SNF Research Fellow
Overview
Dr. Sabrina Sofia Burgener is a Senior Research Fellow in Immunology at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at The University of Queensland.
Dr. Burgener has over 12 years of research experience with the main focus on rodent in vivo inflammation models. Her research career to date has focused on multiple levels of innate immunity; 1) protease-induce chronic inflammation, 2) neutrophil and monocytes sensing infection and 3) cytoprotective intracellular mechanism within neutrophils preventing cell death.
After obtaining her professional training as a Veterinary Technician, Sabrina Sofia Burgener completed her PhD in Immunology under supervision of A/Prof. Charafa Benarafa at the University of Bern, Switzerland in 2017.
For her work on the cytoprotective role of Serpinb1 and Serpinb6 in neutrophils she received several international awards such as the Society of Leukocyte Biology Presidential Award in 2016 and the Dr. Lutz Zwillenberg Prize in 2020. Before joining the Inflammasome Lab in 2019, Sabrina had been a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Virology and Immunology at the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Bern. In the Schroder lab, Sabrina is highly interested in understanding how caspase-1 drives inflammatory diseases and if targeting caspase-1 in diseases such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and Alzheimer’s disease comes at the cost of increased susceptibility to infection. Her research is funded by SNSF Postdoc Mobility Fellowship (2020-2022) and the Novartis Foundation for Medical-Biological Research Fellowship (2022-2023).
Research Impacts
My research program focuses on the understanding how targeting an intracellular innate immune sensing complex, called the inflammasome, drives chronic inflammatory diseases such as chronic liver disease and Alzheimer's disease. Inflammasome inhibitors offer tremendous promise as new disease-modifying therapeutics. Inhibitors of one inflammasome (the NLRP3 inflammasome) are now entering Phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment of genetic auto-inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Broader-spectrum inhibitors that block multiple inflammasomes (e.g. caspase-1 inhibitors) are currently under development for clinical use in diseases that involve pathological signalling by multiple inflammasomes (e.g. chronic liver disease). But such beneficial functions of these new therapeutics might come at a cost – a “trade-off” – as inflammasome signalling also prevents infections. My research program elucidates two major parts
1. Characterizing the disease-driving function of caspase-1 in chronic liver disease model
2. To define the therapeutic trade-offs of these inflammasome-modulatory agents by rendering individuals susceptible to infections
Since my appointment in 2019 as a Senior Research Fellow in Professor Kate Schroder's labratory, I have worked and collaborated in other projects that were designed to further understand how inflammasomes drive chronic inflammatory diseases. In addition, since I joined the lab, I secured a two Fellowship, Swiss National Science Foundation (2020-2022) and Novartis Foundation for Medical-Biological Research (2022-2023) and had been honored with international prize (2020), and together with Prof. Kate Schroder secured a 2021 UQ Australian Infectious Disease Research Excellence Award.
As a supervisor and mentor of HDR students, my vision is to support each students on their individual goals and to work together to achieve these. Even more important is to facilitate an effective, honest and healthy work environment that each student but also other team members feel capable of performing their best and that we work together to accomplish a common goal. In my role as supervisor, it is in my interest to facilitate a space for creativity and encourage studetns to bring in their own ideas and workflow. By passing on scientific knowledge, love and passion for science, there is nothing more rewarding than to see the younger generation of scientist developing their independence and their success beyond the time we worked together.
