RTF IV: Experimental Models of Inflammation

Coordinators: R. Ludwig (UzL), J. Baines (CAU, MPI), J. Köhl (UzL), A. Scheffold (CAU)

RTF IV is an interdisciplinary platform, which develops and provides individualized mouse models for chronic inflammatory barrier diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In particular, individual changes of patients are investigated in the genome and the microbiome, e.g. through organoids, specialized cell models which were generated from the cells of diseased patients and then transferred into mice. We also offer high-resolution immunological, genetic and imaging techniques, in order to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie the development and regulation of inflammatory diseases.

What does this research area’s work build on

The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön, in cooperation with Kiel University, has a gnotobiotic lab in a new, state-of-the-art mouse facility. This enables the researchers to investigate sterile (germ-free) animals, and conduct fecal transplantation and colonization experiments, which are key projects of TI-1, for example. The Institute of Immunology in Kiel and the Institute for Systemic Inflammation Research in Lübeck also offer central cytometry platforms, which enable high-resolution cell sorting and multi-parameter characterization of disease-relevant cell populations for the different cluster projects.

 

What are the main research objectives?

The main goal of this research area is to provide individualized experimental models for patient groups, in order to define individual disease principles and treatment strategies, while taking into account the most important aspects of patient genome and microbiome, i.e. the hologenome. In particular, those involved will develop or further improve state-of-the-art, individualized mouse models of inflammatory diseases. In doing so, the identification and characterization of disease-relevant cell populations through state-of-the-art cytometry is an essential step within precision medicine.
 

 

What makes this research area special?

The research area has great potential to define new aspects of genetic, immunological and microbial factors which drive the development of diseases, including the transition from non-harmful microorganisms living in symbiosis to harmful microorganisms, and the associated immunological processes.

 

What does the research area contribute to precision medicine in chronic inflammation?

RTF IV provides state-of-the-art experimental in vivo models, as well as a platform for high-resolution immunological cell analysis of clinical samples and samples from the experimental models. These approaches enable the validation of new therapeutic target structures, the evaluation of personalized therapeutic approaches including the influence of the microbiome and the identification of new molecular mechanisms underlying chronic inflammatory diseases.

 

Cooperation with other research areas in the cluster

RTF IV works closely together with RTF I, RTF II and TI-1, from which it obtains the data of the individual genomic and metagenomic differences between the patients. The high-resolution immunological cell analysis is provided for TIs 2-4 and CDs 1-5, and thus fulfils a central function in the cluster.

 

Members

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Dieter Adam

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Immunology

Prof. Dr. med. Konrad Aden

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Internal Medicine I

Dr. Zouhair Aherrahrou

Associated member

University of Lübeck
Institute for Cardiogenetics

Dr. Nadia Andreani

Associated member

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology
Institute of Experimental Medicine
AG Prof. Baines

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Petra Bacher

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Immunology

Prof. Dr. John Baines

Full member

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology
Institute of Experimental Medicine
Evolutionary Genomics

Prof. Dr. Christoph Becker-Pauly

Full member

Kiel University
Institute of Biochemistry
Degradomics of the Protease Web

Dr. Meriem Belheouane

Associated member

Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center
Evolution of the Resistome
Priority Research Area Infections
AG Prof. Merker

PD Dr. Katja Bieber

Associated member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Lübeck Institute for Experimental Dermatology

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h. c. Thomas Bosch

Full member

Kiel University
Institute of Zoology
Cell and Developmental Biology

Jun. Prof. Dr. rer. nat. François Cossais

Associated member

Kiel University
Department of Anatomy

Prof. Dr. Stefanie Derer-Petersen

Full member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Institute of Medical Nutrition Science
RG Molecular Gastroenterology

Prof. Dr. Marc Ehlers

Full member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Institute of Medical Nutrition Science
Immunology and Glycoanalytics

Prof. Dr. Sabine Fuchs

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Trauma Surgery
Experimental Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery

Prof. Dr. Timo Gemoll

Associated member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Department of General Surgery

Felix Gilbert

Associated member

Kiel University
Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology
AG Prof. Rosenstiel

Prof. Dr. Torsten Goldmann

Full member

Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center
Pathology
Medicine

Ting Gong

Associated member

Kiel University
Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology
AG Prof. Jabs

Dr. rer. nat. Simon Graspeuntner

Associated member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
AG Prof. Rupp

Dr. rer. hum. biol. Yask Gupta

Associated member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Institute for Inflammation Medicine
AG Prof. Thaçi

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Jürgen Harder

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Robert Häsler

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Kirsten Hattermann-Koch

Associated member

Kiel University
Department of Anatomy
Molecular Cell and Neurobiology/Neurobiochemistry

Prof. Dr. Arndt Guido Heine

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology

Dr. rer. nat. David Hertz

Associated member

Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center
Priority Research Area Infections
AG Dr. Schneider

Jennifer Het

Associated member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology
AG Prof. Heine

Dr. Christoph Hölscher

Full member

Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center
Infection Immunology
Priority Research Area Infections

