One by One – Insights into Complex Immune Responses through Functional Single-cell Analysis

Abstract

Immune responses are highly dynamic and complex. The successful completion thereof involves and needs many different cells from the immune system, and requires their specific interactions and functions. Individual cells are the functional units within any immune response, and their varying frequencies and degrees of activity shape and define the response. The state, activation and ultimately functionality of immune cells displays high dynamic heterogeneity. Hence, there is a need for quantitative high-throughput systems that allow for a dynamic and functional single-cell phenotyping, linking function to the individual cells. In this regard, my research group focuses on developing and applying technologies and analytical strategies that allow us to measure, describe and exploit functionality within the immune system, resolved down to the individual, primary cell, to study novel and unique research questions. While doing ex vivo measurements, we are aiming to understand the functionalities of the extracted cells in vivo , within the context of our applied disturbance – vaccination, infection or malignant transformation.