Rheumatologie und Immunologie

Our research teams work at the interface between basic research and clinical practice. The daily interaction between researchers and clinicians enables us to explore clinically relevant questions using cutting-edge approaches to uncover the molecular basis of immune dysregulation, autoimmunity and inflammation. Our aim is to understand disease mechanisms in order to find starting points for new therapies. We want to identify new biomarkers in order to be able to use and control therapies optimally. This will enable us to optimize the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatological and musculoskeletal diseases in order to improve the quality of life of our patients.

Main research areas

Labor

The immune response is a dynamic process. During autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases, immune cells get activated and migrate to sides of inflammation – often peripheral tissues, such as the joints, skin, or the lung. We want to understand how immune cells sense these different environments, and how this influences immune cell function. We also study the interaction of different immune cell types, such as T cells, B cells and macrophages with each other but also with tissue-resident cells such as fibroblasts. A better understanding of how these interactions underscore inflammation and autoimmunity in peripheral tissues is needed for the development of personalized treatment options.