Prof. Dr. Jan-Bernd Hövener

Full member

MOIN CC
Department of Radiology and Neuroradiology
Biomedical Imaging

Prof. Dr. Jennifer Hundt

Full member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Lübeck Institute for Experimental Dermatology

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Andreas Hutloff

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Immunology

Prof. Dr. Saleh Ibrahim

Full member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Lübeck Institute for Experimental Dermatology
Genetics of Inflammatory Diseases

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Sabrina Jabs

Full member

Kiel University
Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology

Prof. Dr. med. Dietrich Kabelitz

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Immunology

M.Sc. Sina Kaiser

Associated member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology
AG Prof. Heine

PD Dr. Kathrin Kalies

Full member

University of Lübeck
Institute for Anatomy

Prof. Dr. Christian Karsten

Full member

University of Lübeck
Institute for Systemic Inflammation Research

Dr. rer. nat. Anika Kasprick

Associated member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Lübeck Institute for Experimental Dermatology
AG Prof. Ludwig

Prof. Dr. Claudia Kemper

Full member

University of Lübeck
Institute for Systemic Inflammation Research

Dr. Mirjam Knop

Associated member

Kiel University
Institute of Zoology
AG Prof. Roeder

Prof. Dr. Peter König

Full member

University of Lübeck
Institute for Anatomy

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Stefan Krautwald

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Internal Medicine IV
Department for Nephrology and Hypertension

PD Dr. Yves Laumonnier

Associated member

University of Lübeck
Institute for Systemic Inflammation Research

Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. Frank Leypoldt

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Institute of Clinical Chemistry
Central laboratory

Ling-Shan Lin

Associated member

Kiel University
Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology
AG Prof. Jabs

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Ralph Lucius

Full member

Kiel University
Department of Anatomy

Prof. Dr. Ralf Ludwig

Full member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Lübeck Institute for Experimental Dermatology
Model Systems of Inflammatory Skin Diseases

Prof. Dr. Rudolf Manz

Full member

University of Lübeck
Institute for Systemic Inflammation Research

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Silke Meiners

Full member

Kiel University
Institute of Experimental Medicine

c/o Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center
Immunology and Cell Biology
Priority Research Area Chronic Lung Diseases

Dr. Jeroen R. Mesters

Full member

University of Lübeck
Institute for Biochemistry

Prof. Dr. Thomas F. Meyer

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology
Senior RG Infection Oncology

Prof. Dr. med. Oliver Müller

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Internal Medicine III
Translational Cardiology

Prof. Dr. Henrik Oster

Full member

University of Lübeck
Institute of Neurobiology
Chronobiology

Dr. rer. nat. Manuela Pigors

Associated member

University of Lübeck
Lübeck Institute for Experimental Dermatology
AG Prof. Schmidt

PD Dr. Andreas Recke

Full member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Department of Dermatology, Allergology and Venerology

Prof. Dr. Gabriela Riemekasten

Full member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Thomas Roeder

Full member

Kiel University
Institute of Zoology
Molecular Physiology

Prof. Dr. Stefan Rose-John

Full member

Kiel University
Institute of Biochemistry
Cytokine and Metalloproteinase Research

Prof. Dr. med. Philip Rosenstiel

Full member

Kiel University
Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology
Systems Immunology

Prof. Dr. Christian Sadik

Full member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Department of Dermatology, Allergology and Venerology
Innate immunity

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Heiner Schäfer

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Institute of Experimental Cancer Research
c/o Department of Internal Medicine I

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schaible

Full member

Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center
Cellular Microbiology
Priority Research Area Infections

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Alexander Scheffold

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Immunology

Prof. Dr. Dr. Enno Schmidt

Full member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Lübeck Institute for Experimental Dermatology
Translational Research

Dr. rer. nat. Bianca Schneider

Associated member

Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center
Priority Research Area Infections
Host ­Determinants in Lung Infections

Prof. Dr. Andra Schromm

Full member

Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center
Immunobiophysics
Priority Research Area Infections

Prof. Dr. Hinrich Schulenburg

Full member

Kiel University
Institute of Zoology
Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics

Prof. Dr. Markus Schwaninger

Full member

University of Lübeck
Institute for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dr. oec. troph. Ina Suhrkamp

Associated member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Allergology
AG Prof. Heine

Prof. Dr. Diethard Tautz

Full member

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology
Evolutionary Genetics

Prof. Dr. Andreas Tholey

Full member, Co-PI

UKSH Campus Kiel
Institute of Experimental Medicine
Systematic Proteomics

Dr. Daniel Unterweger

Full member

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology
Institute of Experimental Medicine

Dr. Artem Vorobyev

Associated member

UKSH Campus Lübeck
Department of Dermatology, Allergology and Venerology

Prof. Dr. Daniela Wesch

Full member

UKSH Campus Kiel
Department of Immunology

Prof. Dr. Jürgen Westermann

Full member

University of Lübeck
Institute for Anatomy

Prof. Dr. Elmar Wolf

Full member

Kiel University
Institute of Biochemistry

Prof. Dr. Xinhua Yu

Full member

Research Center Borstel - Leibniz Lung Center
Pulmonary Immune Diseases
Priority Research Area Asthma and Allergy