© Michael Kuhlmann

Research Topics

Our research investigates single cell and population responses of innate immune cells during immune homeostasis and inflammatory responses. We focus on several cell types of the myeloid lineage (neutrophils, mast cells, macrophages, dendritic cells) and investigate how these cells integrate molecular, metabolic, and mechanical cues when they move, position and interact with other cells in the tissue. Using several forms of live cell imaging, we analyse the cellular and biophysical mechanisms that govern cell movement, including adhesion dynamics, plasma membrane properties, and actin cortex remodelling. Our goal is to identify fundamental molecular and mechanical principles that regulate immune cell coordination during tissue homeostasis, inflammation, anaphylaxis, and host defense.

Selected Publications

  • Mihlan, M., Wissmann, S., Gavrilov, A., Kaltenbach, L., Britz, M., Franke, K., Hummel, B., Imle, A., Suzuki, R., Stecher, M., Glaser, K., Lorentz, A., Carmeliet, P., Yokomizo, T., Hilgendorf, I., Sawarkar, R., Diz-Muñoz, A., Buescher, J., Mittler, G., Maurer, M., Krause, K., Babina, M., Erpenbeck, L., Frank, M., Rambold, A.S., Lämmermann, T. (2024). Neutrophil trapping and nexocytosis, mast cell-mediated processes for inflammatory signal relay. Cell 187(19):5316-5335.e28. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.07.014.
  • Glaser, K., Doon-Ralls, J., Walters, N., Rima, X.Y., Rambold, A.S., Réategui, E., Lämmermann, T. (2023). Arp2/3 complex and the pentose phosphate pathway regulate late phases of neutrophil swarming. iScience 27, 108656. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108656.
  • Kaltenbach, L., Martzloff, P., Bambach, S., Aizarani, N., Mihlan, M., Gavrilov, A., Glaser, K., Stecher, M., Thünauer, R., Thiriot, A., Heger, K., Kierdorf, K., Wienert, S., von Andrian, U.H., Schmidt-Supprian, M., Nerlov, C., Klauschen, F., Roers, A., Bajénoff, M., Grün, D., Lämmermann, T. (2023). Slow integrin-dependent migration organizes networks of tissue-resident mast cells. Nature Immunology 24, 915-924. DOI: 10.1038/s41590-023-01493-2.
  • Paterson, N., Lämmermann, T. (2022) Macrophage network dynamics depend on haptokinesis for optimal local surveillance. eLife 11, e75354. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.75354.
  • Kienle, K., Glaser, K.M., Eickhoff, S., Mihlan, M., Knöpper, K., Reategui, E., Epple, M.W., Gunzer, M., Baumeister, R., Tarrant, T.K., Germain, R.N., Irimia, D., Kastenmüller, W., Lämmermann, T. (2021) Neutrophils Self-Limit Swarming to Contain Bacterial Growth In Vivo. Science 372:eabe7729. DOI: 10.1126/science.abe7729.