KÖLBL Heinz, M.D., Dr.h.c.

Research Interests: Urogynaecology, Gynaecological Oncology, Gynaecological Surgery

It has been demonstrated that the etiology of urinary incontinence (UI) is not only due by environmental but also by genetic factors and the risk of UI is increased in certain families. Genetic studies have identified several genes encoding components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which seem to be related to a UI predisposition, but much remains to be understood of this complex dynamic interplay of enzymes, proteins and molecules.

Proteomic analysis of human body fluids has become one of the most promising approaches to discover biomarkers for human diseases. Body fluid testing provides several key advantages including low invasiveness, minimum cost and easy sample collection and processing. The potential of proteomics has been demonstrated in various medical areas (e.g. infectious disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease and oncology). Urine represents an easily accessible source of biomarkers for clinical diagnostics, especially for kidney and uro-genital diseases, and it can be obtained in large quantities using noninvasive procedures.

Overall, biomarkers offer promising means of detecting stress urinary incontinence before clinical expression. The identification of protein patterns specifically in stress urinary incontinence (SUI) would be a precious instrument, beside clinical and instrumental exams, in the diagnostic and therapeutic process.

Methods & Techniques

Proteomic analysis mass spectrometric analysis of digested peptides (ion-trap and the time-of-flight (qToF) MS); qToF mass spectrometric detection and analysis for the label-free quantitation of peptides and proteins detected in samples

Selected Publications

Lantzsch T, Wolters M, Grimm J, Mende T, Buchmann J, Sliutz G, Koelbl H. Sentinel node procedure in Ib cervical cancer: a preliminary series. Br J Cancer 85: 791-794, 2001

Helmbold P, Haerting J, Kölbl H. Gene-expression signatures in breast cancer. (Comment on: A gene-expression signature as a predictor of survival in breast cancer.) N Engl J Med 348: 1715-1717, 2003

Hefler LA, Grimm C, Ackermann S, Malur S, Radjabi-Rahat AR, Leodolter S, Beckmann MW, Zeillinger R, Koelbl H, Tempfer CB. An interleukin-6 gene promoter polymorphism influences the biological phenotype of ovarian cancer. Cancer Res 63: 3066-3068, 2003

du Bois A, Pfisterer J, Burchardi N, Loibl S, Huober J, Wimberger P, Burges A, Stähle A, Jackisch C, Kölbl H; Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynäekologische Onkologie Studiengruppe Ovarialkarzinom; Kommission Uterus. Combination therapy with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and carboplatin in gynecologic malignancies: a prospective phase II study of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynäekologische Onkologie Studiengruppe Ovarialkarzinom (AGO-OVAR) and Kommission Uterus (AGO-K-Ut). Gynecol Oncol 107: 518-525, 2007

Schmidt M, Böhm D, von Törne C, Steiner E, Puhl A, Pilch H, Lehr HA, Hengstler JG, Kölbl H, Gehrmann M. The humoral immune system has a key prognostic impact in node-negative breast cancer. Cancer Res 68: 5405-5413, 2008

Schmidt M, Hengstler JG, von Törne C, Koelbl H, Gehrmann MC. Coordinates in the universe of node-negative breast cancer revisited. Cancer Res 69: 2695-2698, 2009

Smith AR, Koelbl H. Is mid-urethral placement of synthetic minimal access tapes important in stress urinary incontinence surgery? Neurourol Urodyn 29: 676-678, 2010

Brase JC, Schmidt M, Fischbach T, Sültmann H, Bojar H, Koelbl H, Hellwig B, Rahnenführer J, Hengstler JG, Gehrmann MC. ERBB2 and TOP2A in breast cancer: a comprehensive analysis of gene amplification, RNA levels, and protein expression and their influence on prognosis and prediction. Clin Cancer Res 16: 2391-2401, 2010

Schmidt M, Petry IB, Böhm D, Lebrecht A, von Törne C, Gebhard S, Gerhold-Ay A, Cotarelo C, Battista M, Schormann W, Freis E, Selinski S, Ickstadt K, Rahnenführer J, Sebastian M, Schuler M, Koelbl H, Gehrmann M, Hengstler JG. Ep-CAM RNA expression predicts metastasis-free survival in three cohorts of untreated node-negative breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 125: 637-646, 2011

Kucera-Sliutz E, Schiebel I, König F, Leodolter S, Sliutz G, Kölbl H. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and discrimation between abnorm intrauterine and ectopic pregnancy. Breast Cancer Res Treat 125: 637-646, 2011