Dr. rer. nat. Thomas Clahsen

Scientific career

1996-2003 Study of Biology at the RWTH-Aachen University (Diploma in Biology)

2003-2008 PhD (summa cum laude) at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical School of the RWTH Aachen University

2008-2015 Postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center of the RWTH Aachen University

2016- Postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Ophthalmology, Experimental Ophthalmology, University Cologne

2016- Project manager of Project 2 “Identification of novel endogenous modulators of (inflammatory) lymphangiogenesis by analyzing mouse strain-specific differences” in the DFG Research Unit FOR 2240 “Angiogenesis, Lymphangiogenesis and Cellular Immunity in Inflammatory Diseases of the Eye” at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne

2018- Principal Investigator of Project P2 “Identification of novel endogenous modulators of developmental and inflammatory lymphangiogenesis by analyzing mouse strain-specific differences” in the DFG Research Unit FOR 2240 “Angiogenesis, Lymphangiogenesis and Cellular Immunity in Inflammatory Diseases of the Eye” at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne

Prizes and honors

2008 Travel Grant 12th Joint Meeting: Signal Transduction: Receptors, Mediators and Genes

2010 Borchers Plakette

2019 DOG-Patent Price

2019 Best Paper Award – Highlights in Translational Science: Cornea and Limbus

Selected publications

Hos D, Matthaei M, Bock F, Maruyama K, Notara M, Clahsen T, Hou Y, Le VNH, Salabarria AC, Horstmann J, Bachmann BO, Cursiefen C. (2019) Immune reactions after modern lamellar (DALK, DSAEK, DMEK) versus conventional penetrating corneal transplantation. Prog Retin Eye Res. Nov; Vol 73:100768.

Buttner, C*., Clahsen, T.*, Regenfuss, B., Dreisow, M. L., Steiber, Z., Bock, F., Reis, A., and Cursiefen, C. Tyrosinase Is a Novel Endogenous Regulator of Developmental and Inflammatory Lymphangiogenesis. Am J Pathol (2019); 189, 440-448 (*gleichberechtigte Autoren)

Cursiefen C, Bock F, Clahsen T, Regenfuss B, Reis A, Steven P, Heindl LM, Bosch JJ, Hos D, Eming S, Grajewski R, Heiligenhaus A, Fauser S, Austin J, Langmann T. [New Therapeutic Approaches in Inflammatory Diseases of the Eye – Targeting Lymphangiogenesis and Cellular Immunity: Research Unit FOR 2240 Presents Itself]. Klin Monbl Augenheilkd. 2017 May;234(5):679-685.

Schippers A, Muschaweck M, Clahsen T, Tautorat S, Grieb L, Tenbrock K, Gassler N, and Wagner N. beta7-Integrin exacerbates experimental DSS-induced colitis in mice by directing inflammatory monocytes into the colon. Mucosal Immunol. 2016;9:527-538.

Kaemmerer E, Kuhn P, Schneider U, Clahsen T, Jeon MK, Klaus C, Andruszkow J, Harer M, Ernst S, Schippers A, Wagner N, and Gassler N. Beta-7 integrin controls enterocyte migration in the small intestine. World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21:1759-1764.

Clahsen T, Pabst O, Tenbrock K, Schippers A, and Wagner N. Localization of dendritic cells in the gut epithelium requires MAdCAM-1. Clin Immunol. 2015;156:74-84.

Schippers A, Kochut A, Pabst O, Frischmann U, Clahsen T, Tenbrock K, Müller W, and Wagner N.  beta7 integrin controls immunogenic and tolerogenic mucosal B cell responses. Clin Immunol. 2012;144:87-97.

Clahsen T, and Schaper F. Interleukin-6 acts in the fashion of a classical chemokine on monocytic cells by inducing integrin activation, cell adhesion, actin polymerization, chemotaxis, and transmigration. J Leukoc Biol. 2008;84:1521-1529.

Herrmann A, Vogt M, Monnigmann M, Clahsen T, Sommer U, Haan S, Poli V, Heinrich PC, and Müller-Newen G. Nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of persistently activated STAT3. J Cell Sci. 2007;120:3249-3261.

Stross C, Radtke S, Clahsen T, Gerlach C, Volkmer-Engert R, Schaper F, Heinrich PC, and Hermanns HM. Oncostatin M receptor-mediated signal transduction is negatively regulated by SOCS3 through a receptor tyrosine-independent mechanism. J Biol Chem. 2006;281:8458-8468.

Clahsen T, Lehmann U, Stross C, Hermanns HM, Volkmer-Engert R, Schneider-Mergener J, Heinrich PC, and Schaper F. The tyrosine 974 within the LIF-R-chain of the gp130/LIF-R heteromeric receptor complex mediates negative regulation of LIF signalling. Cell Signal 2005;17:559-569.

Weissenbach M, Clahsen T, Weber C, Spitzer D, Wirth D, Vestweber D, Heinrich PC, and Schaper F. Interleukin-6 is a direct mediator of T cell migration. Eur J Immunol. 2004;34:2895-2906.