Immunology
Tuning immunity to keep animals and people healthy
Maintaining immune homeostasis under continuous threats is a main role for the immune system. Within the immunology group we study how the immune system can be steered to prevent chronic inflammation and to eradicate intracellular pathogens without collateral damage.
We aim to unravel mechanisms that drive antigen-specific tolerance in chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. We study cytotoxic-T-cell recognition of viruses and complex intracellular pathogen. All with the aim to optimize vaccine design strategies and develop nano- and peptide platforms that deliver immunomodulatory cues. By studying comparative-immunology across companion animals, porcine models and sentinel wildlife, we uncover conserved immune pathways to support our One-Health mission.
By integrating fundamental immunology with vaccine and therapy design, we create strategies that modulate—rather than suppress—immunity across species.
Restoring tolerance instead of blocking immunity
Chronic inflammation arises when mechanism of immune homeostasis break down. We aim to unravel how peripheral tolerance fails in chronic inflammatory disorders, such as autoimmune diseases and allergic inflammation in order to design therapeutic approaches that restore immune balance. Our goal is to induce antigen-specific tolerance and reinstate immune homeostasis rather than fall back on immunosuppression. Parallel studies in veterinary species such as dogs and horses underscore the potential of One-Health approaches in therapeutic tolerance. By re-educating, not disabling, the immune system, we achieve durable disease control while preserving host defence.
Unmasking hidden pathogens and destroying tumors with cytotoxic precision
Intracellular pathogens such as viruses, Chlamydia, Mycobacterium and other bacteria can sometimes evade effective immune responses by hiding inside the cell and demand a potent T-cell response for protective immunity. A high-resolution profile of the MHC immunopeptidomes of bacterially infected cells revealed that commonly detected antigens included virulence factors and evolutionary highly conserved proteins, present in several different bacterial pathogens as well commensals within the gastro-intestinal tract. This knowledge is exploited in our current projects, aimed to design CTL-inducing vaccines that outsmart elusive pathogens and help design effective anti-tumor responses.
Harnessing host-defence peptides to outsmart drug-resistant pathogens
Host-defence peptides form a dual-function arm of innate immunity that operates across species. However, more research shows their potential beyond alternative antibiotics of the future and indicates their role in immunomodulation by e.g. dampening excess TLR signalling or attracting leukocytes. Working across different veterinary species using multiple simple and complex cellular and organoid models we aim to unravel how AMPs function, from membrane lysis to immunomodulation.
The two-way relationship between nanomedicines and the immune system
Nanomedicine is the field where we use tiny particles - called nanoparticles - to deliver medicine to the exact spot in the body where it's needed. These nanoparticles can be made from different materials like lipids or polymers, and they can carry various substances such as proteins or drugs. We’re interested in using nanoparticles to deliver vaccines, with a focus on treating autoimmune diseases, and to fight infectious diseases. We also study where the nanoparticles travel to after entering the body, how the immune system recognizes and reacts to nanomedicines, and how this can lead to different types of immune responses. By understanding these processes, we can learn how to design more effective and precise treatments to a wide range of diseases in the future.
