About us

Cell Death in Immunity, Inflammation and Disease

Cell death is a fundamental biological process that is critical for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis and plays a central role in host-microbe interactions and pathogen defence in both animals and plants. The recent discoveries of molecularly controlled pathways of lytic cell death, such as necroptosis, pyroptosis and ferroptosis, revealed that cells can select between different modalities of regulated cell death (RCD) and instigated the concept that the consequences of cell death at the tissue and organismal levels are profoundly affected by the way a cell dies.

Dying cells regulate tissue responses by engaging in an intimate cross-talk with bystander cells, yet it remains unclear how the type of cell death determines the outcome of this interaction. While it is now generally accepted that the different RCD pathways have distinct functions, we are only just beginning to understand their respective physiological roles and how these are interlinked with each other. Moreover, the mechanisms determining whether, when and how a cell dies and the effects this exerts on surrounding tissues remain poorly understood.

The overarching goal of this CRC is to understand the mechanisms of regulation and the functional and physiological consequences of diverse forms of RCD in organismal physiology and pathology, with particular focus on immunity, inflammation and host-microbe interactions. A unique aspect of our approach lies in exploring cell death regulation and function in both animals and plants, aiming to allow the cross-fertilisation of the two fields taking advantage of their complementary strengths. By combining multi- and inter-disciplinary approaches, this CRC aims to provide answers to fundamental outstanding questions in cell death research and aspires to make major contributions to the better understanding of the regulation and function of the different forms of RCD in organismal physiology and pathology and the underlying mechanisms.

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CECAD Forschungszentrum - R 4.025
Joseph-Stelzmann-Straße 26
50931 Cologne

Phone Schuster: 0221 478 843 43
Phone Winter: 0221 478 843 01

Office email address: sfb1403-officeuni-koeln.de