Immunology

The Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, which specializes in chronic inflammation, allergology, dermato-oncology, and pediatric dermatology, is one of the leading facilities of its kind worldwide. In addition to being committed to outstanding patient care, the department is also home to more than 100 researchers. Engaged in immunology-based research, these researchers aim to continually advance our knowledge of both the pathogenic and protective mechanisms underlying chronic inflammatory skin diseases, autoimmune diseases and allergic reactions. By promoting close links between outstanding basic research and different external academic and non-academic partner institutions (e.g. The DRFZ Leibniz ScienceCampus for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases), as well as in vivo research, clinical research, and patient care, our center facilitates a high level of synergy and encourages comprehensive translational research. Our center forms part of international networks, such as the International Psoriasis Council and the European Hidradenitis Suppurative Foundation, and is involved in collaborative projects funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (eKid). It is also involved in the planning and development of Collaborative Research Centers (ImmuneAging, Renoprotection). As part of the TRR130 project, we are studying the effects of vitamins A and D on B-cell differentiation. In the field of skin allergies, we are also actively involved in the work of the Autoinflammation Network e.V., the Urticaria Network e.V., and the European Mast Cell and Basophil Research Network (EMBRN).

Charité's Institute of Immunology, which is situated at Charité Campus Berlin Buch, specializes in basic and translational research in the fields of immunology and cancer immunology. According to the WHO World Cancer Report, there will be sharp increase in the incidence of cancers over the next few years. In many cases, conventional treatment options such as surgical excision, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, fail to restore health. However, we are beginning to see successes being made with new immunotherapies, such as those developed for acute lymphoblastic leukemia or malignant melanoma. This is why we work in close collaboration with working groups from the MDC and Charité's Hematology and (Pediatric) Oncology departments to study how cancers and the immune system interact. As part of the SFB-TR36 Transregional Collaborative Research Center and other funding programs (Einstein Visiting Fellowship, BIH, the DKTK, and German Cancer Aid), we have been addressing the fundamental principles and clinical applications of T cell therapy. We are now at the stage of embarking on our first clinical trial into the use of T cell receptor gene therapy in German cancer patients. Our long-term aim is to establish an off-the-shelf 'library' of T cell receptors for use against various neoantigens as part of a personalized approach to cancer therapy.

One of the main areas of expertise pursued within the Medical Department, Division of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology is inflammation research. This includes chronic inflammatory bowel disease and specific bowel infections, as well as systemic inflammatory diseases. Particular areas of research focus are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, rare mucosal infections (such as Whipple's disease), as well as spondyloarthropathies, and chronic seronegative arthritis. The fact that we continually produce new developments in both the clinical and research fields is due to our interdisciplinary approach to inflammation research, as well as the close working relationships that exist between our researchers and physicians and their colleagues at non-university-based institutes. Since the mid-20th century, there has been a steady increase in the incidence of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and other inflammatory disorders; most cases involve young adults, i.e. patients at a critical time in their lives. Currently-available treatments have so far failed to manage symptoms by targeting their underlying causes. With the help of funding support from the German Research Foundation (DFG), Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, we will strive to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of these disorders, and to identify new treatment approaches. The Competence Network 'Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease' will continue to drive development and progress, utilizing a variety of platforms available. These include the German Working Group for Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (DACED), clinical studies, the German IBD Study Group, as well as training programs aimed at developing the skills and expertise of both support staff and physicians.

The Institute of Medical Immunology is one of a small number of 'medical' institutes in Germany which pursue a strongly translational approach to immunology. The institute is also home to the coordinating office of the FOCIS-Center of Excellence, a network for Berlin's clinical immunology community. The institute's main areas of research focus are immunodeficiency diseases in adults, transient immunodeficiency in intensive care patients, chronic inflammatory diseases, transplant immunology, the development of cell therapies, and (in the form of technological platforms) molecular libraries and immune monitoring. Both in terms of its research interests and technologies, the institute's work is also closely aligned with the field of regenerative therapies (one of Charité's main research foci), as represented by the Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT) and the newly-founded Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BEACAT). Cross-disciplinary research collaborations are also being pursued by a working group involved in research into the mechanisms behind chronic inflammation of the central nervous system. Close links have been developed with the field of neurosciences (another one of Charité's main research foci), as represented by the ECRC and the NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence. One of the areas of research focus pursued within the field of infectiology is the search for new antimicrobial substances which are based on natural antimicrobial peptides. Use of a systems medicine-based approach and the development of personalized treatment strategies play a crucial role in most of our projects. Jointly run by the Institute of Medical Immunology and the BCRT, the Core Unit 'Immunocheck' addresses these issues via its biomarker development units and its fully-accredited Immunology Study Lab, which is compatible with FDA/EMA standards. The Core Unit has proven expertise in the development, validation, and conduct of university-sponsored multicenter studies as well as industry-sponsored Phase I to III trials.

Researchers from the Institute of Microbiology, working both at the Campus Benjamin Franklin and at the German Rheumatism Research Center are pursuing the rather fundamental question of how multicellular organisms protect themselves against infections. Their main areas of interest are the development of our innate (and, in evolutionary terms, ancient), immune system, and the role of microbiota for immune system fitness. Over the past few years, the institute's research has led to new paradigms for a significant role of the immune system for epithelial regeneration and organ homeostasis. Insights such as these have identified new pathways that can be harnessed to prevent and treat infections and inflammatory diseases. The institute's research endeavors receive financial support from the German Research Foundation (through project-based funding for the projects SPP 1656 'Intestinal Microbiota' and TR-SFB 156 'Die Haut als immunologisches Organ [the skin as an immune organ]'), and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (in the form of the National Zoonoses Research Network). The institute also holds an ERC Starting Grant ('NutrImmune') and acts as the coordinator of the DFG Priority Program 1937 'Innate Lymphoid Cells'.

