Deciphering intraglomerular inflammatory signaling in podocyte homeostasis and disease (B03)

• Subject Area: Nephrology ; Cell Biology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 543604419

Podocytes can be both the recipients and senders of inflammatory signaling in glomerular diseases. This project investigates how inflammatory signaling between podocytes, glomerular cells, and immune cells drives disease progression and impacts podocyte homeostasis. We aim to identify inflammatory signatures in glomerular and immune cell interactions during podocyte injury, focusing on the role of ADAM17 in shaping the inflammatory environment. We will further explore how endothelial cell damage affects podocyte homeostasis and analyze the spatial organization of intercellular signaling using spatial transcriptomics in mice and patient biopsies.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 422: PodoSigN – Podocyte Signaling Networks - From Basic Concepts to Disease Understanding
• Applicant Institution: Universität zu Köln
• Project Heads: Dr. Sebastian Brähler; Dr. Nicola Tomas