My research group aims to understand the impact of the immune system on the pathogenesis of neurological diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases. Generating and utilizing murine disease models in order to study the contribution of specific immune molecules in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and investigating the detailed mechanism of Abeta-vaccination in AD are my major research foci.

One of my most significant scientific findings was the discovery on the importance of the immune molecules interleukin (IL)-12 and -23 in Alzheimer’s disease (AD): inhibition of the common subunit IL-12/23p40 leads to a significant improvement of AD pathology. Recent follow-up work clarified the mechanism and showed that IL-12, but not IL-23, is the decisive molecule here. We hope that our work will be the basis for a future clinical trial repurposing existing IL-12/23 inhibitor drugs in Alzheimer's patients. Furthermore, I have a long-standing interest in understanding the biology of microglial cells and their function in both the healthy and diseased brain. To support our translational efforts, we have been operating a BrainBank for several years to preserve the brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases after death, and to make them available for research.