Prof. Dr. Helge Taubert
Molecular Urology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen

Research projects
- DFG-Project: MicroRNA mediated regulation of key components of the Mediator Complex (MED) and its functional role in CRPC EU-EIT Health Project (PI Karolinska Institute)
- Imaging in prostate cancer diagnosis BMBF (PI Prof. Bauer/Dermatology)
- Diagnostics with biomarker patterns from plasma extra-cellular vesicles (pEV) using artificial intelligence (AI) methods
- Identification of biomarkers in urologic cancers for diagnosis, prognosis or therapieprediction/monitoring.
- Characterization of (cancer) stem cell-associated gene-/protein expression.
- Focus on microRNA-expression profiles in tumors and liquid biopsies.
No projects found.
2025
- Angeloni, M., Wach, S., Taubert, H., Sikic, D., Wullich, B., Matek, C.,... Ferrazzi, F. (2025). Robust Consensus Molecular Subtyping of Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Via 3' RNA Sequencing of Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Tissues: Potential Impact for Clinical and Trial Settings. Laboratory Investigation, 105(9). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labinv.2025.104191
- Guzman, J., Hart, M., Weigelt, K., Neumann, A.-D., Aigner, A., Andolfi, C.,... Wach, S. (2025). The MicroRNA miR-454 and the mediator complex component MED12 are regulators of the androgen receptor pathway in prostate cancer. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-95250-0
2024
- Andolfi, C., Bartolini, C., Morales, E., Gündoğdu, B., Puhr, M., Guzman, J.,... Culig, Z. (2024). MED12 and CDK8/19 Modulate Androgen Receptor Activity and Enzalutamide Response in Prostate Cancer. Endocrinology, 165(10). https://doi.org/10.1210/endocr/bqae114
- Angeloni, M., van Doeveren, T., Lindner, S., Volland, P., Schmelmer, J., Foersch, S.,... Bahlinger, V. (2024). A deep-learning workflow to predict upper tract urothelial carcinoma protein-based subtypes from H&E slides supporting the prioritization of patients for molecular testing. Journal of Pathology: Clinical Research, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/2056-4538.12369
- Bahlinger, V., Branz, A., Strissel, P., Strick, R., Lange, F., Geppert, C.-I.,... Eckstein, M. (2024). Associations of TACSTD2/TROP2 and NECTIN-4/NECTIN-4 with molecular subtypes, PD-L1 expression, and FGFR3 mutational status in two advanced urothelial bladder cancer cohorts. Histopathology. https://doi.org/10.1111/his.15130
- Branz, A., Matek, C., Lange, F., Bahlinger, V., Klümper, N., Hölzel, M.,... Eckstein, M. (2024). HLA-G expression associates with immune evasion muscle-invasive urothelial cancer and drives prognostic relevance. Frontiers in Immunology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1478196
- Eckstein, M., Matek, C., Wagner, P., Erber, R., Büttner-Herold, M., Wild, P.J.,... Bertz, S. (2024). Proposal for a Novel Histological Scoring System as a Potential Grading Approach for Muscle-invasive Urothelial Bladder Cancer Correlating with Disease Aggressiveness and Patient Outcomes. European Urology Oncology, 7(1), 128-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euo.2023.07.011
- Graf, S., Lutz, J., Koneval, L., Kalogirou, C., Weiß, S.C., Bannert, H.,... Fiebig, C. (2024). Preoperative geriatric assessment to predict functional outcome after major urologic operations: Results from a multicenter study. European Journal of Surgical Oncology, 50(12). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejso.2024.108693
- Guzman, J., Weigelt, K., Neumann, A.-D., Tripal, P., Schmid, B., Winter, Z.,... Wach, S. (2024). NanoLuc Binary Technology as a methodological approach: an important new tool for studying the localization of androgen receptor and androgen receptor splice variant V7 homo and heterodimers. BMC Cancer, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-024-12110-2
- Hase, N., Misiak, D., Taubert, H., Hüttelmaier, S., Gekle, M., & Köhn, M. (2024). APOBEC3C-mediated NF-κB activation enhances clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression. Molecular Oncology. https://doi.org/10.1002/1878-0261.13721
- Kappler, M., Thielemann, L., Glaß, M., Caggegi, L., Güttler, A., Pyko, J.,... Rot, S. (2024). Functional and Biological Characterization of the LGR5Δ5 Splice Variant in HEK293T Cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(24). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252413417
- Lange, F., Geppert, C.-I., Bahlinger, V., Bertz, S., Stöhr, R., Sikic, D.,... Eckstein, M. (2024). Digital volumetric assessment of CIS and tumor mass compliments conventional histopathological assessment in muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer. Virchows Archiv. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-024-03875-9
