Neuroimmunology

Recent discoveries in neuroimmunology have highlighted the presence of an active immunosurveillance of the central nervous system (CNS) both during disease and under homeostatic conditions. Specifically, the CNS border regions host various immune cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells, monocytes, granulocytes, and lymphocytes. Neuroimmune interactions between the CNS and resident as well as patrolling leukocytes, shape physiological processes and influence the progression of diseases. In my research group, we study how immune cells interact within the CNS and how the CNS itself influences infiltrating immune cells. Understanding these interactions is crucial for uncovering the mechanisms underlying chronic inflammatory demyelinating diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders (NMOSD), as well as CNS cancers. Our work focuses on identifying both harmful and protective immune mechanisms, aiming to discover pathways that can be targeted to develop effective and safe treatments. To achieve this, we use advanced single-cell technologies to map neuroimmune networks in preclinical disease models and apply conditional gene targeting to study the functional roles of specific immune cell populations.

Our goal is to translate insights from this research into innovative therapies that improve patients' lives.