We are pleased to announce that IPEK scientists Sabine Steffens, Philipp von Hundelshausen and Christian Wever  joined the new DFG funded CRC 1784 In Trac programme which was launched on the 1st of October.

Thrombosis is the central pathogenic mechanism driving heart attacks, strokes, and venous thromboembolism, which together represent the most common cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Despite clinically established preventive measures targeting platelets and coagulation, thrombotic CVDs remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Moreover, thrombosis can influence the course of infections and other inflammatory disorders, as its presence often critically determines disease severity. Scientists therefore believe that there is an urgent need to better understand the mechanisms that initiate and amplify thrombosis in different disease settings.

The approach of the new Collaborative Research Centre located at LMU marks a paradigm shift in this regard. CRC 1784 InTraC (The Interplay of Thrombosis and Inflammation – Translating Molecular Mechanisms Into Clinical Applications) views thrombosis not just as a matter of platelets and coagulation, but as a process that is tightly linked to the immune system and vice-versa. 

Dr. Philipp von Hundelshausen and Prof. Christian Weber will investigate the role of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) in thromboinflammation ( Project B03), whereas Dr. Kami Alexander Pekayvaz and Prof. Sabine Steffens will investigate the involvement of non-classical monocytes in the thrombotic milieu during the transition from thrombus formation to resolution (Project B06)