Projects funded (Due to confidential reasons only some details of our projects are given)

Project 1: Sympathetic nerve fibers are lost in inflammatory lesions, e.g., in arthritis. This project investigates possibilities to re-install sympathetic nerve fibers in the tissue.
Prof. Dr. Rainer H. Straub

Project 2: Tyrosine-hydroxylase - positive cells appear in inflammatory lesions. This project investigates the role of these cells and their released factors.
Dr. Silvia Capellino, Prof. Dr. Rainer H. Straub

Project 4: The maintenance of joint compartment borders is important (e.g., between synovium and cartilage). This project trys to identify neuroendocrine factors responsible.
Prof. Dr. Anja Bosserhoff, Dr. Thomas Schubert

Project 5: Fibroblasts invade cartilage during arthritis and integrins play a dominant role. This project investigates modulation of integrin pathways by cannabinoids and steroid hormones.
Dr. Torsten Lowin, Dr. Elena Neumann (Bad Nauheim), Prof. Dr. Ulf Müller Ladner (Bad Nauheim)

Project 6: Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating (aMSH) hormone is an antiinflammatory hormone. This project investigates the influence of aMSH on chondrocytes and fibroblasts.
Prof. Dr. Susanne Grässel, Prof. Dr. Markus Böhm (Münster)

Project 7: The B cell plays an important role in arthritis. This project investigates the influence of the sympathetic nervous system on the B cell in arthritis.
Dr. Georg Pongratz

Project Z: Immunogenetics has been an important research subject in the eigthies and nineties but respective genetic alterations in the neuroendocrine system have not been the target of geneticists. This project will identify new neuroendocrine targets relevant for rheumatic diseases.
Dr. Klaus Stark

Cooperative projects with other groups (see cooperative partners)

Project 3: Differentation of mesenchymal stem cells to chondrocytes is mediated by several biological factors. This projects aims to identify the role of steroid hormones.
Prof. Dr. Peter Angele