The Medical Department, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Tumor Immunology provides medical care to hematology and oncology patients. It combines this task with appropriate clinical study-related activities and work to support the department's core competency in experimental cancer research and tumor immunology. Patients with malignant disorders of the immune system (e.g. lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma) are monitored using diagnostic testing, both before and during their treatment. Longitudinal monitoring enables physicians to detect therapy-induced changes affecting the patient's immune system or his/her cancer. It also enables physicians to detect instances of interactions between the two, and to study mechanisms involved in secondary immunodeficiency. It is therefore our aim to identify new markers and prognostic parameters, as well as new target structures to identify promising combination therapies. Our work conducted as part of the SFB-TR36 Transregional Collaborative Research Center involves the optimization and translation of adoptive T cell therapy using tumor-specific T cells. Our first clinical trial into the use of MAGE-A1-specific T cells in patients with multiple myeloma is currently at the final stage of the approval process. We are also actively involved in clinical trials into the use of virus-specific T cells following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, as well as studies into the use of peptide-loaded dendritic cells in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with molecular residual disease.

The Medical Department, Division of Infectiology and Pneumology boasts the only Chair in Infectiology in the whole of Germany. The department's interest in pneumonia research means that physicians involved in clinical care work alongside researchers from various academic and non-academic institutions. Pneumonia is one of the most common diseases worldwide, with a mortality rate which, for decades, has remained unchanged at over 10%. One fundamental finding, the fact that our pulmonary innate immunity appears to play a key role in the survival of patients with pneumonia, is the reason why our basic science research groups are committed to conducting systematic research into this serious disease. Their research is supported by networks and consortia sponsored by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (CAPNetz, PROGRESS, CAPSys, SFB-TR84). From the molecular mechanisms involved in host-pathogen interactions (between the pneumonia-causing bacteria and the lungs) to innovative treatment concepts, our research addresses the translational principles of the disease, and applies them consistently. Thus, and for the first time, we have been able to approach the disease from a systems medicine-based point of view, and have already made significant contributions to the development of the national, evidence-based (S3) guidelines for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia. We are also currently focused on continuing the development of proprietary treatment strategies for respiratory failure (e.g. EMEA/OD/139/09).

As an approved 'EULAR Center of Excellence', Charité's Medical Department, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology specializes in research into chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Globally, it is one of the leading clinical research centers for rheumatoid arthritis, systemic connective tissue disorders (such as lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's syndrome, and scleroderma), as well as inflammatory musculoskeletal and vascular disorders. By working in close cooperation with the German Rheumatism Research Center Berlin (DRFZ) and other academic and non-academic partners, the department lays the foundations for a rapid translation of research findings into clinical application, where they can be used in the diagnosis and treatment of these challenging autoimmune diseases. Both basic and clinical research endeavors focus on autoreactive cell-mediated immunological memory (which is important in driving the processes which maintain chronic inflammation and autoimmunity), and the control mechanisms regulating the body's immune response (for instance, to stop the processes underlying chronic inflammation by re-establishing and strengthening the body's physiological immune response). The department's researchers are also interested in issues pertaining to the fields of tissue regeneration and epidemiology, and the identification of biomarkers, which constitute a valuable tool for prognosis and treatment-based decision-making, and for assessing treatment response in rheumatic autoimmune diseases.

The Institute for Tropical Medicine and International Health is involved in collaborative research projects with partners primarily based in Africa and Asia (current partnerships exist with Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, South Africa, India and Sri Lanka). Main areas of research focus are the (molecular) epidemiology and the therapeutic and preventive aspects of common tropical infectious diseases, in particular malaria, intestinal helminths and protozoa, HIV/AIDS, and Dengue. Other activities touch on the areas of Public Health, and involve post-Ebola obstetrics care and reproductive health, healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance, as well as community medicine (in relation to TB and HIV). The Institute is partnered with hospitals in Rwanda, Uganda and Sierra Leone. We are also involved in international surveillance networks for infectious diseases imported by returning travelers and migrants (GeoSentinel), imported Staphylococcus aureus (StaphTrav), imported leishmaniaisis (LeishMan), as well studies into the health status of migrants (which include non-communicable diseases such as diabetes).

The Institute of Virology, which is situated on Campus Mitte, is dedicated to the study of viral diversity and evolution. Viruses have particularly effective means of transmission and, as such, are capable of starting global epidemics (pandemics). This was demonstrated during recent outbreaks, from SARS and MERS to avian influenza, swine flu, Ebola, and Zika. Most viral epidemics start as zoonoses, and therefore need to be detected and tackled at this stage. In accordance with the principles of the 'One Health' approach, our basic research supports international health care organizations, such as the WHO, in controlling viral outbreaks. By improving the options available to modern medicine, it also helps to increase our chances of detecting even the rarest of pathogens. As a partner institution of the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) and as partners in other collaborative projects (SPP1596, COMPARE, PREPARE, RAPID), we are committed to studying both ecological and molecular barriers to interspecies transmission during the emergence of new viral diseases. We also coordinate programs on virus identification, viral hazard assessment, and on improving epidemic preparedness. As part of the EU project ZIKAlliance, we are investigating the Zika epidemic and the impact it has had in South and Central America. Several of the institute's projects form part of the DFG's (German Research Foundation's) Africa Initiative (Ghana, Ivory Coast and Kenya). The institute also hosts a BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Research) Junior Research Group working on the evolution and ecology of insect-borne viruses (Uganda).