Arbeitsgruppe Lapp
Research focus
The cornea is the window of the eye. Various infections and congenital diseases of the cornea can lead to clouding and thus to a loss of vision.
For many of these patients, transplantation of corneal tissue is the only possibility to regain vision.
Within the last decade, lamellar keratoplasties have extended the surgical spectrum of corneal transplantation. For penetrating keratoplasty as well as lamellar corneal transplantation, immune-mediated corneal graft rejection remains the most common reason for graft failure.
The goal of our research group is to better understand processes during a rejection in order to develop more targeted therapies. Our work is focused on the innate immune system.
Projects and selected publications
- Clinical registry data analysis
- Lapp T, Heinzelmann S, Shanab WA, Reinhard T, Boehringer D. Graft decentering in DSAEK: a risk factor for immune reactions?. Eye (Lond). 2016
- Lapp T, Heinzelmann S, Böhringer D, Eberwein P, Reinhard T, Maier P. Use of Donor Corneas From Pseudophakic Eyes for Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty. Cornea. 2018
- Translational clinical science
- Optimizing current rejection models
- Implementation of human-based in vitro rejection models
Most recent publications
- Lange C, Wolf J, Auw-Haedrich C, Schlecht A, Boneva S, Lapp T, Horres R, Agostini H, Martin G, Reinhard T, Schlunck G. Expression of the COVID-19 receptor ACE2 in the human conjunctiva. J Med Virol. 2020
- Atzrodt L, Lapp T, Reinhard T, Auw-Haedrich C. Transformation of a naevus into a mixed pyogenic granuloma-naevus mimicking conjunctival melanoma. Pathology. 2020
- Fritz M, Grewing V, Maier P, Lapp T, Böhringer D, Reinhard T, Wacker K. Diurnal Variation in Corneal Edema in Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy. Am J Ophthalmol. 2019
- Fritz M, Grewing V, Böhringer D, Lapp T, Maier P, Reinhard T, Wacker K. Avoiding Hyperopic Surprises After Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty in Fuchs Dystrophy Eyes by Assessing Corneal Shape. Am J Ophthalmol. 2019
- Reuer T, Schneider AC, Cakir B, Bühler A, Walz J, Lapp T, Lange C, Agostini H, Schlunck G, Cursiefen C, Reinhard T, Bock F, Stahl A. Semaphorin 3F Modulates Corneal Lymphangiogenesis and Promotes Corneal Graft Survival. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2018
PD Dr. med. Benjamin Thabo Lapp, MD, FEBO
thabo.lapp@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Group Members
Dr. med. Paola Kammrath Betancor, MD
Dr. med. Tim Bleul, MD
Mr Philip Keye, MD
Ms Xinyu Zhuang, MD
Ms Jiaqui Fan, MD
Data scientist and scientific advisors
Prof. Dr. Daniel Böhringer, Freiburg
Prof. Dr. Günther Schlunck, Freiburg
Dr. Julian Wolf, Freiburg
Univ.Prof. Dr. Thomas Reinhard, Freiburg
Former group members
Dr. rer. nat. Antonia Hildebrand
Publications
Funding
Ernst und Berta Grimmke Stiftung
Geschwister Freter Stiftung
Gertrud Kusen Stiftung
The Teresa Rosenbaum Golden Charitable Trust