Christian K. Hirt, MD, PhD

Dr. Hirt's research focuses on the intersection of cancer biology, immunology, and hematopathology, aiming to translate experimental discoveries into improved patient outcomes. As an Assistant Professor of Hematopathology at UCLA Health, he investigates the tumor microenvironment and innate and adaptive immune interactions in hematologic and solid malignancies. His work integrates biobanking, organoid, and advanced culture systems, and in-vivo modeling to study disease mechanisms and therapeutic response, with particular emphasis on developing and optimizing cellular therapies such as CAR-T and other immunotherapies.

Droeser RA, Hirt C, Eppenberger-Castori S, Zlobec I, Viehl CT, Frey DM, Nebiker CA, Rosso R, Zuber M, Amicarella F, Iezzi G, Sconocchia G, Heberer M, Lugli A, Tornillo L, Oertli D, Terracciano L, Spagnoli GC. High myeloperoxidase positive cell infiltration in colorectal cancer is an independent favorable prognostic factor PLOS ONE 2013 May Vol 8 Issue 5

Hirt C, Papadimitropoulos A, Muraro MG, Mele V, Panopoulos E, Cremonesi E, Ivanek R, Schultz-Thater E, Droeser RA, Mengus C, Heberer M, Oertli D, Iezzi G, Zajac P, Eppenberger-Castori S, Tornillo L, Terracciano L, Martin I, Spagnoli GC. Bioreactor-engineered cancer tissue-like structures mimic phenotypes, gene expression profiles and drug resistance patterns observed "in vivo". Biomaterials. 2015 Sep;62:138-46. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2015.05.037.

Scheper W, Kelderman S, Fanchi L, Linnemann C, Bendle G, de Rooij M, Hirt C, Slagter M, Dijkstra K, Kluin R, Snaebjornsson P, Nelson B, Zijlmans H, Kenter G, Voest E, Haanen J, and Schumacher T. Low and variable tumor reactivity of the intratumoral TCR repertoire in h man cancers. Nat Med. 2019 Jan;25(1):89- 94. doi: 10.1038/s41591-018-0266-5. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Hirt CK, Booij TH, Grob L, Simmler P, Toussaint NC, Keller D, Taube D Ludwig V, Goryachkin A, Pauli C, Lenggenhager D, Stekhoven DJ, Stirnimann CU, Endhardt K, Ringnalda F, Villiger L, Siebenhüner A, Karkampouna S, De Menna M, Beshay J, Klett H, Kruithof-de Julio M, Schüler J, Schwank G. Drug screening and genome editing in human pancreatic cancer organoids identifies drug-gene interactions and candidates for off-label therapy. Cell Genomics. 2022, Volume 2, Issue 2, 10095.

Ramia de Cap M, Wu LP, Hirt C, Pihan GA, Patel SS, Tam W, Bueso-Ramos CE, Kanagal Shamanna R, Raess PW, Siddon A, Narayanan D, Morgan EA, Pinkus GS, Mason EF, Hsi ED, Rogers HJ, Toth L, Foucar K, Hurwitz SN, Bagg A, Rets A, George TI, Orazi A, Arber DA, Hasserjian RP, Weinberg OK; Bone Marrow Pathology Group. Myeloid sarcoma with NPM1 mutation may be clinically and genetically distinct from AML with NPM1 mutation: a study from the Bone Marrow Pathology Group. Leuk Lymphoma. 2023 May;64(5):972 980. doi: 10.1080/10428194.2023.2185091. PMID: 36960680