Professor Dr Josef Penninger

Research Priorities: Organoid research, genetic causes of diseases, host-pathogen reactions, infectious diseases, RANKL proteins, heart and lung diseases, cancer, bone diseases, osteoporosis, development of innovative treatment approaches, vaccination tests
Josef Penninger is an Austrian medical specialist and geneticist. He researches the genetic causes of diseases, and in doing so discovered a protein that plays an essential role in osteoporosis and breast cancer. New drugs have been developed based on results from his research. His insights into a receptor that the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen uses to enter human cells also achieved recognition. Using organoids from stem cells of cultured miniature organs, his team recently established a platform for researching infections and the development of new treatment approaches and vaccination tests.
Josef Penninger manipulates mouse genes and researches the effects of these mutations on the development of the organism and the emergence of diseases. The main focus is on heart and lung diseases, cancer and bone diseases. He discovered the RANKL protein which is responsible for bone degeneration (osteoporosis). In healthy bones, there is a balance between cells that build bones and cells that break them down. RANKL converts blood stem cells into bone-eating cells. Based on this, a drug was developed that blocks the RANKL protein and thus relieves osteoporosis.
Josef Penninger and his team discovered that RANKL also plays a crucial role in the onset of genetic-related breast cancer. The onset can be delayed or even prevented if a drug blocks the protein. Penninger wants to understand the onset of breast cancer and fight the disease with genetic means. A company he founded turns research results into pharmaceutical products and also developed a drug for tumours in children (neuroblastoma). The company also tested possible drugs against Covid in studies. Josef Penninger has significantly contributed to explaining the mechanism with which the SARS-CoV-2 virus can enter the epithelial cells in the airways. A receptor called ACE2 in the membrane plays an important role in this. In animal experiments, Josef Penninger’s team were able to show that a soluble, artificially created ACE2 protein can prevent serious lung damage caused by SARS viruses.
Josef Penninger has recently been working on the highly regarded development of organoids in particular. He investigates biological processes using these 3D miniature models of organs made from human stem cells. His team uses modern molecular-biological technologies such as CRISPR to do this. By producing disease-specific organoids from patient samples, the research group promotes the understanding of diseases and the development of treatment methods.
Josef Penninger has participated in almost 800 scientific publications and has received multiple awards for his scientific achievements. In 2006, asteroid (48801) was named Penninger after him.