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Bern
Publications
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Journal Article: Isolation and culture of pure adult mouse microglia and astrocytes for in vitro characterization and analyses
Milner, Mark T., Lawrence, Grace M. E. P., Holley, Caroline L., Bodea, Liviu-Gabriel, Götz, Jürgen, Burgener, Sabrina S. and Schroder, Kate (2022). Isolation and culture of pure adult mouse microglia and astrocytes for in vitro characterization and analyses. STAR Protocols, 3 (2) 101295, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101295
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Journal Article: Granule Leakage Induces Cell-Intrinsic, Granzyme B-Mediated Apoptosis in Mast Cells
Burgener, Sabrina Sofia, Brügger, Melanie, Leborgne, Nathan Georges François, Sollberger, Sophia, Basilico, Paola, Kaufmann, Thomas, Bird, Phillip Ian and Benarafa, Charaf (2021). Granule Leakage Induces Cell-Intrinsic, Granzyme B-Mediated Apoptosis in Mast Cells. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 9 630166, 1-12. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.630166
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Journal Article: SCIMP is a spatiotemporal transmembrane scaffold for Erk1/2 to direct pro-inflammatory signaling in TLR-activated macrophages
Lucas, Richard M., Liu, Liping, Curson, James E. B., Koh, Yvette W. H., Tuladhar, Neeraj, Condon, Nicholas D., Das Gupta, Kaustav, Burgener, Sabrina S., Schroder, Kate, Ingley, Evan, Sweet, Matthew J., Stow, Jennifer L. and Luo, Lin (2021). SCIMP is a spatiotemporal transmembrane scaffold for Erk1/2 to direct pro-inflammatory signaling in TLR-activated macrophages. Cell Reports, 36 (10) 109662, 1-20. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109662
Grants
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The molecular mechanisms how caspase-1 drives non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
(2022–2023) Novartis Foundation for Medical-Biological Research
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(2020–2022) Swiss National Science Foundation
Supervision
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Molecular mechanisms of inflammasome-driven Alzheimer¿s disease
Doctor Philosophy
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Inflammasomes in tissue homeostasis and wound healing
Doctor Philosophy
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Inflammasome inhibition by molecular and cellular processes in fibrosis (e.g. systemic sclerosis)
Doctor Philosophy
Publications
Journal Article
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Milner, Mark T., Lawrence, Grace M. E. P., Holley, Caroline L., Bodea, Liviu-Gabriel, Götz, Jürgen, Burgener, Sabrina S. and Schroder, Kate (2022). Isolation and culture of pure adult mouse microglia and astrocytes for in vitro characterization and analyses. STAR Protocols, 3 (2) 101295, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101295
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Granule Leakage Induces Cell-Intrinsic, Granzyme B-Mediated Apoptosis in Mast Cells
Burgener, Sabrina Sofia, Brügger, Melanie, Leborgne, Nathan Georges François, Sollberger, Sophia, Basilico, Paola, Kaufmann, Thomas, Bird, Phillip Ian and Benarafa, Charaf (2021). Granule Leakage Induces Cell-Intrinsic, Granzyme B-Mediated Apoptosis in Mast Cells. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 9 630166, 1-12. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.630166
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Lucas, Richard M., Liu, Liping, Curson, James E. B., Koh, Yvette W. H., Tuladhar, Neeraj, Condon, Nicholas D., Das Gupta, Kaustav, Burgener, Sabrina S., Schroder, Kate, Ingley, Evan, Sweet, Matthew J., Stow, Jennifer L. and Luo, Lin (2021). SCIMP is a spatiotemporal transmembrane scaffold for Erk1/2 to direct pro-inflammatory signaling in TLR-activated macrophages. Cell Reports, 36 (10) 109662, 1-20. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109662
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The NLRP3 inflammasome triggers sterile neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease
Milner, Mark T, Maddugoda, Madhavi, Götz, Jürgen, Burgener, Sabrina S and Schroder, Kate (2021). The NLRP3 inflammasome triggers sterile neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease. Current Opinion in Immunology, 68, 116-124. doi: 10.1016/j.coi.2020.10.011
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Placental inflammasome signaling: protection for mother and baby
Burgener, Sabrina Sofia and Schroder, Kate (2021). Placental inflammasome signaling: protection for mother and baby. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 218 (1) e20201738. doi: 10.1084/jem.20201738
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Hilty, Markus, Wüthrich, Tsering M., Godel, Aurélie, Adelfio, Roberto, Aebi, Susanne, Burgener, Sabrina S., Illgen-Wilcke, Brunhilde and Benarafa, Charaf (2020). Chronic cigarette smoke exposure and pneumococcal infection induce oropharyngeal microbiota dysbiosis and contribute to long-lasting lung damage in mice. Microbial genomics, 6 (12). doi: 10.1099/mgen.0.000485
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Neutrophil extracellular traps in host defense
Burgener, Sabrina Sofia and Schroder, Kate (2020). Neutrophil extracellular traps in host defense. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, 12 (7) a037028, a037028-15. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a037028
