Prof. Dr. Kerstin Steinbrink
"No positions via CiM-IMPRS in 2024"
Mechanisms of immune tolerance in inflammatory diseases and cancer
Immunology
Inflammation
Immune Tolerance
Skin Diseases
My group aims to understand mechanisms of immunological tolerance to develop innovative therapeutic strategies for inflammatory skin diseases and cancer. We have identified several cellular and molecular mechanisms that in particular regulate the differentiation and function of tolerogenic DC and regulatory T cells in inflammatory immune reactions. To further tackle this complex issue, we follow a multidisciplinary strategy, combining in vivo models of skin diseases (allergy, autoimmune diseases, cancer), modern imaging techniques, and methods from immunology, molecular biology and nanomedicine. In addition, we are translating our studies into the clinical situation by comparing our results with data sets obtained from patients with identical disorders. In our current projects, we are investigating the interaction of innate and adaptive immune responses in contact allergen-specific cutaneous immune responses, the role of myeloid cells in autoimmune diseases of the skin and the impact of immunosuppressive processes on melanoma development using nanoparticle-based methods. Deep knowledge in tolerance processes and their modulation may result in improved treatments for patients suffering from inflammatory and autoimmune dermatoses and skin cancer.
Vita
- 1985-1991: Studies at the Medical schools of the Universities of Münster, Germany, and Zürich, Switzerland
- 1992: MD thesis, Department of Transfusion Medicine, University of Münster
- 1992-1995: Resident and research fellow at the Department of Dermatology and the Institute for Experimental Dermatology, University of Münster
- 1996-1997: Postdoctoral Fellowship of the German Research Council Research at the Department of Dermatology, University of Mainz
- 1997-1999 Resident in Dermatology, University of Mainz
- 1999: Board certification in Dermatology and Venerology
- 2001: Habilitation for Dermatology and Venerology, Department of Dermatology, University of Mainz
- 2009: Associate Professor (W2) for Clinical and Molecular Dermatology, University of Mainz
- 2016-2018: Head of the Division of Experimental and Translational Immunodermatology, University of Mainz
- Since 2018: Full Professor for Dermatology and Venerology, Director of the Department of Dermatology, University of Münster
Selected references
Haub J, Roehrig N, Uhrin P, Schabbauer G, Eulberg D, Melchior F, Shahneh F, Probst HC, Becker C, Steinbrink K*, Raker VK* (2019). Intervention of inflammatory monocyte activity limits dermal fibrosis. J Invest Dermatol. 139:2144-2153. * equal contribution.
Schmidt T, Lorenz N, Raker VK, Schmidgen MI, Mahnke K, Enk A, Roth J, Steinbrink K (2018) Allergen-specific low zone tolerance is independent of MRP8/14-, TLR4-, TLR7-, and TLR9-mediated immune processes. J Invest Dermatol. 138:452-455.
Schmidt T, Lorenz N, Raker V, Reißig S, Waisman A, Weigmann B, Steinbrink K (2016) Epicutaneous and oral low-zone tolerance protects from colitis in mice. J Invest Dermatol. 136:1831-1839.
Frick SU, Domogalla MP, Baier G, Wurm FR, Mailänder V, Landfester K, Steinbrink K (2016) Interleukin-2 functionalized nanocapsules for T cell-based immunotherapy. ACS Nano. 10:9216-9226.
Kryczanowsky F, Raker V, Graulich E, Domogalla MP, Steinbrink K (2016) IL-10-modulated human dendritic cells for clinical use: identification of a stable and migratory subset with improved tolerogenic activity. J Immunol. 197:3607-3617.
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