ERC Starting Grant
Award year: 2019
Category: Scholarship / Grant
Type: ERC Starting Grant
Awarding organization: Europäischer Forschungsrat (ERC)
The immune system of those suffering from an autoimmune disease can no longer differentiate between the body’s own tissue and external threats and triggers an inflammatory response to defend itself, initially in one organ such as the colon or the skin. In time, the inflammation spreads from the area initially affected to other areas of the body and the disease becomes more serious. With his working group, Dr Andreas Ramming is investigating molecular mechanisms that trigger the spread of these autoimmune diseases to other parts of the body. During the last few years, Ramming and his team have been collecting data and have discovered the first molecular signatures that seem to foster this serious reaction. The team of physicians now want to investigate further to find out more about the processes behind it and to understand which cells are involved.