- Marcou, M., Galiano, M., Tzschoppe, A., Sauerstein, K., Wach, S., Taubert, H.,... Apel, H. (2024). Clean Intermittent Catheterization in Children under 12 Years Does Not Have a Negative Impact on Long-Term Graft Survival following Pediatric Kidney Transplantation. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13010033
- Smolka, C., Eckstein, M., Jung, R., Lieb, V., Sikic, D., Stöhr, R.,... Wach, S. (2024). Prognostic and Predictive Potential of CCL5 Expression in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Patients. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25126325
2023
- Eckstein, M., Matek, C., Wagner, P., Erber, R., Büttner-Herold, M., Wild, P.J.,... Bertz, S. (2023). Corrigendum to "Proposal for a Novel Histological Scoring System as a Potential Grading Approach for Muscle-invasive Urothelial Bladder Cancer Correlating with Disease Aggressiveness and Patient Outcomes" [European Urology Oncology (2023)]. European Urology Oncology, 6(6). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euo.2023.09.023
- Marcou, M., Galiano, M., Tzschoppe, A., Sauerstein, K., Wach, S., Taubert, H.,... Apel, H. (2023). Risk Factor Analysis for Long-Term Graft Survival Following Pediatric Kidney Transplantation: The Importance of Pretransplantation Time on Dialysis and Donor/Recipient Age Difference. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12227014
- Wullich, B., Taubert, H., Goebell, P., Kuwert, T., Beck, M., Schott, C.,... Wach, S. (2023). Individualisierte Präzisionsmedizin. Die Urologie. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00120-023-02151-z
2022
- Erlmeier, F., Klümper, N., Landgraf, L., Strissel, P., Strick, R., Sikic, D.,... Eckstein, M. (2022). Spatial Immunephenotypes of Distant Metastases but not Matched Primary Urothelial Carcinomas Predict Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibition. European Urology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2022.10.020
- Fichte, A., Neumann, A.-D., Weigelt, K., Guzman, J., Jansen, T., Keinert, J.,... Lieb, V. (2022). Combined miR-486 and GP88 (Progranulin) Serum Levels Are Suggested as Supportive Biomarkers for Therapy Decision in Elderly Prostate Cancer Patients. Life, 12(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/life12050732
- Fiebig, C., Kahlmeyer, A., Bannert, H., Taubert, H., Wach, S., Koneval, L.,... Wullich, B. (2022). Multicentric validation of a comprehensive geriatric assessment to predict functional outcome and mortality following urooncological operations. In ONCOLOGY RESEARCH AND TREATMENT (pp. 111-111). BASEL: KARGER.
- Jasinski-Bergner, S., Eckstein, M., Taubert, H., Wach, S., Fiebig, C., Strick, R.,... Seliger, B. (2022). The Human Leukocyte Antigen G as an Immune Escape Mechanism and Novel Therapeutic Target in Urological Tumors. Frontiers in Immunology, 13, 811200-. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.811200
- Lieb, V., Abdulrahman, A., Weigelt, K., Hauch, S., Gombert, M., Guzman, J.,... Wach, S. (2022). Cell-Free DNA Sequencing Reveals Gene Variants in DNA Damage Repair Genes Associated with Prognosis of Prostate Cancer Patients. Cells, 11(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11223618
- Marquardt, A., Richterstetter, M., Taubert, H., Hartmann, A., Wullich, B., Lieb, V.,... Apel, H. (2022). Reduced Recurrence Rates Are Associated with Photodynamic Diagnostics Compared to White Light after Extended Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumors. Life, 12(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/life12050641
- Sailer, V., von Amsberg, G., Duensing, S., Kirfel, J., Lieb, V., Metzger, E.,... Aigner, A. (2022). Experimental in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo models in prostate cancer research. NAT REV UROL . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-022-00677-z
2021
- Eckstein, M., Lieb, V., Jung, R., Sikic, D., Weigelt, K., Stöhr, R.,... Wach, S. (2021). Combination of GP88 Expression in Tumor Cells and Tumor-Infiltrating Immune Cells Is an Independent Prognostic Factor for Bladder Cancer Patients. Cells, 10(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10071796
- Greither, T., Steiner, T., Bache, M., Serrero, G., Otto, S., Taubert, H.,... Kappler, M. (2021). Gp88/pgrn serum levels are associated with prognosis for oral squamous cell carcinoma patients. Biology, 10(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10050400
- Keck, B., Borkowetz, A., Pöllmann, J., Jansen, T., Fischer, M., Fuessel, S.,... Wach, S. (2021). Serum miRNAs Support the Indication for MRI-Ultrasound Fusion-Guided Biopsy of the Prostate in Patients with Low-PI-RADS Lesions. Cells, 10(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10061315
