Thaddeus Stappenbeck, MD, PhD
Department Chair
Location: Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
Research
Biography
Thaddeus Stappenbeck received his B.A. as a member of the Integrated Science Program at Northwestern University, as well as his M.D and Ph.D. from Northwestern University Medical School. He trained in anatomic pathology at the Washington University School of Medicine. He was hired as an assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University, where he moved up the ranks to Division Chief of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine. His leadership experiences included lead of the Physician Scientist Training Program, Pathology and Immunology promotions committee chair, study section chair and multiple search committees for leadership positions.
Dr. Stappenbeck currently serves as the chair of Inflammation and Immunity at Cleveland Clinic, where his research program focuses on determining the root causes of inflammatory and infectious diseases with the goal of developing new therapies for these diseases. His lab has defined stages and mechanisms of intestinal repair leading to a lead compound for a novel therapy for inflammatory bowel disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, determined mechanisms for the effects of intestinal microbes on repair and created a cell culture system for human intestinal stem cells that is used by labs around the world. He moved to Cleveland Clinic to partner with the world-class clinicians and scientists in this institution to accelerate the translation of discoveries in immunology, developmental biology, cell biology, and microbiology to new concepts for therapy in inflammatory disease.
He serves on scientific advisory boards for Science Immunology, as well as several companies in the area of inflammatory bowel diseases. He has collaborated extensively with many other investigators and published over 160 articles in high impact journals, while successfully training numerous physician-scientists and scientists and encouraging them to inflammatory and infectious disease. His lab has been supported by broad portfolio including the National Institute of Health, Crohn’s Colitis Foundation of America, Helmsley Trust, American Asthma Foundation, Rainin Foundation, Broad Medical Research Program, the Gates Foundation, the Pew Foundation and pharmaceutical companies including Genentech, Pfizer, Janssen and Boehringer-Ingelheim.
Education & Professional Highlights
Education & Fellowships
Fellowship - Washington University in St. Louis
research
MO USA
2002
Residency - Barnes Jewish Hospital
Anatomic Pathology
St. Louis, MO USA
1999
Medical Education - Northwestern Univ. School of Medicine
Chicago, IL USA
1995
Graduate School - Northwestern Univ. School of Medicine
PhD
Chicago, IL USA
1995
Undergraduate - Northwestern University
Integrated Science Program
Evanston, IL USA
1987
Certifications
- Anatomic Pathology
Research
Overview
My lab is interested in discovering host and environmental factors that impact inflammation and wound repair at mucosal surfaces. These processes impact the pathogenesis of a number of disease states including inflammatory bowel disease. We use combinations of studies using human cells and tissues as well as mouse and in vitro models to approach these problems. The focal point of these studies is often the intestinal epithelial barrier. To make advances in this area, we have developed novel methods to model these cells under a variety of relevant conditions. We then study mechanisms by which the diet/microbiome as well as select stromal/immune cells impact this system. Our overarching goal is to understand combinations of genetic and environmental factors that affect specific epithelial cell function and thus predispose individuals to develop active intestinal inflammation.
Our Team
Selected Publications
View publications for Thaddeus Stappenbeck, MD, PhD
(Disclaimer: This search is powered by PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. PubMed is a third-party website with no affiliation with Cleveland Clinic.)
Long-Term Culture Captures Injury-Repair Cycles of Colonic Stem Cells.
Wang Y, Chiang IL, Ohara TE, Fujii S, Cheng J, Muegge BD, Ver Heul A, Han ND, Lu Q, Xiong S, Chen F, Lai CW, Janova H, Wu R, Whitehurst CE, VanDussen KL, Liu TC, Gordon JI, Sibley LD, Stappenbeck TS.
Cell. 2019 Nov 14;179(5):1144-1159.e15. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.10.015. Epub 2019 Nov 7.
PAI-1 augments mucosal damage in colitis.
Kaiko GE, Chen F, Lai CW, Chiang IL, Perrigoue J, Stojmirović A, Li K, Muegge BD, Jain U, VanDussen KL, Goggins BJ, Keely S, Weaver J, Foster PS, Lawrence DA, Liu TC, Stappenbeck TS.
Sci Transl Med. 2019 Mar 6;11(482). pii: eaat0852. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aat0852.
Wegorzewska MM, Glowacki RWP, Hsieh SA, Donermeyer DL, Hickey CA, Horvath SC, Martens EC, Stappenbeck TS, Allen PM.
