PD Dr. Sabine Pirr

My Research Interest in RESIST

My research focus is the immune adaptation of term and preterm neonates after birth and the question why newborns and especially premature infants are so susceptible to severe infections compared to older children or adults. Here, I focus especially on the role of breast milk for the development of the immune system and the microbiome of preterm infants. Of particular interest to me are the cellular composition of breast milk with changes over time of breastfeeding and the mechanisms of transmission of and consecutive neonatal infections with human cytomegalovirus.

PD Dr. Sabine Pirr (right) together with Prof. Viemann

PD Dr. Sabine Pirr – Curriculum Vitae

Current Position

Since 2019 Senior physician (Neonatology), Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Neonatology, MHH

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Training

1998-2005 Medical School, Martin-Luther-University Halle/Wittenberg and University Leipzig, Germany
2005 German Medical license
2009 Medical Doctorate (Dr. med.; Supervisor Prof. Dr. med. S. Dhein)
2012 Certification as Clinical Trial investigator
2016 Certification of Leadership competence and management skills
2018 Postdoctoral Research fellowship, Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Neonatology, Experimental Neonatology, MHH
2022 Habilitation for Pediatrics (PD; Supervisor Prof. Dr. med. D. Viemann)

Academic and Research Posts

2005-2010 Residency in Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, MHH
2010 Certification of Pediatrics
2010-2019 Residency / Consultant in Neonatology, Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Neonatology, MHH
Since 2011 Clinical scientist within the research group Experimental Neonatology led by Prof. Dr. Dorothee Viemann, MHH
2012 Certification in Neonatology
Since 2019 Senior physician, Neonatology, Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Neonatology, MHH

Other Scientific Roles

2016 Basic qualification for lecturers
2018 Local PI of the PRIMAL multicenter randomized-controlled trial, MHH
Since 2020 Reviewer activity for “Children”, „Acta Paediatrica“ and „Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics“
Since 2020 Member of the scientific advisory board of the DGKJ

Awards and Prizes

2018 Nutricia Research Award
2017 Adalbert-Czerny-Award, DGKJ
2014 Travel award, DGPI

10 Selected Publications

Klopp J, Ferretti P, Meyer CU, Hilbert K, Haiß A, Marißen J, Henneke P, Hudalla H, Pirr S, Viemann D, Zemlin M, Forslund SK, Härtel C, Bork P, Gehring S, Van Rossum T; the PRIMAL Consortium. Meconium Microbiome of Very Preterm Infants across Germany. mSphere. 2022 Feb 23;7(1):e0080821. doi: 10.1128/msphere.00808-21.

Pirr S, Dauter L, Vogl T, Ulas T, Bohnhorst B, Roth J, Viemann D. S100A8/A9 is the first predictive marker for neonatal sepsis. Clin Translat Med. 2021 Apr;11(4):e338. doi: 10.1002/ctm2.338.

Willers M, Ulas T, Völlger L, Vogl T, Heinemann AS, Pirr S, Pagel J, Fehlhaber B, Halle O, Schöning J, Schreek S, Löber U, Essex M, Hombach P, Graspeuntner S, Basic M, Bleich A, Cloppenborg-Schmidt K, Künzel S, Jonigk D, Rupp J, Hansen G, Förster R, Baines JF, Härtel C, Schultze JL, Forslund SK, Roth J, Viemann D. S100A8 and S100A9 are Important for Postnatal Development of Gut Microbiota and Immune System in Mice and Infants. Gastroenterology. 2020;159:2130-2145. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.08.019.

Ravens S, Fichtner A, Willers M, Torkornoo D, Pirr S, Schöning J, Deseke M, Sandrock I, Bubke A, Wilharm A, Dodoo D, Egyir B, Steinbrück L, Ghazal P, Adu B, Viemann D, Prinz I. Microbial exposure drives polyclonal expansion of innate γδ T cells immediately after birth. PNAS 2020 Aug 4;117(31):18649-18660. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1922588117

Pirr S, Viemann D. Host factors of favorable intestinal microbial colonization. Front Immunol 2020;11:584288. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.584288.

Bickes MS*, Pirr S*, Heinemann AS, Fehlhaber B, Halle S, Völlger L, Willers M, Richter M, Böhne C, Albrecht M, Langer M, Pfeifer S, v. Köckritz-Blickwede M, Jonigk D, v. Kaisenberg C, Hansen G, Förster R, Vieten G, Ure B, Viemann D. TNF- -mediated endothelial activation ensures postnatal leukocyte trafficking in health and disease. FASEB J 2019 Oct;33(10):10633-10647. doi: 10.1096/fj.201900796R. *equal contribution.

Ulas T*, Pirr S*, Fehlhaber B, Bickes M, Loof TG, Vogl T, Mellinger L, Heinemann AS, Burgmann J, Schöning J, Schreek S, Pfeifer S, Reuner F, Völlger L, Stanulla M, von Köckritz-Blickwede M, Glander S, Barczyk-Kahlert K, von Kaisenberg CS, Friesenhagen J, Fischer-Riepe L, Zenker S, Schultze JL, Roth J, Viemann D. S100-induced innate immune programming protects newborn infants from sepsis. Nat Immunol 2017 Jun;18(6):622-32. doi: 10.1038/ni.3745. *equal contribution

Pirr S, Richter M, Fehlhaber B, Pagel J, Härtel C, Roth J, Vogl T, Viemann D. High amounts of S100-alarmins confer antimicrobial activity on human breast milk targeting pathogens relevant in neonatal sepsis. Front Immunol 2017;8:1822. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01822.

Heinemann AS, Pirr S, Fehlhaber B, Mellinger L, Burgmann J, Busse M, Ginzel M, Friesenhagen J, von Köckritz-Blickwede M, Ulas T, von Kaisenberg CS, Roth J, Vogl T, Viemann D. In neonates S100A8/S100A9 alarmins prevent the expansion of a specific inflammatory monocyte population promoting septic shock. FASEB J 2017;31:1153-64. doi: 10.1096/fj.201601083R.

Austermann J, Friesenhagen J, Fassl SK, Ortkras T, Burgmann J, Barczyk-Kahlert K, Faist E, Zedler S, Pirr S, Rohde C, Müller-Tidow C, von Köckritz-Blickwede M, von Kaisenberg CS, Flohé SB, Ulas T, Schultze JL, Roth J, Vogl T, Viemann D. Alarmins MRP8 and MRP14 induce stress tolerance in phagocytes under sterile inflammatory conditions. Cell Reports 2014;9:1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2014.11.020.

Contact

	PD Dr. Sabine Pirr
	Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Neonatology Hannover Medical School
	Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1 30625 Hannover
	+49 511 532 – 19841
	pirr.sabine@ mh-hannover.de