Pathogenesis and the Microbiome

Projects

Microbiome-mediated modulation of anti-viral immune responses

Using the well-established Lymphocytic Choriomeningits Virus (LCMV) infection model in combination with germ-free, gnotobiotic, SPF, or even wild mouse models we are studying how the intestinal microbiota influences systemic anti-viral immune responses. Potential mechanisms of interest are bacterial metabolites and antigen mimicry between commensal bacteria and the virus.


The Gut-Thymus Axis

Using germ-free, gnotobiotic, SPF or even wild mouse models we are studying how metabolites or antinges derived form the intestinal microbiota influence T cell development in the thymus.


Prenatal and early life exposure to microbes in type 1 diabetes

Using germ-free and gnotobiotic type 1 diabetes model in combination with auxotrophic commensal bacteria species we are studying how prenatal (during pregnancy) or early life exposure to microbiota-derived bacterial products and metabolites impacts on the development of type 1 diabetes.

Publications

More Information

Michael Dicay
Lab Manager

Shokouh Ahmadi
Eyes High Postdoctoral Fellow

Isla Skalosky
PhD candidate

Ailidh McGonigle
Graduate student (MSc)

Meg Roach-Romeo
Email: margaret.roachromeo@ucalgary.ca

Phone: 403-220-5903