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Ohayon, Delphine, De Chiara, Alessia, Dang, Pham My-Chan, Thieblemont, Nathalie, Chatfield, Simon, Marzaioli, Viviana, Burgener, Sabrina Sofia, Mocek, Julie, Candalh, Céline, Pintard, Coralie, Tacnet-Delorme, Pascale, Renault, Gilles, Lagoutte, Isabelle, Favier, Maryline, Walker, Francine, Hurtado-Nedelec, Margarita, Desplancq, Dominique, Weiss, Etienne, Benarafa, Charaf, Housset, Dominique, Marie, Jean-Claude, Frachet, Philippe, El-Benna, Jamel and Witko-Sarsat, Véronique (2019). Erratum: Cytosolic PCNA interacts with p47phox and controls NADPH oxidase NOX2 activation in neutrophils (Journal of Experimental Medicine (2019) 261:11 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20180371). Journal of Experimental Medicine, 216 (12). doi: 10.1084/jem.2018037111082019c
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Cytosolic PCNA interacts with p47phox and controls NADPH oxidase NOX2 activation in neutrophils
Ohayon, Delphine, De Chiara, Alessia, Pham My-Chan Dang,, Thieblemont, Nathalie, Chatfield, Simon, Marzaioli, Viviana, Burgener, Sabrina Sofia, Mocek, Julie, Candalh, Celine, Pintard, Coralie, Tacnet-Delorme, Pascale, Renault, Gilles, Lagoutte, Isabelle, Favier, Maryline, Walker, Francine, Hurtado-Nedelec, Margarita, Desplancq, Dominique, Weiss, Etienne, Benarafa, Charaf, Housset, Dominique, Marie, Jean-Claude, Frachet, Philippe, El-Benna, Jamel and Witko-Sarsat, Veronique (2019). Cytosolic PCNA interacts with p47phox and controls NADPH oxidase NOX2 activation in neutrophils. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 216 (11), 2669-2687. doi: 10.1084/jem.20180371
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Burgener, Sabrina Sofia, Leborgne, Nathan Georges François, Snipas, Scott J., Salvesen, Guy S., Bird, Phillip Ian and Benarafa, Charaf (2019). Cathepsin G inhibition by Serpinb1 and Serpinb6 prevents programmed necrosis in neutrophils and monocytes and reduces GSDMD-driven inflammation. Cell Reports, 27 (12), 3646-3656.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.05.065
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Enzmann, Gaby, Adelfio, Roberto, Godel, Aurélie, Haghayegh Jahromi, Neda, Tietz, Silvia, Burgener, Sabrina, Deutsch, Urban, Wekerle, Hartmut, Benarafa, Charaf and Engelhardt, Britta (2019). The Genetic Background of Mice Influences the Effects of Cigarette Smoke on Onset and Severity of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20 (6) 1433, 1433. doi: 10.3390/ijms20061433
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Baumgartner, Ulrich, Berger, Fabienne, Gheinani, Ali Hashemi, Burgener, Sabrina Sofia, Monastyrskaya, Katia and Vassella, Erik (2018). miR-19b enhances proliferation and apoptosis resistance via the EGFR signaling pathway by targeting PP2A and BIM in non-small cell lung cancer. Molecular Cancer, 17 (1) 44, 44. doi: 10.1186/s12943-018-0781-5
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Transgenic mice expressing human proteinase 3 exhibit sustained neutrophil-associated peritonitis
Martin, Katherine R., Pederzoli-Ribeil, Magali, Pacreau, Emeline, Burgener, Sabrina S., Dahdah, Albert, Candalh, Céline, Lauret, Evelyne, Foretz, Marc, Mouthon, Luc, Lucas, Bruno, Thieblemont, Nathalie, Benarafa, Charaf, Launay, Pierre and Witko-Sarsat, Véronique (2017). Transgenic mice expressing human proteinase 3 exhibit sustained neutrophil-associated peritonitis. The Journal of Immunology, 199 (11), 3914-3924. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1601522
Conference Publication
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Burgener, Sabrina S., Baumann, Mathias, Basilico, Paola, Remold-O'Donnell, Eileen, Touw, Ivo P. and Benarafa, Charaf (2016). Myeloid conditional deletion and transgenic models reveal a threshold for the neutrophil survival factor Serpinb1. 9th General Meeting of the International-Proteolysis-Society (IPS), Penang, Malaysia, 03 - 08 October 2015. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GMBH. doi: 10.1515/hsz-2016-0132
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Activity and long-term stability of self-assembling enzymatic surface coatings
Burgener, Sabrina, Pieles, Uwe and Köser, Joachim (2011). Activity and long-term stability of self-assembling enzymatic surface coatings. Annual Meeting of the Swiss Society for Biomaterials, Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, 4 May 2011. Davos, Switzerland: AO Research Institute Davos.
Grants (Administered at UQ)
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The molecular mechanisms how caspase-1 drives non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
(2022–2023) Novartis Foundation for Medical-Biological Research
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(2020–2022) Swiss National Science Foundation
PhD and MPhil Supervision
Current Supervision
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Molecular mechanisms of inflammasome-driven Alzheimer¿s disease
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
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Inflammasomes in tissue homeostasis and wound healing
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
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Inflammasome inhibition by molecular and cellular processes in fibrosis (e.g. systemic sclerosis)
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
