Lübeck invests in research: New era for autoimmune diseases!

Lübeck invests in research: New era for autoimmune diseases!

There is exciting news in the world of medical research! The graduate school 2633 “Autoimmune Pre-Disease” at the University of Lübeck has been awarded a second funding period by the German Research Foundation (DFG), which begins on April 1, 2026. As the university reports in a release, the college focuses on structured training and research for the early detection and prevention of autoimmune diseases, which affect millions of people worldwide.

Are new ways of prevention being taken here? Exactly! The graduate school is led by Prof. Dr. Jennifer Hundt, who previously served as co-speaker, is actively researching biomarkers that shed light on the transition from health to autoimmune diseases. The second funding period will be particularly exciting with a focus on pemphigus and pemphigoid diseases as well as systemic rheumatic diseases. These topics could lead to significant therapeutic approaches in the near future.

Advances in autoimmune research

At the same time, the DFG launched a new Collaborative Research Center (SFB) at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, which is called “Cellular and Systems Control of Autoimmune Disease” (CASCAID). This area, which was launched at a time of intensified research to combat autoimmune diseases as part of the SFB 1755, aims to develop drug-free remissions. Another important point is the identification of dysregulated immune cell networks that can lead to chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease.

“Current therapies control inflammatory processes, but do not cure the underlying diseases in the long term,” says Prof. Dr. Georg Schett, spokesman for the SFB 1755. This makes it clear that there is an urgent need for action here. Innovative research is carried out at FAU to develop sustainable therapeutic approaches

Collaboration and exchange for progress

The DFG has also approved a third funding period for Transregio 221 (TRR 221). This project also takes important steps in researching immune reactions after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. This project is led by Prof. Dr. Andreas Mackensen, an expert in the field of hematology and internal oncology.

The focus here is on therapeutic approaches, such as the use of CAR T cells. Innovative treatments could ultimately help significantly improve the quality of life for patients suffering from graft-versus-host disease. And this is urgently needed, because symptoms such as inflammatory reactions and digestive disorders are a serious burden for many of those affected.

But that's not all! The graduate school in Lübeck has already trained 24 young scientists in the first funding period and is becoming more international, for example through scholarships from Canada, the USA and England. In the second funding period, new accents will be set, such as integration into the DAAD Graduate School Scholarship Program with international doctoral positions and a structured confidant program to support doctoral students.

In summary, we can be excited to see what the coming years have in store for us in autoimmune research. Advances in basic research that find practical applications are undoubtedly the key to a better medical future, and with dedicated researchers this key becomes increasingly tangible.