Immunology
Team PTA
Protective Tissue Factors in Autoimmune Diseases
The main objective of the group is to understand the molecular mechanisms that promote pro-resolution responses in immune and stromal cells to restore homeostasis. In particular, the team will use the human synovium as a model system to characterize the pro-resolving phenotypes of macrophages in rheumatoid arthritis. The core of the project will be the development of a first in kind synovium-in-a-dish assay for systematic monitoring of macrophage functions. Our final goal is to identify new therapeutic targets, which promote pro-resolution in inflammation and autoimmune diseases, and thereby proposing novel concepts to improve patient outcomes.
Mentors
- Dr. Jackie Perrigoue
Head of Tissue Mechanisms, Janssen Immunosciences, Spring House, USA (Industry mentor) - Dr. Agnès Gardet
Principal Scientist at The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson San Diego County, USA (Industry mentor) - Prof. Dr. Greorg Schett
Vice President Research and Chair Internal Medicine at Medicine Faculty at Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU), Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany, and Director clinical medicine 3 – Rheumatologie und Immunologie, University Hospital Erlangen, Germany (Academic mentor)
Our Team Members
Dr. Mojca Frank Bertoncelj
Group Leader
Short Bio
- 2020-2021: Junior Group Leader, Team Integrative biology of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, University Hospital Zurich & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- 2012-2020: Postdoc in noncoding RNA biology, epigenetics, and functional genomics in autoimmune diseases with Prof. Dr. Steffen Gay & Prof. Dr. Oliver Distler, University Hospital Zurich & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- 2011-2012: Articulum Research Fellow with Prof. Dr. Steffen Gay, University Hospital Zurich & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- 2005-2010: PhD in Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine & Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
- 1997-2005: Doctor of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Dr. Swathi Lingam
Postdoctoral Researcher
Short Bio
- 2019-2021: Research Fellow in studying retinal ageing and developing novel cell therapy systems to treat age-related retinal degeneration at the National University of Singapore and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore.
- 2017- 2019: Postdoctoral scientist studying the function of the ABC transporter ABCC5 in diabetes at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
- 2014- 2017: PhD in biochemistry at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
Dr. Jeinmy Carolina Gámez Villamizar
Postdoctoral Researcher
Short Bio
- 2019-2021: Postdoctoral researcher in stem/stromal cell research, articular cartilage regeneration, 3D cell culture and imaging, chondrogenic differentiation, mechanobiology. Section of Experimental Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery. Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University
- 2016-2019: PhD Fellow under the Cooperative Research Training Group: Tissue Analytics for Stem Cell Based Diagnostics and Therapy. Evaluated subjects: Orthopedics, Immunology and Biotechnology. Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University
- 2013-2016: Master of Science in Biochemistry. Medicine Faculty, National University of Colombia
Tamara Pfanner
PhD Student
Horia Boursas
Master's Student