SFB 829:  Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Skin Homeostasis

The Translational Skin Disease Platform Z4 will expand the range of diseases and samples of the biobank and will focus on assisting projects with translation of their findings to the clinic. Z4 integrates (immune)-histological expertise and the biobank into a clinical infrastructure that supports to develop novel diagnostic/prognostic markers and/or therapeutic targets. Initially, we will focus on the identification of prognostic markers for epithelial tumors and on the examination of skin barrier function in diabetic and aged skin as well as chronic wound healing and fibrosis.

DFG Programme Collaborative Research Centres

• A01 - Regulation of epidermal morphogenesis and barrier function by intercellular junctions (Project Head Niessen, Carien )
• A02 - Functional analysis of transmembrane collagens in skin (Project Head Koch, Manuel )
• A03 - Hedgehog-Gli signalling in skin homeostasis and tumour formation (Project Head Niemann, Catherin )
• A04 - Epithelial TNFR1 signalling in skin homeostasis and inflammation (Project Head Pasparakis, Manolis )
• A05 - Metabolic control of skin morphogenesis, barrier function and development of diabetes associated skin complications (Project Heads Brüning, Jens Claus ;  Niessen, Carien )
• A06 - Phosphorylation-dependent regulation of AATF controls p53-dependent apoptosis in the UV-induced DNA damage response of the skin (Project Heads Benzing, Thomas ;  Reinhardt, Christian )
• A07 - UV-induced DNA damage in photoaging and skin homeostasis (Project Head Schumacher, Björn )
• A08 - Mitochondrial dysfunction in skin ageing (Project Head Larsson, Ph.D., Nils-Göran )
• A09 - Genetic analysis of epidermal development and homeostasis in zebrafish (Project Head Hammerschmidt, Matthias )
• A10 - Mammalian polarity proteins in skin homeostasis and disease (Project Head Iden, Sandra )
• A11 - Regulation of epidermal stratification and homeostasis through contractility and density sensing (Project Head Wickström, Ph.D., Sara A. )
• A12 - Centrosomes in mammalian skin epithelial cell fate decisions (Project Head Bazzi, Hisham )
• A13 - Identification and characterization of major stem cell identity regulators within the epidermis (Project Head Rada-Iglesias, Alvaro )
• A14 - Maintenance of mitochondrial integrity in epidermal stem cells (Project Head Wiesner, Rudolf )
• B01 - Role of basement membrane proteins in skin morphogenesis and homeostasis (Project Heads Krieg, Thomas ;  Nischt, Roswitha )
• B02 - Structure and function of microfibrillar and filamentous suprastructures in the dermis (Project Heads Paulsson, Mats ;  Wagener, Raimund )
• B03 - Role of collagen-binding integrin receptors for cellular communication and homeostasis in the skin (Project Heads Eckes, Beate ;  Krieg, Thomas )
• B04 - Role of MMP-14 in connective tissue homeostasis and tumour invasion (Project Heads Mauch, Cornelia ;  Zigrino, Ph.D., Paola )
• B05 - New functions of neuropilins and semaphorins in skin (Project Head Kurschat, Peter Heinz Richard )
• B06 - Role of pericytes in skin wound healing (Project Head Brachvogel, Bent )
• B07 - Functions of the inflammatory response in tissue repair (Project Head Eming, Sabine )
• B09 - Pathophysiology of skin ageing and ageing-associated ulcerative dermatitis in mice (Project Heads Krieg, Thomas ;  Partridge, Linda )
• B10 - Regulation of skin inflammation by epidermal keratinocytes (Project Head Haase, Ingo )
• B11 - Structure-function relationships of Hsp47/SERPINH1 and its role in skin fibrosis (Project Heads Baumann, Ulrich ;  Sengle, Gerhard ;  Zaucke, Frank )
• B12 - Extracellular fibrillin microfibrils as multifunctional scaffolds integrating growth factor signalling in the skin (Project Head Sengle, Gerhard )
• B13 - Vitamin D regulation of the skin innate immune response (Project Head Fabri, Mario )
• B14 - Protein quality control and ECM composition: Role of the hexosamine pathway in skin homeostasis (Project Head Denzel, Martin )
• B15 - The Role of DNA damage and Repair in Skin Aging (Project Head Hoeijmakers, Ph.D., Jan )
• MGK - Integrated Research Training Group "Molecular mechanisms regulating skin homeostasis" (Project Heads Iden, Sandra ;  Krieg, Thomas )
• Z01 - Zentrale Aufgaben des Sonderforschungsbereichs (Project Heads Krieg, Thomas ;  Niessen, Carien )
• Z02 - Ultrastructural and cell biological service project (Project Heads Bloch, Wilhelm ;  Mauch, Cornelia ;  Niessen, Carien )
• Z04 - Translational Skin Disease Platform (Project Heads Helbig, Doris ;  Mauch, Cornelia )

Applicant Institution Universität zu Köln

Participating Institution Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln; Max-Planck-Institut für Biologie des Alterns; Max-Planck-Institut für Stoffwechselforschung

Spokespersons Professor Dr. Thomas Krieg, until 2/2015; Professorin Dr. Carien Niessen, since 2/2015