Cellular Proteome Research

Immune Response and Interventions

HZI Campus

Pathogenic bacteria and viruses exploit and manipulate cellular processes within our immune system. The research group Cellular Proteome Research aims to identify key proteins and mechanisms involved in the early phases of immune cell responses. We develop advanced mass spectrometry-based strategies to analyze protein network dynamics and uncover druggable targets in the innate immune system.

Head

Prof Dr Lothar Jänsch

Head of Research Group

+49 531 6181-3030 E-Mail

Our Research

[Translate to English:] Poster — Surface proteins play a major role in the activation of immune cells and their subsequent spatial localization and immune responses. We characterize surface processes and underlying mechanisms by applying glycoproteomics, interactomics, translatomics and secretomics to primary human cells and tissues.

Proteins are the functional building blocks in infection and immunity as well as the prime targets in drug research. Our research is focusing on the characterization of primary immune cell responses by proteomics. Immune cells establish highly distinct protein networks to mediate protection against pathogens. Together with other host cells, they constitute immunological synapses and interfaces that orchestrate contact-dependent responses including antigen recognition and cytokine releases.

Our research aims to complement missing information of how protein networks control the activity of immune cells (MAIT cells, NK cells, monocytes) at the site of infections. In particular, projects shall discover and characterize novel immune regulatory mechanisms that have translational and clinical relevance.

Immune cell phenotyping combines modern technologies of proteomics, e.g. secretomics and surfaceomics, with methods of molecular immunology and cell biology. Immune regulatory protein networks are mainly under the control of post-translational mechanisms (phosphorylation, glycosylation, pyruvoylation, cysteine/thiol-modification) that we directly examine by mass spectrometry.