Research Division of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology

Our group is interested in the immunobiology of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). In this context, MSC or MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are subjected to immunological priming and optimized on the basis of their immunoregulatory abilities for a therapeutic option in inflammatory diseases (in particular graft-versus-host disease). 

In the context of cancer, we are investigating the communication of tumor, stromal and immune cells in cancer tissues. We are focusing on the functional cross-talk of tumor-derived MSC with cancer cells and immune cells. 

Orbital fibroblasts (OF) are the main pathogenic cell type in the inflammatory autoimmune eye disease Graves’ orbitopathy. In our study, we further define the pathogenic OF/MSC subtypes, their distribution in the different orbital tissues, interaction with inflammatory/immune cells and contribution to the respective clinical disease subtype.