- Kullmann, F., Strissel, P., Strick, R., Stöhr, R., Eckstein, M., Bertz, S.,... Weyerer, V. (2021). Frequency of microsatellite instability (MSI) in upper tract urothelial carcinoma: comparison of the Bethesda panel and the Idylla MSI assay in a consecutively collected, multi-institutional cohort. Journal of Clinical Pathology. https://doi.org/10.1136/jclinpath-2021-207855
- Lieb, V., Bellut, L., Abdulrahman, A., Weigelt, K., Hauch, S., Gombert, M.,... Wach, S. (2021). Cell-free dna variant sequencing using plasma and ar-v7 testing of circulating tumor cells in prostate cancer patients. Cells, 10(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10113223
- Offermann, A., Kang, D., Watermann, C., Weingart, A., Hupe, M.C., Saraji, A.,... Perner, S. (2021). Analysis of tripartite motif (TRIM) family gene expression in prostate cancer bone metastases. Carcinogenesis, 42(12), 1475-1484. https://doi.org/10.1093/carcin/bgab083
- Sikic, D., Eckstein, M., Weyerer, V., Kubon, J., Breyer, J., Roghmann, F.,... Wach, S. (2021). High expression of ERBB2 is an independent risk factor for reduced recurrence-free survival in patients with stage T1 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Urologic Oncology-Seminars and Original Investigations. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urolonc.2021.06.021
- Sikic, D., Taubert, H., Breyer, J., Eckstein, M., Weyerer, V., Keck, B.,... Wach, S. (2021). The Prognostic Value of FGFR3 Expression in Patients with T1 Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer. Cancer Management and Research , 13, 6567-6578. https://doi.org/10.2147/CMAR.S318893
- Sikic, D., Taubert, H., Wirtz, R.M., Breyer, J., Eckstein, M., Weyerer, V.,... Keck, B. (2021). High androgen receptor mrna expression is associated with improved outcome in patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Life, 11(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/life11070642
- Sikic, D., Weyerer, V., Geppert, C.-I., Bertz, S., Lange, F., Taubert, H.,... Eckstein, M. (2021). Utility of stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocyte scoring (sTILs) for risk stratification of patients with muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer after radical cystectomy. Urologic Oncology-Seminars and Original Investigations. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urolonc.2021.07.025
- Taubert, H., & Eckstein, M. (2021). Ist die Expression des GP88-Proteins (Progranulin) ein klinisch relevanter Prognosefaktor für Prostatakarzinompatienten? Journal für Urologie und Urogynäkologie. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41972-021-00129-7
- Taubert, H., Eckstein, M., Epple, E., Jung, R., Weigelt, K., Lieb, V.,... Wach, S. (2021). Immune Cell-Associated Protein Expression Helps to Predict Survival in Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Bladder Cancer Patients after Radical Cystectomy and Optional Adjuvant Chemotherapy. Cells, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10010159
- Tully, K.H., Jütte, H., Wirtz, R.M., Jarczyk, J., Santiago-Walker, A., Zengerling, F.,... Eckstein, M. (2021). Prognostic Role of FGFR Alterations and FGFR mRNA Expression in Metastatic Urothelial Cancer Undergoing Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy. Urology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2021.05.055
- Weyerer, V., Eckstein, M., Strissel, P., Wullweber, A., Lange, F., Tögel, L.,... Giedl, J. (2021). Tert promoter mutation analysis of whole-organ mapping bladder cancers. Genes, 12(2), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12020230
- Weyerer, V., Strissel, P., Stohr, C., Eckstein, M., Wach, S., Taubert, H.,... Strick, R. (2021). Endogenous Retroviral-K Envelope Is a Novel Tumor Antigen and Prognostic Indicator of Renal Cell Carcinoma. Frontiers in Oncology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2021.657187
- Weyerer, V., Strissel, P., Strick, R., Sikic, D., Geppert, C.-I., Bertz, S.,... Eckstein, M. (2021). Integration of spatial pd-l1 expression with the tumor immune microenvironment outperforms standard pd-l1 scoring in outcome prediction of urothelial cancer patients. Cancers, 13(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13102327
- Weyerer, V., Stöhr, R., Bertz, S., Lange, F., Geppert, C.-I., Wach, S.,... Eckstein, M. (2021). Prognostic impact of molecular muscle-invasive bladder cancer subtyping approaches and correlations with variant histology in a population-based mono-institutional cystectomy cohort. World Journal of Urology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-021-03788-1
- Wullweber, A., Strick, R., Lange, F., Sikic, D., Taubert, H., Wach, S.,... Eckstein, M. (2021). Bladder tumor subtype commitment occurs in carcinoma in-situ driven by key signaling pathways including ECM remodeling. In EUROPEAN UROLOGY (pp. S640-S640). AMSTERDAM: ELSEVIER.
