Type 1 Diabetes Immunology - Helmholtz Munich

Immunsystem

Our main research interest focusses on understanding the role of regulatory T cells in the development and progression of autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 Diabetes. To do so, we combine the analysis of human immune cells from different disease stages with mechanistic studies in murine and humanized in vivo models. We focus on the following research topics: We dissect key molecular mechanisms underlying regulatory T cell impairments in autoimmunity and investigate the heterogeneity, plasticity and functional specialization of regulatory T cells in metabolic tissues of diabetes. Our studies have the overarching goal to facilitate the future context-specific manipulation of regulatory T cells in (autoimmune) diabetes.

Our main research interest focusses on understanding the role of regulatory T cells in the development and progression of autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 Diabetes. To do so, we combine the analysis of human immune cells from different disease stages with mechanistic studies in murine and humanized in vivo models. We focus on the following research topics: We dissect key molecular mechanisms underlying regulatory T cell impairments in autoimmunity and investigate the heterogeneity, plasticity and functional specialization of regulatory T cells in metabolic tissues of diabetes. Our studies have the overarching goal to facilitate the future context-specific manipulation of regulatory T cells in (autoimmune) diabetes.

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About our Research

Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease with a dramatically increasing incidence, particularly in childhood. It results from a breakdown in immune tolerance that causes the autoimmune-mediated destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas and a subsequent loss of glycemic control. We aim to advance our understanding of the immune mechanisms underlying Type 1 Diabetes development. Our overall vision is to contribute to the development of immune therapies that can decelerate or even halt autoimmune progression and prevent diabetes complications.

T-Zellen

Autoantigen-specific T cell and Treg responses

Personalized immunological models of human disease

Treg impairments during islet autoimmunity

Next-generation miRNA targeting strategies

Novel drug candidates to control T1D autoimmunity

Immune-metabolic crosstalk in target tissues of diabetes

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January 19, 2023

The German Research Foundation funds a new Collaborative Research Centre (CRC)/Transregio (TRR) which aims at employing regulatory T cells to create the basis for tailor-made immunotherapies. This initiative is an alliance of the University Mainz and…

Ampoule concept idée

October 03, 2022

Since October 2022, Carolin Daniel heads the new, independent Helmholtz Munich Research Unit ‘Type 1 Diabetes Immunology’ (TDI). Her research, for which she already received numerous awards, focuses on the immunology of diabetes. We talked to her…

Prof. Carolin Daniel

Prof. Carolin Daniel

TDI Department Head

Dr. Isabelle Serr

Dr. Isabelle Serr

Deputy Department Head

Dr. Maike Becker

Dr. Maike Becker

Postdoc

Dr. Martin Scherm

Dr. Martin Scherm

Postdoc

Dr. Alexey Surnov

Dr. Alexey Surnov

Postdoc

Daria Opaleva

Daria Opaleva

Postdoc

Hannah Hipp

Hannah Hipp

Postdoc

Laura Harrison

Laura Harrison

Scientific Coordinator

Anne-Katrin Pelak

Anne-Katrin Pelak

Team Assistant

Franziska Schadl

Franziska Schadl

Biology Lab Technician

Anne Helena Neubig

Anne Helena Neubig

Master Student

Till Johannsmann

Till Johannsmann

Doctoral Researcher

Gianmarco Spata

Gianmarco Spata

Doctoral Researcher

Giulia Boschi

Giulia Boschi

Doctoral Researcher

Sandra Maria Dirschl

Sandra Maria Dirschl

Doctoral Researcher

Emily Schardey

Emily Schardey

Doctoral Researcher

Anne-Marie Bührer

Anne-Marie Bührer

Doctoral Researcher

Michael Lauber

Michael Lauber

Scientist

Franc Hysenaj

Franc Hysenaj

Medical Doctoral Researcher

2019 Nature Communications

Scherm MG, Serr I, Zahm AM, Schug J, Bellusci S, Manfredini R, Salb VK, Gerlach K, Weigmann B, Ziegler AG, Kaestner KH, Daniel C

miRNA142-3p targets Tet2 and impairs Treg differentiation and stability in models of type 1 diabetes

2019 Molecular Metabolism

Becker M, Serr I, Salb VK, Ott VB, Mengel L, Blüher M, Weigmann B, Hauner H, Tschöp MH, Daniel C.

