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Group leader: Cross-system translational Neuroimmunology

Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Ruck
Department of Neurology
Heinrich-Heine-University
Moorenstrasse 5
40225 Düsseldorf


Research Interest

The goal of my research group is to identify similarities and differences in the pathophysiological mechanisms of diseases affecting the central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS), transfer insights, and assess their potential significance for new therapeutic concepts (cross-system and disease-spanning translation).

To achieve this, our research approach combines animal models with well-defined clinical cohorts, conducting multidimensional accompanying analyses at the molecular, cellular, and systemic levels (e.g., FACS, histology, transcriptomics, and proteomics). In addition to transferring knowledge from model systems to human conditions (forward translation), pathomechanisms identified in the human system are simulated in animal models (backward translation). By combining both approaches, we aim to drive the development of new diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic markers (bidirectional translation).

Main Research Interests
  • Ion channel-mediated regulation of immune cell functions, neuronal and skeletal muscle damage
  • Regulation of immune cell migration into the central and peripheral nervous system
  • Therapeutic translation of immunophysiological concepts
  • Therapeutically relevant immune signatures instructing personalized medicine
Selected Publications

  1. K2P2.1 is a regulator of inflammatory cell responses in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Nelke C, Müntefering T, Cengiz D, Schroeter CB, Block H, Preuße C, Michels APE, Dobelmann V, Lichtenberg S, Pawlitzki M, Pfeuffer S, Huntemann N, Zarbock A, Briese T, Kittl C, Dittmayer C, Budde T, Lundberg IE, Stenzel W, Meuth SG, Ruck T. J Autoimmun. 2023 Nov 5:142:103136. doi: 10.1016/j.jaut.2023.103136. Online ahead of print. PubMed

  2. Senescent fibro-adipogenic progenitors are potential drivers of pathology in inclusion body myositis. Nelke C, Schroeter CB, Theissen L, Preusse C, Pawlitzki M, Räuber S, Dobelmann V, Cengiz D, Kleefeld F, Roos A, Schoser B, Brunn A, Neuen-Jacob E, Zschüntzsch J, Meuth SG, Stenzel W, Ruck T. Acta Neuropathol. 2023 Nov;146(5):725-745. doi: 10.1007/s00401-023-02637-2. Epub 2023 Sep 29. PubMed

  3. Thinking outside the box: non-canonical targets in multiple sclerosis. Bierhansl L, Hartung HP, Aktas O, Ruck T, Roden M, Meuth SG. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2022 Aug;21(8):578-600. doi: 10.1038/s41573-022-00477-5. Epub 2022 Jun 6. PubMed

  4. Skeletal muscle provides the immunological micro-milieu for specific plasma cells in anti-synthetase syndrome-associated myositis. Preuße C, Paesler B, Nelke C, Cengiz D, Müntefering T, Roos A, Amelin D, Allenbach Y, Uruha A, Dittmayer C, Hentschel A, Pawlitzki M, Hoffmann S, Timm S, Louis SL, Dengler NF, Wiendl H, Lünemann JD, Sickmann A, Hervier B, Meuth SG, Schneider U, Schänzer A, Krause S, Tomaras S, Feist E, Hasseli R, Goebel HH, Gallay L, Streichenberger N, Benveniste O, Stenzel W, Ruck T. Acta Neuropathol. 2022 Aug;144(2):353-372. doi: 10.1007/s00401-022-02438-z. Epub 2022 May 25. PubMed

  5. Alemtuzumab-induced immune phenotype and repertoire changes: implications for secondary autoimmunity. Ruck T, Barman S, Schulte-Mecklenbeck A, Pfeuffer S, Steffen F, Nelke C, Schroeter CB, Willison A, Heming M, Müntefering T, Melzer N, Krämer J, Lindner M, Riepenhausen M, Gross CC, Klotz L, Bittner S, Muraro PA, Schneider-Hohendorf T, Schwab N, Meyer Zu Hörste G, Goebels N, Meuth SG, Wiendl H. Brain. 2022 Jun 3;145(5):1711-1725. doi: 10.1093/brain/awac064. PubMed

  6. Eculizumab versus rituximab in generalised myasthenia gravis. Nelke C, Schroeter CB, Stascheit F, Pawlitzki M, Regner-Nelke L, Huntemann N, Arat E, Öztürk M, Melzer N, Mergenthaler P, Gassa A, Stetefeld H, Schroeter M, Berger B, Totzeck A, Hagenacker T, Schreiber S, Vielhaber S, Hartung HP, Meisel A, Wiendl H, Meuth SG, Ruck T. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2022 May;93(5):548-554. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2021-328665. Epub 2022 Mar 4. PubMed  

  7. K2P18.1 translates T cell receptor signals into thymic regulatory T cell development. Ruck T, Bock S, Pfeuffer S, Schroeter CB, Cengiz D, Marciniak P, Lindner M, Herrmann A, Liebmann M, Kovac S, Gola L, Rolfes L, Pawlitzki M, Opel N, Hahn T, Dannlowski U, Pap T, Luessi F, Schreiber JA, Wünsch B, Kuhlmann T, Seebohm G, Tackenberg B, Seja P, Döring F, Wischmeyer E, Chasan AI, Roth J, Klotz L, Meyer Zu Hörste G, Wiendl H, Marschall T, Floess S, Huehn J, Budde T, Bopp T, Bittner S, Meuth SG. Cell Res. 2022 Jan;32(1):72-88. doi: 10.1038/s41422-021-00580-z. Epub 2021 Oct 26. PubMed

  8. β1-Integrin- and KV1.3 channel-dependent signaling stimulates glutamate release from Th17 cells. Birkner K, Wasser B, Ruck T, Thalman C, Luchtman D, Pape K, Schmaul S, Bitar L, Krämer-Albers EM, Stroh A, Meuth SG, Zipp F, Bittner S. 2020 Feb 3;130(2):715-732. doi: 10.1172/JCI126381. PubMed

  9. Blood coagulation factor XII drives adaptive immunity during neuroinflammation via CD87-mediated modulation of dendritic cells. Göbel K, Pankratz S, Asaridou CM, Herrmann AM, Bittner S, Merker M, Ruck T, Glumm S, Langhauser F, Kraft P, Krug TF, Breuer J, Herold M, Gross CC, Beckmann D, Korb-Pap A, Schuhmann MK, Kuerten S, Mitroulis I, Ruppert C, Nolte MW, Panousis C, Klotz L, Kehrel B, Korn T, Langer HF, Pap T, Nieswandt B, Wiendl H, Chavakis T, Kleinschnitz C, Meuth SG. Nat Commun. 2016 May 18:7:11626. doi: 10.1038/ncomms11626. PubMed

  10. Endothelial TWIK-related potassium channel-1 (TREK1) regulates immune-cell trafficking into the CNS. Bittner S, Ruck T, Schuhmann MK, Herrmann AM, Moha ou Maati H, Bobak N, Göbel K, Langhauser F, Stegner D, Ehling P, Borsotto M, Pape HC, Nieswandt B, Kleinschnitz C, Heurteaux C, Galla HJ, Budde T, Wiendl H, Meuth SG. Nat Med. 2013 Sep;19(9):1161-5. doi: 10.1038/nm.3303. Epub 2013 Aug 11. PubMed

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