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Airway Immunology

Lab Schmidt-Weber / Jakwerth

The Airway Immunology Group aims to understand how environmental triggers can cause diseases like allergic rhinitis, asthma, or infections like COVID-19. 

The Airway Immunology Group aims to understand how environmental triggers can cause diseases like allergic rhinitis, asthma, or infections like COVID-19.

About our Research

The airway epithelial cells constitute the barrier to our environment and, together with immune cells scattered in this layer, are the first cells to be exposed to environmental components such as allergens, viruses, or pollutant particles.

The focus of the Airway Immunology Group is on epithelial cell biology and its cross-talk with the immune system (T cells, innate lymphocytes, and macrophages). There are critical changes in the airway epithelium that can prime both epithelial differentiation and the immune system, ultimately leading to the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. We investigate the role of the airway epithelium in allergic inflammation under the influence of Th1/Th2 mediators. It is important to understand the interaction between epithelial cells and immune cells to identify specific biomarkers for allergic inflammation. Allergen-specific immunotherapy is another focus under investigation, and therapeutic efficacy is also being investigated at the epithelial barrier. The group is also interested in food allergies and the gut barrier. Airway projects are funded by the DZL (German Lung Research Center), biomarker studies are supported by the ZAUM-led EIT Health EU consortium "ADAPT". Food allergies are investigated in the BMBF consortium "ABROGATE" led by ZAUM.

Scientists at Airway Immunology

Carsten Schmidt-Weber

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Carsten Schmidt-Weber

Head of Institute View profile
Dr. Constanze Jakwerth

Priv.-Doz. Dr. rer. nat. Constanze Jakwerth

Deputy Group Leader Airway Immunology View profile

Stefanie Glocker

Technician

Helen Charles

PhD Student

Maryéva Bessemoulin

PhD Student

Publications

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2024 Scientific Article in Science of the Total Environment, The

Gonzalez-Alonso, M. ; Oteros, J. ; Widmann, M. ; Maya-Manzano, J.M. ; Skjøth, C. ; Grewling, L. ; O'Connor, D. ; Sofiev, M. ; Tummon, F. ; Crouzy, B. ; Clot, B. ; Buters, J.T.M. ; Kadantsev, E. ; Palamarchuk, Y. ; Martínez-Bracero, M. ; Pope, F.D. ; Mills, S. ; Šikoparija, B. ; Matavulj, P. ; Schmidt-Weber, C.B. ; Ørby, P.V.

Influence of meteorological variables and air pollutants on measurements from automatic pollen sampling devices.

Contact

Carsten Schmidt-Weber

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Carsten Schmidt-Weber

Head of Institute

Contact

Dr. Constanze Jakwerth

Priv.-Doz. Dr. rer. nat. Constanze Jakwerth

Deputy Group Leader Airway Immunology