Which immune cells are driving chronic inflammation – and what activates them?

Coordinators: P. Bacher (CAU), M. Hoffmann (UzL)

T cells are central regulators of our immune system. They recognize specific antigens by their T cell receptor and thereby trigger highly targeted immune responses. In chronic inflammatory diseases, however, those T cells that recognize disease-relevant antigens become pathogenic and contribute to persistent inflammation and tissue damage.

RTF-IV develops and applies advanced technologies to identify these disease-relevant T cells and investigate their functions. We want to understand how protective and pathogenic T-cell responses arise, how they persist and how they interact with other cells of the immune system, including B cells and tissue-resident stromal cells.

Distinguishing harmful from protective immune responses could reveal new biomarkers and highly specific therapeutic targets – with the long-term aim of controlling disease-driving immune responses without broadly suppressing the immune system.