Our motivation is to address fundamental biological questions of human immunology and translate them into innovative therapies. In this respect, the core interest of our laboratory lies in the discovery of new applications of antibodies and B cells to treat and prevent challenging human diseases.

The Sawitzki lab investigates the molecular mechanisms of immune cell activation and tolerance induction, in order to better understand why components of the immune response themselves become a trigger of destructive inflammatory reactions, like e.g. in the context of autoimmune diseases, rejection reactions after organ transplantation or COVID19…

Not only the DNA sequence – our genome – but also the 3D structure of our genome – the 'epi-genome' – is essential in determining the type and function of a cell. That's why the analysis of the epigenome facilitates deep insights into the developmental history of a cell and its current gene expression profile, but also allows deductions on its…