The role of T cell responses in the persistence of systemic inflammation and treatment failure in inflammatory bowel disease (TP13)

• Subject Area: Virology ; Immunology
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 550296805

The project investigates why up to a third of IBD patients do not respond permanently to TNF-blocking antibodies. We analyse the interaction of systemic CD4/CD8 T cell activity with a dysregulated microbiome. Immunophenotyping by flow cytometry, functional assays and single-cell TCR sequencing are used to identify pathogenic clonotypes and their reactivity to metagenomically identified translocated microbes. The aim is to elucidate relationships between therapy failure, T-cell dysfunction and the translocated microbiome and to create the basis for predictive markers and tolerogenic therapies.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1755: CASCAID - Cellular and Systems Control of Autoimmune Disease
• Applicant Institution: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
• Project Heads: Professorin Dr. Christiane Krystelle Nganou Makamdop; Professor Dr. Kilian Schober