Short-term cold exposure supports human Treg induction in vivo

2018 Science Translational Medicine

Serr I, Scherm MG, Zahm AM, Schug J, Flynn VK, Hippich M, Kälin S, Becker M, Achenbach P, Nikolaev A, Gerlach K, Liebsch N, Loretz B, Lehr C-M, Kirchner B, Spornraft M, Haase B, Segars J, Küper C, Palmisano R, Waisman A, Willis RA, Kim W-U, Weigmann B, Kaestner KH, Ziegler AG, Daniel C.

miRNA181a/NFAT5 axis links impaired T cell tolerance induction with autoimmune type 1 diabetes

2017 Cell Metabolism

Kälin S, Becker M, Ott VB, Serr I, Hosp F, Mollah MMH, Keipert S, Lamp D, Rohner-Jeanrenaud F, Flynn VK, Scherm MG, Nascimento LFR, Gerlach K, Popp V, Dietzen S, Bopp T, Krishnamurthy P, Kaplan MH, Serrano M, Woods SC, Tripal P, Palmisano R, Jastroch M, Bluher M, Wolfrum C, Weigmann B, Ziegler AG, Mann M, Tschöp MH, Daniel C.

A Stat6/Pten Axis Links Regulatory T Cells with Adipose Tissue Function

2016 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Serr I, Fürst RW, Ott VB, Scherm MG, Nikolaev A, Gökmen F, Kälin S, Zillmer S, Bunk M, Weigmann B, Kunschke N, Loretz B, Lehr CM, Kirchner B, Haase B, Pfaffl MW, Waisman A, Willis RA, Ziegler AG, Daniel C

miRNA92a taargets KLF2 and PTEN signaling to promote human T follicular helper precursors in T1D islet autoimmunity

2016 Nature Communications

Serr I, Fürst RW, Achenbach P, Scherm MG, Gökmen F, Haupt F, Sedlmeier E-M, Knopff A, Shultz L, Willis RA, Ziegler A-G, Daniel C.

Type 1 diabetes vaccine candidates promote human Foxp3+Treg induction in humanized mice

2013 Nature Reviews Drug Discovery

von Boehmer H and Daniel C

Therapeutic opportunities for manipulating Tregs in autoimmunity and cancer. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery

2011 Journal of Experimental Medicine

Daniel C, Weigmann B, Bronson R, von Boehmer H

Prevention of type 1 diabetes in mice by tolerogenic vaccination with a strong agonist insulin mimetope

2010 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Daniel C, Wennhold K, Kim HJ, von Boehmer H

Enhancement of antigen-specific Treg-vaccination in vivo

2009 Journal of Experimental Medicine

Nolting J, Daniel C, Reuter S, Stuelten C, Li P, Sucov H, Kim BG, Letterio JJ, Kretschmer K, Kim HJ, von Boehmer H

Retinoic acid can enhance conversion of naive into regulatory T cells independently of secreted cytokines

2022 Molecular Metabolism

Scherm MG, Wyatt RC, Serr I, Any D, Richardson SJ, Daniel C

Beta cell and immune cell interactions in autoimmune type 1 diabetes: How they meet and talk to each other

2021 Frontiers in Immunology

Serr I, Drost F, Schubert B, Daniel C.

Antigen-Specific Treg Therapy in Type 1 Diabetes - Challenges and Opportunities

2021 Frontiers in Immunology

Serr I, Kral M, Scherm MG, Daniel C

Advances in human immune system (HIS) mouse models for personalized Treg-based immunotherapies

2021 Med

Ziegler AG, Danne T, Daniel C, Bonifacio E

100 Years of insulin: Lifesaver, immune target, and potential remedy for prevention

2020 Frontiers in Endocrinology

Scherm MG and Daniel C

miRNA-mediated immune regulation in islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes

2020 Current Diabetes Reports

Scherm MG and Daniel C

miRNA Regulation of T Cells in Islet Autoimmunity and Type 1 Diabetes

2019 Molecular Metabolism

Scherm MG, Serr I, Kaestner KH, Daniel C

The role of T cell miRNAs for regulatory T cell induction in islet autoimmunity

2018 Frontiers in Immunology

Serr I and Daniel C

Regulation of T follicular helper cells in islet autoimmunity

2017 European Journal of Immunology

Becker M, Levings MK, Daniel C

Adipose-tissue regulatory T cells: Critical players in adipose-immune crosstalk

2016 Current Diabetes Reports

Scherm MG, Ott VB, Daniel C

Follicular helper T cells in autoimmunity

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Helmholtz Munich Immunology

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LMU - Clinical Pharmacology

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