Christoph Licht

Christoph Licht is a Paediatric Nephrologist. He is Associate Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto, Staff Nephrologist in the Division of Nephrology and Director of the Dialysis & Apheresis Unite of the Hospital for Sick Children and Senior Associate Scientist in the Cell Biology Program of the SickKids Research Institute. He is also Associate Staff Physician at the University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital.

Christoph obtained his clinical training as Paediatrician and Paediatric Nephrologist at the Children’s Hospital of the University of Cologne, Germany, and completed his Habilitation at the University of Cologne in 2005. From 1999 to 2002 he completed a Post-doctoral Research Fellowship in Nephrology with Dr. Bob Alpern at the University of Texas Southwestern medical Centre in Dallas, Texas, USA.

Chirstoph's research focuses on complement-mediated renal diseases, in particular atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). He established a translational research programme including an international registry of patients with complement-mediated diseases (www.kidcom.ca), and an active lab studying the cellular and molecular aspects of aHUS pathogenesis.

Amongst others, Christoph is the chair of HUS international, and chair of the International aHUS Registry. He serves on the editorial board of Kidney International, Nephrology Dialysis and Transplantation and Pediatric Nephrology, and published numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters related to his research focus. 

Research Synopsis

Dr Christoph Licht has established a research program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) to understand the pathomechanism of complement-mediated kidney diseases (e.g. aHUS and MPGN/C3G).

His research has prominent translational aspects and involves clinical and basic research.  

Components are:

• an international registry of patients with complement-mediated kidney diseases (www.kidcom.ca) including a biorepository as well as clinical (genetic and biochemical) tests for patients with aHUS and MPGN/C3G; and
• a research program in the SickKids Research Institute Cell Biology Program where he studies the complement-induced interactions of endothelial cells and platelets / neutrophils, as well as the molecular responses of endothelial cells to complement activation.
• In addition, he has a long-standing interest in chronic, proteinuria-mediated chronic kidney disease (CKD), particularly in Alport Syndrome.

The Licht lab

The Licht lab is located in the Cell Biology Program of the Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children.

The Licht lab’s research focus is on complement-mediated kidney diseases, particularly atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and the closely-related condition membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN).

The lab consists of bench space/work stations and members will have the availability to use a number of common equipment items, facilities and services, such as:

• tissue culture facilities
• coulter counter-channelyzer
• beta and gamma counters
• preparative and ultracentrifuges
• osmomoter
• flame photometer
• confocal microscopy
• flow-cytometry
• electron microscopy services
• imaging facility
• animal facility
• protein and DNA sequencing
• peptide oligonucleotide synthesis
• mycoplasma testing service, etc.

Experimental work is mainly based on in-vitro models utilizing (pateint derived) endothelial cells, platelets and neutrophils.

A particular strength is the high-resolution imaging technology via spinning-disc confocal laser microscopy.

Lab members will participate in several academic activities within the Program in Cell Biology i.e. weekly Journal Clubs, Citywide Cell Biology Seminars/Trainee Seminar Series and also the Division of Nephrology academic activities (Journal Club/Research Rounds and Citywide Rounds).

Recent Publications

Zhan X, Larson DE, Wang C, Koboldt DC, Sergeev YV, Fulton RS, Fulton LL, Fronick CC, Branham KE, Bragg-Gresham J, Jun G, Hu Y, Kang HM, Liu D, Othman M, Brooks M, Ratnapriya R, Boleda A, Grassmann F, von Strachwitz C, Olson LM, Buitendijk GH, Hofman A, van Dujn CM, Cipriani V, Moore AT, Shahid H, Jiang Y, Conley YP, Morgan DJ, Kim IK, Johnson MP, Cantsilieris S, Richardson AJ, Guymer RH, Luo H, Ouyang H, Licht C, Pluthero FG, Zhang MM, Zhang K, Baird PN, Blangero J, Klein ML, Farrer LA, DeAngelis MM, Weeks DE, Gorin MB, Yates JR, Klaver CC, Pericak-Vance MA, Haines JL, Weber BH, Wilson RK, Heckenlively JR, Chew EY, Stambolian D, Mardis ER, Swaroop A, Abecasis GR.  Identification of a rare coding variant in complement 3 associated with age-related macular degeneration. Nat. Genet., 2013: Nov; 45(11):1375-1379.

Jodele S, Licht C, Goebel J, Dixon BP, Zhang K, Sivakumaran TA, Davies SM, Pluthero FG, Lu L, Laskin BL. Abnormalities in the alternative pathway of complement in children with hematopoietic stem cell transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy. Blood. 2013: Sep; 122(12): 2003-2007.

Legendre C*, Licht C*, Muus P*, Greenbaum L, Babu S, Bedrosian C, Bingham C, Cohen D, Delmas Y, Douglas K, Eitner F, Feldkamp T, Fouque D, Furman R, Gaber A, Herthelius M, Hourmant M, Karpman D, Lebranchu Y, Mariat C, Menne J, Moulin B, Nurnberger J, Ogawa M, Remuzzi G, Ospedaliera OR, Richard T, Sberro-Soussan R, Severino B, Sheerin N, Trivelli A, Zimmerhackl LB, Goodship T, Loirat C.  Terminal complement inhibitor eculizumab for the treatment of atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome. N. Engl. J. Med., 2013: Jun 6; 368(23): 2169-2181. 

Radhakrishnan S, Lunn A, Kirschfink M, Thorner P, Hebert D, Langlois V, Pluthero F, Licht C. Eculizumab and refractory membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. N. Engl. J. Med., 2012: 366: 1165-66. 

Licht C, Pluthero FG, Li L, Christensen H, Habbig S, Hoppe B, Geary DF, Zipfel PF, Kahr WHA. Platelet-associated complement Factor H in normal individuals and patients with atypical HUS. Blood, 2009: 114: 20: 4538-45.