- Wullweber, A., Strick, R., Lange, F., Sikic, D., Taubert, H., Wach, S.,... Eckstein, M. (2021). Bladder Tumor Subtype Commitment Occurs in Carcinoma In Situ Driven by Key Signaling Pathways Including ECM Remodeling. Cancer Research, 81(6), 1552-1566. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-20-2336
2020
- Eckstein, M., Epple, E., Jung, R., Weigelt, K., Lieb, V., Sikic, D.,... Wach, S. (2020). CCL2 expression in tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells shows divergent prognostic potential for bladder cancer patients depending on lymph node stage. Cancers, 12(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12051253
- Eckstein, M., Strissel, P., Strick, R., Weyerer, V., Wirtz, R., Pfannstiel, C.,... Sikic, D. (2020). Cytotoxic T-cell-related gene expression signature predicts improved survival in muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer patients after radical cystectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/jitc-2019-000162
- Eckstein, M., Strissel, P., Strick, R., Weyerer, V., Wirtz, R.M., Pfannstiel, C.,... Sikic, D. (2020). Immune Cell Gene Expression Signature is Associated with Improved Outcome in Muscle-Invasive Urothelial Bladder Cancer Patients Treated with Radical Cystectomy. In ONCOLOGY RESEARCH AND TREATMENT (pp. 70-70). BASEL: KARGER.
- Erber, R., Meyer, J., Taubert, H., Fasching, P., Wach, S., Häberle, L.,... Rübner, M. (2020). Piwi-like 1 and piwi-like 2 expression in breast cancer. Cancers, 12(10), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12102742
- Friedrich, M., Heimer, N., Stoehr, C., Steven, A., Wach, S., Taubert, H.,... Seliger, B. (2020). CREB1 is affected by the microRNAs miR-22-3p, miR-26a-5p, miR-27a-3p, and miR-221-3p and correlates with adverse clinicopathological features in renal cell carcinoma. Scientific Reports, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63403-y
- Greither, T., Koser, F., Holzhausen, H.J., Güttler, A., Würl, P., Kappler, M.,... Taubert, H. (2020). Mir-155-5p and mir-203a-3p are prognostic factors in soft tissue sarcoma. Cancers, 12(8), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12082254
- Kubon, J., Sikic, D., Eckstein, M., Weyerer, V., Stöhr, R., Neumann, A.,... Wach, S. (2020). Analysis of CXCL9, PD1 and PD-L1 mRNA in stage T1 non-muscle invasive bladder cancer and their association with prognosis. Cancers, 12(10), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12102794
- Kunz, M., Brandl, M., Bhattacharya, A., Nobereit-Siegel, L., Ewe, A., Weirauch, U.,... Aigner, A. (2020). Nanoparticle-complexed antimiRs for inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis in prostate carcinoma and melanoma. Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-020-00728-w
- König, P., Eckstein, M., Jung, R., Abdulrahman, A., Guzman, J., Weigelt, K.,... Lieb, V. (2020). Expression of AR-V7 (Androgen receptor variant 7) protein in granular cytoplasmic structures is an independent prognostic factor in prostate cancer patients. Cancers, 12(9), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12092639
- Simon, A.G., Tolkach, Y., Esser, L.K., Ellinger, J., Stoehr, C., Ritter, M.,... Toma, M.I. (2020). Mitophagy-associated genes PINK1 and PARK2 are independent prognostic markers of survival in papillary renal cell carcinoma and associated with aggressive tumor behavior. Scientific Reports, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75258-4
- Taubert, H., Abdulrahman, A., Eckstein, M., Jung, R., Guzman, J., Weigelt, K.,... Wach, S. (2020). Progranulin (GP88) is an independent prognostic factor for prostate cancer patients. In CANCER RESEARCH. PHILADELPHIA: AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH.
- Wach, S., Taubert, H., Weigelt, K., Hase, N., Köhn, M., Misiak, D.,... Lai, X. (2020). RNA sequencing of collecting duct renal cell carcinoma suggests an interaction between miRNA and target genes and a predominance of deregulated solute carrier genes. Cancers, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12010064
- Weyerer, V., Lange, F., Wullweber, A., Stöhr, R., Bertz, S., Wach, S.,... Eckstein, M. (2020). Heterogeneity-analysis of molecular subtypes of muscle-invasive bladder cancer and their precursor lesions in multiregion mapped whole-organ bladders. In UROLOGIC ONCOLOGY-SEMINARS AND ORIGINAL INVESTIGATIONS (pp. 907-907). NEW YORK: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC.