GRK 1727:  Modulation of Autoimmunity

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: from 2011 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 179309734

Incidence and prevalence of autoimmune diseases are increasing. Despite novel insights into the pathogenesis the mainstay of treatment is still unspecific systemic immunosuppression. However, this treatment may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The successful transition of therapeutic strategies, developed by basic research efforts, is still a crucial, yet unmet challenge of clinically relevant research in autoimmunity.
The Research Training Group implements this transitional strategy. Research projects of this Research Training Group developed from a Priority Programme Autoimmunity that has been funded by the Medical Faculty of the University of Lübeck since 2006. There are two sections the projects of the Research Training Group belong to: (A) development of innovative strategies to treat established autoimmune disease and (B) identification of novel therapeutic targets in autoimmunity.
The broad methodological spectrum of the individual projects will facilitate an in-depth training of the students, which is complemented by a qualification and mentoring programme. The qualification concept includes a RTG-specific scientific seminar and defined training elements. It interacts with already available training elements. The major aim of the Research Training Group is to link basic research in autoimmunity to defined clinical applications and thus stimulate translational thinking in a new generation of scientists.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Universität zu Lübeck
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Detlef Zillikens (†)
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Marc Ehlers; Dr. Christoph Hölscher; Privatdozentin Dr. Kathrin Kalies; Professor Dr. Jörg Köhl; Professor Dr. Peter Lamprecht; Professor Dr. Tamás Laskay; Professor Dr. Ralf Joachim Ludwig; Professor Dr. Rudolf Manz; Privatdozentin Dr.-Ing. Antje Müller; Professor Dr. Frank Petersen; Professor Dr. Enno Schmidt; Privatdozent Dr. Karsten Seeger; Professor Dr. Jürgen Westermann; Professor Dr. Xinhua Yu