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Thomas Schmid - Radiobiology
Research Focus
In the radiobiology research group, we investigate the biological effects of ionizing radiation on tumors and normal tissues. Our overarching goal is to better understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying radiotherapy, with a particular focus on tumor response, normal tissue damage, and treatment-related side effects. By deciphering these processes, we aim to contribute to the development of more effective, safer, and clinically translatable radiation-based therapies.
A central focus of our research is on innovative radiation modalities that represent a paradigm shift in radiation oncology. While conventional radiotherapy relies on homogeneous dose delivery, we explore spatially fractionated approaches such as Microbeam Radiation Therapy (MRT), Minibeam Radiation Therapy (MBRT), and proton Minibeam Radiation Therapy (pMBRT), as well as other particle-based strategies. These techniques generate precisely defined patterns of alternating high-dose peaks and low-dose valleys at micrometric and sub-millimetric scales. This spatial modulation enables the delivery of extremely high tumor doses while preserving normal tissue architecture and function, thereby significantly expanding the therapeutic window.
A key aspect of our work is understanding how spatial and temporal beam modulation reshapes the tumor microenvironment. Spatially heterogeneous irradiation triggers complex signaling cascades involving reactive oxygen species, inflammatory mediators, and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). These processes promote immune activation and enhance anti-tumor responses, positioning radiation not only as a cytotoxic modality but also as a powerful immunomodulatory tool.
A major objective of our research is the translation of these concepts into clinically applicable strategies. To this end, we integrate mechanistic radiobiology with advanced medical physics in comprehensive in vitro and in vivo model systems, including sophisticated preclinical tumor models. This interdisciplinary approach allows us to systematically link physical dose distributions with biological outcomes and to identify robust biomarkers and response predictors that support clinical implementation.
Our research focuses on radio-immune interactions, bystander effects, oxidative stress, and vascular responses, all of which critically influence therapeutic efficacy. Ultimately, we aim to establish biologically optimized and clinically translatable radiotherapy strategies that improve tumor control, minimize normal tissue toxicity, and advance precision radiation oncology.
Thomas Schmid studied biology at the University of Regensburg, Germany, where he obtained his diploma degree. He subsequently pursued his doctoral studies at the Institute of Mammalian Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Germany, where he was awarded his PhD. Following his PhD, he conducted postdoctoral research at Helmholtz Zentrum München and worked as a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow at the University of Bradford, United Kingdom. He then joined the University of California, Berkeley, USA, as a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Public Health (2002–2006), followed by a position as a scientist at the Life Sciences Division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, USA (2006–2007).
In 2007, Thomas Schmid joined the Department of Radiation Oncology at TUM University Hospital Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich (TUM). Since 2012, he has held the position of Assistant Professor (Habilitation) in Radiation Biology and Experimental Radiation Oncology. Since 2015, he has been leading the Radiobiology research group, and since 2018, he has been an Associate Professor in this field. Since 2016, he has served as module leader, lecturer, and examination board member for the Master’s program “Radiobiology” at TUM.
Čolić, A., Franco, M. S., Subramanian, N., Ahmed, M., Raulefs, S., Müller, J., Bartzsch, S., Combs, S. E., Schmid, T. E., and Scherthan, H. (2026). Differential Cytokine and DNA Damage Response of Human Lung Tissue Models to Broad-Beam and Microbeam Radiotherapy. Cells 15, 500.
Dağkazanlı, Ö., Čolić, A., Lindner, R., Bartzsch, S., Combs, S. E., Schmid, T. E., and Franco, M. S. (2026). Targeting Lung Cancer Cell Motility Using Microbeam Radiation Therapy. Cells 15, 107.
Petrich, C., Winter, J., Dimroth, A., Stolz, J., Beiser, T., Dehn, M., Frignani, J., Combs, S. E., Schilling, F., Natour, G., Aulenbacher, K., Raulefs, S., Schmid, T. E., Wilkens, J. J., and Bartzsch, S. (2026). Commissioning, Characterization, and First High-Dose-Rate Irradiations at a Compact X-Ray Tube for Microbeam and Minibeam Radiation Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 124, 1137–1146.
Timnik, V. R., Zoeschg, A., Diederich, S., Nefzger, S. M., Huang, Z., Schmid, N. A., Giller, M., Steiger, K., Combs, S. E., Kroemer, G., Schmid, T. E., and Fischer, J. C. (2025). Experimental Investigation of Hematological Toxicity After Radiation Therapy Combined With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 123, 523–535.
Stolz, J., Rogal, K., Bicher, S., Winter, J., Ahmed, M., Raulefs, S., Combs, S. E., Bartzsch, S. H., and Schmid, T. E. (2025). The Combination of Temporal and Spatial Dose Fractionation in Microbeam Radiation Therapy. Biomedicines 13, 678.
Subramanian, N., Čolić, A., Santiago Franco, M., Stolz, J., Ahmed, M., Bicher, S., Winter, J., Lindner, R., Raulefs, S., Combs, S. E., Bartzsch, S., and Schmid, T. E. (2025). Superior Anti-Tumor Response After Microbeam and Minibeam Radiation Therapy in a Lung Cancer Mouse Model. Cancers 17, 114.
Franco, M. S., Raulefs, S., Schilling, D., Combs, S. E., and Schmid, T. E. (2024). Impact of Radiation on Invasion and Migration of Glioma In Vitro and In Vivo. Cancers 16, 3900.
Rudigkeit, S., Schmid, T. E., Dombrowsky, A. C., Stolz, J., Bartzsch, S., Chen, C. B., Matejka, N., Sammer, M., Bergmaier, A., Dollinger, G., and Reindl, J. (2024). Proton-FLASH: effects of ultra-high dose rate irradiation on an in-vivo mouse ear model. Sci Rep 14, 1418.
Ilicic, K., Dollinger, G., Dombrowsky, A., Greubel, C., Girst, S., Sammer, M., Siebenwirth, C., Schmid, E., Friedrich, T., Kundrát, P., Friedland, W., Scholz, M., Combs, S. E., Schmid, T. E., and Reindl, J. (2024). Enhanced RBE of Particle Radiation Depends on Beam Size in the Micrometer Range. Radiat Res 201, 140–149.
Lansink Rotgerink, L., Felchle, H., Feuchtinger, A., Nefzger, S. M., Walther, C. N., Gissibl, J., Steiger, K., Schmid, T. E., Heidegger, S., Combs, S. E., and Fischer, J. C. (2022). Experimental investigation of skin toxicity after immune checkpoint inhibition in combination with radiation therapy. J Pathol 258, 189–198.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Schmid
Department of Radiooncology, TUM University Hospital Rechts der Isar
TranslaTUM – Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research, Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Einsteinstr. 25 (room 522.2.33)
81675 München
Tel: +49 89 4140 9788
E-Mail