Prof. Dr. Thomas Werfel participates in RESIST research projects A3, A4 and B5.
| My Research Interest in RESIST |
My research interests focus on chronic inflammatory skin diseases including atopic dermatitis (role of allergens, microbial antigens and autoantigens, immunological mechanism, new therapeutical approaches). During the last years, I contributed knowledge regarding different trigger factors, inflammatory signaling and cellular and humoral responses. I investigated patients at risk regarding pathogen infections which can lead to life-threatening complications and described mechanisms how pathogens act as driving forces of atopic dermatitis.
In RESIST, I aim to expand the knowledge on pathogens that represent a threat for patients suffering from inflammatory skin and other diseases driven by severe type 2 immune responses, especially Herpes viruses. Recruiting different cohorts of patients at risk, I will investigate susceptibility factors from a genetic as well as an immunological point of view and will contribute to projects investigating pathogen infection and inflammation mechanisms.
Prof. Werfel about his scientific work
Prof. Dr. Thomas Werfel – Curriculum Vitae
Current Position
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Training
Academic and Research Posts
Other Scientific Roles
Awards and Prizes
10 Selected Publications (of > 219 original publications)
Kopfnagel V, Wagenknecht S, Harder J, Hofmann K, Kleine M, Buch A, Sodeik B, Werfel T. RNase 7 strongly promotes TLR9-mediated DNA sensing by human plasmacytoid dendritic cells. J Invest Dermatol. 2017 (epub ahead of print).
Traidl S, Kienlin P, Begemann G, Jing L, Koelle DM, Werfel T, Roesner LM. Patients with atopic dermatitis and history of eczema herpeticum elicit herpes simplex virus-specific type 2 immune responses. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017 (epub ahead of print).
Roesner LM, Heratizadeh A, Wieschowski S, Mittermann I, Valenta R, Eiz-Vesper B, Hennig C, Hansen G, Falk CS, Werfel T. α-NAC-Specific Autoreactive CD8+ T Cells in Atopic Dermatitis Are of an Effector Memory Type and Secrete IL-4 and IFN-γ. J Immunol. 2016; 196: 3245-52.
Werfel T, Heratizadeh A, Niebuhr M, Kapp A, Roesner LM, Karch A, Erpenbeck VJ, Lösche C, Jung T, Krug N, Badorrek P, Hohlfeld JM. Exacerbation of atopic dermatitis upon grass pollen exposure in an environmental challenge chamber. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015; 136: 96-103.
Roesner LM, Heratizadeh A, Begemann G, Kienlin P, Hradetzky S, Niebuhr M, Eiz-Vesper B, Hennig C, Hansen G, Baron-Bodo V, Moingeon P, Werfel T. Der p1 and Der p2-Specific T Cells Display a Th2, Th17, and Th2/Th17 Phenotype in Atopic Dermatitis. J Invest Dermatol. 2015; 135: 2324-27.
Krug N, Hohlfeld JM, Kirsten AM, Kornmann O, Beeh KM, Kappeler D, Korn S, Ignatenko S, Timmer W, Rogon C, Zeitvogel J, Zhang N, Bille J, Homburg U, Turowska A, Bachert C, Werfel T, Buhl R, Renz J, Garn H, Renz H. Allergen-induced asthmatic responses modified by a GATA3-specific DNAzyme. N Engl J Med. 2015; 372: 1987-95.
Hradetzky S, Roesner LM, Balaji H, Heratizadeh A, Mittermann I, Valenta R, Werfel T. Cytokine effects induced by the human autoallergen α-NAC. J Invest Dermatol. 2014; 134: 1570-8.
Hradetzky S, Balaji H, Roesner LM, Heratizadeh A, Mittermann I, Valenta R, Werfel T. The human skin- associated autoantigen α-NAC activates monocytes and dendritic cells via TLR-2 and primes an IL-12- dependent Th1 response. J Invest Dermatol. 2013; 133: 2289-92.
Balaji H, Heratizadeh A, Wichmann K, Niebuhr M, Crameri R, Scheynius A, Werfel T. Malassezia sympodialis thioredoxin-specific T cells are highly cross-reactive to human thioredoxin in atopic dermatitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011; 128: 992-3.
Niebuhr M, Scharonow H, Gathmann M, Mamerow D, Werfel T. Staphylococcal exotoxins are strong inducers of IL-22: A potential role in atopic dermatitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010; 126: 1176-83.
