Research Groups

There are seven regular research groups (projects) in research unit FOR 2240 led by one or two principal investigators. The projects of first-time applicants also have one or two non-funded co-applicants with status as senior researchers as part of the leadership team. Working in the groups at the post-doc level are several clinician-scientists, many on research rotation posts (“Gerok”). Other group members are funded in a variety of ways, including DFG-financed positions. There is a growing number of PhD students, the majority of them female, guest scientists, and interns that the research unit has attracted. The laboratory work of the entire research unit FOR 2240 is considerably aided by teams of medical technical assistants, some DFG-funded as well. Most members of the research groups are located in Cologne, with two teams in Erlangen-Nürnberg and now in the second funding period, also support from Co-Applicants in Lübeck and Berlin.

Project P1 Lymph-Transplant

Induction of corneal transplant tolerance by anti(lymph)angiogenic therapy

Principal Investigator

Felix Bock

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Felix Bock

Principal Investigator

Claus Cursiefen

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Claus Cursiefen, FEBO, FARVO

Clinician-Scientist

Silvia Schrittenlocher

Dr. med. Silvia Schrittenlocher

MD student

Jasmin Weindler

Jasmin Weindler

PostDoc

Matthias Hamdorf

Matthias Hamdorf

PhD student

Zhang Wei

Zhang Wei

Clinician-Scientist

Friederike Schaub

PD Dr. med. Friederike Schaub

Clinician-Scientist

Sebastian Siebelmann

Dr. med. Sebastian Siebelmann

PhD Student

Alfrun Schönberg

Alfrun Schönberg

Associated scientist

Takahiko Hayashi

Dr. med. Takahiko Hayashi, AvH Fellow

Post Doc

Tihomir Georgiev

Tihomir Georgiev

PhD Student

Mert Mestanoglu

Mert Mestanoglu

Project P2 Modulators of LA

Identification of novel endogenous modulators of developmental and inflammatory lymphangiogenesis by analyzing mouse strain-specific differences

Principal Investigator

André Reis

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. André Reis, Erlangen

Principal Investigator

Thomas Clahsen

Dr. rer. nat. Thomas Clahsen

Co-Applicant

Claus Cursiefen

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Claus Cursiefen, FEBO, FARVO

Clinician-Scientist

Mario Matthaei

PD Dr. med. Mario Matthaei, FEBO

PhD student (DFG)

Christian Büttner

Christian Büttner, Erlangen

PhD student, DFG associated project

Agathe Hribek

Agathe Hribek

PhD student

Sejla Gegic

Sejla Gegic

Clinician-Scientist

Dr. med. Andrea Hedergott

Dr. med. Andrea Hedergott

PhD student

Niloofar Hatami

Niloofar Hatami

MD student

Melina Doukas

Melina Doukas

MD student

Felix Nüst

Felix Nüst

MD student

Gabriela Pacheco Callirgos

Gabriela Pacheco Callirgos

Project N1 Ocular GvHD

Lymph- and hemangiogenesis in ocular graft-versus-host disease

Principal Investigator

Philipp Steven

Prof. Dr. med. Philipp Steven

Co-Applicant

Olaf Penack

PD Dr. med. Olaf Penack

Clinician-Scientist

Volkan Tahmaz

Volkan Tahmaz

Affiliated Scientist

Martina Maaß

Martina Maaß

Technical Assistant

Anna-Lena Zachert

Anna-Lena Zachert

Technical Assistant

Timur Bilgin

Timur Bilgin

Visiting Professor, Senior Scientific Advisor

Prof. Michael E. Stern

Prof. Michael E. Stern

Director of the Buchanan Ocular Therapeutics Group, Deputy Head, Department of Ophthalmology New Zealand National Eye Center Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences The University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau

Prof. Ilva Rupenthal

Prof. Ilva Rupenthal

Project N2 ABCB5 & Pterygium

The role of ABCB5-expressing limbal epithelial stem cells in corneal lymphangiogenic privilege and pterygium pathogenesis

Principal Investigator

Maria Notara

Dr. rer. nat. Maria Notara

Co-Applicant

Claus Cursiefen

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Claus Cursiefen, FEBO, FARVO

Co-Applicant

Björn Schumacher

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Björn Schumacher

PhD

Berbang Meshko

M.Sc. Berbang Meshko

Post Doctoral Researcher

Thomas Volatier

Thomas Volatier

Project P4 Ocular Melanoma

The role of midkine in tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis and metastasis of ocular malignant melanoma

Principal Investigator

Jacobus J. Bosch

Dr. Jacobus J. Bosch, MD, PhD, Leiden, The Netherlands

Principal Investigator

Ludwig Maximilian Heindl

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dr. Ludwig M. Heindl, M.D., Ph.D., M.Sc

Clinician-Scientist

Simona Schlereth

Dr. med. Simona Schlereth

PhD student

Lara Goesmann

Lara Goesmann

Clinician-Scientist

Alexander C. Rokohl

Dr. med. Alexander C. Rokohl

PhD Student

Daria Lehrmann

Daria Lehrmann

Project P5 Myeloid Cells

Myeloid cell function in corneal hem- and lymphangiogenesis

Principal Investigator

Sabine Eming

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Sabine Eming

Principal Investigator (DFG)

Deniz Hos

PD Dr. med. Dr. nat. med. Deniz Hos

PostDoc

Karina Hadrian

Dr. rer. nat. Karina Hadrian

Project P6 Microglia in AMD

Role of complement receptors and microglia in age-related macular degeneration

Principal Investigator

Thomas Langmann

Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Thomas Langmann

Clinician-Scientist

Lebriz Altay

PD Dr. med. Lebriz Altay, FEBO

PostDoc/Lab Leader

Anne Wolf

Dr. rer. nat. Anne Wolf

Project P8 Uveitis (2015-2018)

The role of interleukin (IL)-10 in the pathogenesis of autoimmune uveitis in mice and man