Sci Immunol. 2019 Feb 8;4(32). pii: eaau9079. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aau9079.
Intestinal Dysmotility Syndromes following Systemic Infection by Flaviviruses.
White JP, Xiong S, Malvin NP, Khoury-Hanold W, Heuckeroth RO, Stappenbeck TS, Diamond MS.
Cell. 2018 Nov 15;175(5):1198-1212.e12. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.08.069. Epub 2018 Oct 4.
Interaction between smoking and ATG16L1T300A triggers Paneth cell defects in Crohn's disease.
Liu TC, Kern JT, VanDussen KL, Xiong S, Kaiko GE, Wilen CB, Rajala MW, Caruso R, Holtzman MJ, Gao F, McGovern DP, Nunez G, Head RD, Stappenbeck TS.
J Clin Invest. 2018 Nov 1;128(11):5110-5122. doi: 10.1172/JCI120453. Epub 2018 Oct 15.
Jain U, Lai CW, Xiong S, Goodwin VM, Lu Q, Muegge BD, Christophi GP, VanDussen KL, Cummings BP, Young E, Hambor J, Stappenbeck TS.
Cell Host Microbe. 2018 Sep 12;24(3):353-363.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2018.07.019. Epub 2018 Aug 16.
Abnormal Small Intestinal Epithelial Microvilli in Patients With Crohn's Disease.
VanDussen KL, Stojmirović A, Li K, Liu TC, Kimes PK, Muegge BD, Simpson KF, Ciorba MA, Perrigoue JG, Friedman JR, Towne JE, Head RD, Stappenbeck TS.
Gastroenterology. 2018 Sep;155(3):815-828. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2018.05.028. Epub 2018 May 18.
The microbial metabolite desaminotyrosine protects from influenza through type I interferon.
Steed AL, Christophi GP, Kaiko GE, Sun L, Goodwin VM, Jain U, Esaulova E, Artyomov MN, Morales DJ, Holtzman MJ, Boon ACM, Lenschow DJ, Stappenbeck TS.
Science. 2017 Aug 4;357(6350):498-502. doi: 10.1126/science.aam5336.
The Colonic Crypt Protects Stem Cells from Microbiota-Derived Metabolites. Kaiko GE, Ryu SH, Koues OI, Collins PL, Solnica-Krezel L, Pearce EJ, Pearce EL, Oltz EM, Stappenbeck TS.
Cell. 2016 Nov 3;167(4):1137. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.10.034
Vertically transmitted faecal IgA levels determine extra-chromosomal phenotypic variation.
Moon C, Baldridge MT, Wallace MA, D CA, Burnham, Virgin HW, Stappenbeck TS.
Nature. 2015 May 7;521(7550):90-93. doi: 10.1038/nature14139. Epub 2015 Feb 16
Careers
Research News
A team led by Dr. Thaddeus Stappenbeck finds reduced levels of secretory immunoglobulin A, mediated by intestinal bacteria, increases susceptibility to mucosal pathogens.
As Cleveland Clinic’s Food Allergy Center offers care for life-altering allergies, it paves the way for further potential treatments.
The new study finds evidence that small consortiums of microbes in the gut can be durably enhanced through diet, driving immune response.
The Sherman Prize recognizes researchers and clinicians who make contributions to transform and innovate care for people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
The Sherwick Endowed Chair provides impactful research opportunities to improve understanding of the immune system and inflammatory diseases and develop better preventive and therapeutic responses.
Dr. Stappenbeck’s group found a new cell type that is produced by intestinal epithelial stem and progenitor cells and provides rapid structural support to damaged, high-turnover tissue and a foundation for its proper healing.
Dr. Stappenbeck’s team has found interconnectivity between inflammatory fibroblasts and the molecular features of penetrating fibrosis in Crohn’s disease.
Preclinical findings from Dr. Stappenbeck show that a western diet damages the immune system in the gut, which can lead to chronic inflammation and could increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease.
Dr. Stappenbeck and his team found that the yeast D. hansenii, a type of fungus, is elevated in models of Crohn’s disease, particularly concentrated within intestinal wounds, suggesting that targeting this infection may be a viable approach to treat or prevent the disease.
Thaddeus (Thad) Stappenbeck, MD, PhD will lead a department of more than 50 principal investigators studying the origins and manifestations of a range of diseases.