Development and characterization of macrophage cellular therapy tools for MASLD (B05)

• Subject Area: Gastroenterology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 535081457

Macrophage cellular therapy is emerging as a promising new approach for liver metabolic diseases. We will generate autologous macrophages with defined activation and use state-of-the art technologies, particularly single-cell RNA sequencing, high end imaging and multiparametric flow cytometry, to characterize the transplanted macrophages and their interaction with other cells at different stages of MASLD. Our work will thoroughly characterize the phenotype and mode of action of transplanted macrophages within the inflamed and fibrotic hepatic microenvironment, and hence their therapeutic potential in MASLD.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 412: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: Translating mechanisms to tailored therapeutic concepts
• Applicant Institution: shared FU Berlin and HU Berlin through:; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Michael Sieweke; Dr. Efstathios Stamatiades