Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the CNS, which is characterized by massive T cell and macrophage infiltration leading to demyelination, axonal damage and neurological symptoms such as paralysis. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model that mimicks many aspects of the pathogenesis of MS and thus can be used to study disease mechanisms and new treatment approaches in preclinical models. In cooperation with colleagues from the clinic, we also study blood samples collected from MS patients. Our research aims to better understand the role of glucocorticoids in the pathogenesis of MS and to develop improved therapeutic strategies by targeted drug delivery using nanoparticles.

Intestinal bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, which are characterized by a disturbed balance of the mucosoal immune system leading to symptoms such as bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain. Intestinal inflammation is also considered to be a major risk factor of colorectal cancer (CRC). Glucocorticoids are a mainstay in the treatment of IBD although not all patients respond to this treatment equally well. The research team of Dr. Sybille Reichardt thus aims to identify the activity of glucocorticoids in different cell types such as macrophages and intestinal epithelial cells during IBD, their molecular mode of action, and the impact of glucocorticoids on inflammation-associated tumorigenesis using preclinical models of colitis and CRC, human co-culture systems, murine and patient-derived organoids, and bioinformatic approaches.

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) are the most common malignancy in young men. It can be subdivided into seminomas, that are characterized by a pronounced infiltration of immune cells, and the more heterogenous group of non-seminomas, both of which differ in treatment strategy and prognosis. However, the role of individual immune cell subtypes in the healthy testis and TGCT patients remains poorly understood. In cooperation with the Clinic of Urology we employ genetically modified mice, imaging techniques, coculture models of tumor cell lines with primary human T cells and monocytes, patient specimens, RNA-sequencing, and bioinformatic approaches to gain new insights into the pathophysiology of TGCT. Hereby we aim to better understand the role of the immune cell landscape and to unveil new approaches to improve diagnosis and therapy.