Investigating Treg cell plasticity in mice and man (A07)

• Subject Area: Immunology
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 490846870

Understanding context-dependent transcriptional networks in Treg cells is a prerequisite to specifically manipulate distinct Treg cell functions ultimately for therapeutic cell therapy in autoimmune diseases. In this project we will compare central Treg cell identity and function programs between mice and men in normal physiology and autoimmunity. To this end, we will elucidate the Treg cell transcriptional networks regulated by FoxP3 and c-REL in both species and screen for novel critical regulators. We will investigate how autoimmune-associated cytokine milieus as well as autoimmune disease states in vivo affect Treg cells and functionally validate engineered Treg cells.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 355: Heterogeneity and functional specialization of regulatory T cells in distinct microenvironments
• Applicant Institution: Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Marc Schmidt-Supprian; Professorin Dr. Kathrin Schumann