KFO 257:  Molecular Pathogenesis and Optimised Therapy of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: from 2011 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 190140969

Despite the use of immunosuppressive drugs, the treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) remains a challenge. One important reason for this is the knowledge deficit on the molecular and cellular pathomechanisms that drive these diseases. According to the current state of knowledge, IBD are a heterogeneous group of diseases that is characterised by an excessive reaction of mucosal immune cells against the resident microbial flora. However, a better understanding of the underlying pathomechanisms of IBD is essential for the development of new specific and effective therapies.
It is the declared goal of this Clinical Research Unit to work out and experimentally evaluate concepts on the molecular pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. On the basis of these scientific findings, we aim to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic concepts for the clinical management of IBD. This translational research approach will be supported by a close interaction between IBD specialists with a clinical scientific background and excellent basic scientists with specific experimental expertises in Erlangen.
Within the first funding period of the Clinical Research Unit, by means of clinical samples and preclinical models, we seek to develop new strategies and approaches for a more specific molecular or immunological therapy of inflammatory bowel disease. The research programme has been stringently oriented on the translation of research findings into clinical practise. Accordingly, we seek to develop and evaluate innovative concepts for controlling and modulating angiogenesis, mucosal wound healing and intestinal immune responses.
In addition, we aim to conduct a clinical trial for the therapeutical use of regulatory T cells. Moreover, we will develop methods for an improved and individualised diagnostics and therapy of IBD and investigate the molecular mechanisms of action of already established therapies. If we succeed in the preclinical development of successful therapeutic concepts, we aim to evaluate such innovative approaches in clinical trials.

• DFG Programme: Clinical Research Units

Projects

• Analysis of the molecular mode of action of Cyclosporin A in inflammatory bowel disease (Applicant Weigmann, Benno )
• Characterization and expansion of regulatory T cells for cell-based therapy of Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (Applicants Bosch-Voskens, Ph.D., Caroline ;  Neurath, Markus F. )
• Cytokine mediated mechanisms In the immunopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (Applicants Becker, Christoph ;  Wirtz, Stefan )
• Functional characterization of prenylated Rho proteins in the pathogenesis of Inflammatory bowel diseases (Applicant Atreya, Ph.D., Imke )
• Funktionelle Analyse des Immunmodulators sCD83 bei Pathogenese und Therapie entzündlicher Darmerkrankungen (Applicant Steinkasserer, Alexander )
• Immune regulation of angiogenesis in inflammatory bowel diseases (Applicants Stürzl, Michael ;  Waldner, Ph.D., Maximilian )
• In vivo endoscopic molecular imaging to predict therapeutic response to anti-adhesion molecule therapy in Crohn's disease patients (Applicant Atreya, Raja )
• Koordination der Klinischen Forschungsgruppe 257 (Applicant Becker, Christoph )
• Neuropeptides and TRP receptors as effectors of Immune cell activation In IBD (Applicant Engel, Matthias )
• Neutrophil extracellular traps orchestrate the immune response in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (Applicants Herrmann, Martin ;  Leppkes, Moritz )
• Rolle des Wnt/beta-Catenin Signalwegs bei chronisch-entzündlichen Darmerkrankungen (Applicant Behrens, Jürgen )
• Supportive project for the coordination of the Clinical Research Unit (Applicant Becker, Christoph )

• Leader: Professor Dr. Christoph Becker
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Markus F. Neurath