How the mouse intestine is helping immune research
Dr. Stephan Rosshart is investigating the influence of natural microbial colonization of laboratory animals on their immune responses in a new Emmy Noether Group / 2.5 million euros in funding from the German Research Foundation
The microbial colonization of the gut and skin is essential for their healthy and normal function. The microbiome, i.e. the entirety of all microorganisms in the body, also plays an important role in the development and expression of immune reactions. Dr. Stephan Rosshart at the Department of Medicine II at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg is now using a novel approach to investigate the interaction between the microbiome and the host as well as the consequences for the development and course of immune reactions in a mouse model. Together with his team, he is investigating the immunological processes in animals that are not kept under sterile conditions - as is usually the case - but have a natural microbial colonization similar to that of wild mice. Rosshart hopes to use this so-called wildling mouse model, which he developed, to better understand fundamental biological principles in bowel cancer, but also in infectious diseases such as influenza, sepsis, various immunotherapies, allergies as well as autoimmune diseases and Alzheimer's disease. The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved an Emmy Noether Junior Research Group for this purpose and is funding it with 2.5 million euros for six years.
"Our approach could make it possible to reproduce bowel cancer and a number of other complex immune-mediated diseases in animal models better than before and, based on this, to develop new and more precise therapeutic approaches," says Rosshart. In earlier studies, he was able to show that the immune response of wild animals during sepsis, also known as blood poisoning, better reflects the human immune response than previous animal models. "Wildlings should enable a more efficient transfer of animal findings to humans. We have already been able to prove this for two failed human studies," says Rosshart. "In this respect, we hope that these findings will also lead to concrete treatment approaches."
"I am very pleased that this innovative and important field of research has now been established in our clinic and is also so generously funded by the German Research Foundation," said Prof. Dr. Robert Thimme, Medical Director of the Department of Medicine II at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg.
Animal experiments are irreplaceable in basic medical research
"Gaining a better understanding of the immune system and possible malfunctions is one of the central research focuses in Freiburg. The newly established Emmy Noether Group will benefit from this environment and complement it," said Prof. Dr. Norbert Südkamp, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine - University of Freiburg. "To better understand these highly complex processes, animal experiments are still often irreplaceable." Of course, the principle applies that animal experiments may only be carried out if a relevant issue cannot be investigated in any other way. In addition, the number of animals used must be kept to a minimum.
Further information:
Research group Dr. Rosshart www.uniklinik-freiburg.de/medizin2/forschung/experimentelle-forschung/ag-rosshart.html
Contact:
Dr. Stephan Rosshart
Research Group Leader
Department of Medicine II
Uniklinik Freiburg
stephan.rosshart@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Back
Medical Center - University of Freiburg
Central Information
Phone: 0761 270-0
info@uniklinik-freiburg.de
For press inquiries:
Corporate Communications
Breisacher Straße 153
79110 Freiburg
Phone: 0761 270-84830
kommunikation@uniklinik-freiburg.de