News

Thu, 15/09/2022
Photo gallery: Inflammation & Imaging Symposium in the MIC building
Muenster. From September 12th to 14th scientists from Muenster University and their international guests discussed the latest developments in research on inflammation and the imaging of the immune system at the 2nd Inflammation & Imaging Symposium. The annual event is jointly organised by several research networks from Münster, among them the CRC/TRR 128 “Multiple Sclerosis”. […]...more
Tue, 28/06/2022
CRC Retreat in Münster
Muenster. After a long pause, more than 90 participants of the CRC joined in Muenster Factory Hotel to update on the latest developments. We heard the most recent on a selection of the CRC projects and there was also plenty of time for fruitful discussion and socializing in the evening....more
Mon, 23/05/2022
EU Research Council awards Lydia Sorokin Advanced Grant
Münster – The biochemist and Principal investigator of the CRC 128 Prof. Dr. Lydia Sorokin has received the coveted “Advanced Grant” awarded by the European Research Council (ERC). The funding of ca. 2.3 million euros enables the realisation of outstanding research projects. Lydia Sorokin heads the Institute for Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry at Muenster University. […]...more


Mon, 27/01/2020 | Featured Publication: Integrated single cell analysis of blood and cerebrospinal fluid leukocytes in multiple sclerosis

Münster. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protects the central nervous system (CNS) and analyzing CSF aids the diagnosis of CNS diseases, but our understanding of CSF leukocytes remains superficial. Here, using single cell transcriptomics, SFB researchers identify a specific border-associated composition and transcriptome of CSF leukocytes. In an article published in Nature Communications, they show that multiple sclerosis (MS) – an autoimmune disease of the CNS – increases transcriptional diversity in blood, but increases cell type diversity in CSF including a higher abundance of cytotoxic phenotype T helper cells. A new analytical approach, named cell set enrichment analysis (CSEA) identifies a cluster-independent increase of follicular T helper (TFH) cells potentially driving the known expansion of B lineage cells in the CSF in MS. In mice, TFH cells accordingly promote B cell infiltration into the CNS and the severity of MS animal models. Immune mechanisms in MS are thus highly compartmentalized and indicate ongoing local T/B cell interaction.

Schafflick D, Xu CA, Hartlehnert M, Cole M, Schulte-Mecklenbeck A, Lautwein T, Wolbert J, Heming M, Meuth SG, Kuhlmann T, Gross CC, Wiendl H, Yosef N, Meyer Zu Horste G . 2020. Integrated single cell analysis of blood and cerebrospinal fluid leukocytes in multiple sclerosis. Nat Commun 11(1):247.