Immunology
Team TAP
New Strategies to Target Autoreactive Plasma Cells
B cells play a central role in the onset and progression of numerous autoimmune diseases. Upon aberrant activation, they can differentiate into plasma cells that generate antibodies targeting self-antigens, contributing to the pathogenesis of these conditions. Autoantibodies are instrumental in causing tissue damage and sustaining chronic inflammation, making plasma cells prime candidates for therapeutic intervention. However, the development of targeted therapies is impeded by the absence of specific biomarkers for autoreactive plasma cells.
The main focus of team TAP is to investigate the deep biology of autoreactive B cells and uncover the mechanisms behind the development and persistence of plasma cells and pathogenic antibodies. By employing a combination of state-of-the-art single-cell transcriptomic profiling and high-throughput antibody analysis, we aim to identify new biomarkers of B cell autoreactivity. Our team’s ultimate goal is to define novel therapeutic strategies specifically targeting autoreactive plasma cells, thus advancing the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of autoimmune diseases.
Mentors
- Dr. Jeanne Allinne (Industry Mentor)
Head of Immuno-Inflammation Research, Servier, Paris, France - Dr. Julien Verdier (Industry Mentor)
Disease Biology Expert in Immuno-inflammation, Servier, Paris, France
Team Location BioMed X Institute Heidelberg
The research of this team is kindly supported by Servier.
Our Team Members
Dr. Eleonora Melzi
Group Leader
Short Bio
- 2017 – 2023: Research Fellow at Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT & Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; EMBO long-term fellow, defining B cell activation strategies in response to novel HIV vaccines.
- 2012 – 2017: PhD in Infection and Immunity at MRC University of Glasgow, Centre for Virus Research, UK, working on the identification of a B cell immunosuppressive mechanism induced by arbovirus infection.
- 2011 – 2012: Research Assistant, Moredun Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK, investigating the etiopathogenesis of bovine neonatal pancytopenia.
- 2009: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
Dr. Angela Aringo
Postdoctoral Researcher
Short Bio
- 2019 – 2024: PhD in Immunology, “Infection Biology and Dynamics of Host-Pathogen Interaction (DEWIN)” at Hannover Medical School, Germany
- 2017 – 2019: ERASMUS+ Master’s degree in Leading International Vaccinology Education (LIVE) from University of Barcelona, Autonomous University of Barcelona (Spain), University of Antwerp (Belgium), University of Lyon, and University of Saint-Étienne (France)
- 2015 – 2017: Research Assistant at the Gates Vaccine Project at Msambweni County Referral Hospital, Kwale, Kenya
- 2011 – 2014: Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Nairobi, Kenya
Dr. Rajeev Pasupuleti
Postdoctoral Researcher
Short Bio
- 2023 – 2024: Postdoctoral fellow at the Bioengineering Department, IQS School of Engineering, Ramon Llull University, Spain
- 2019 – 2023: MSCA Early Stage Researcher (synBIOcarb consortium), PhD student at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Austria
- 2017 – 2019: Research Engineer at the Protein Technology division, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
- 2015 – 2017: Master of Science in Biotechnological Engineering, IPB, Portugal
Bastian Schiweck
Research Assistant
Fatemeh Amir Hashchi
Research Assistant
Short Bio
- 2022 – 2024: Master Practicum – Research Group Microbial Immunology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (HKI), Jena, Germany
- 2020 – 2024: Master of Science in Molecular Life Sciences, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany
- 2015 – 2019: Master of Science in Medical Virology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- 2010 – 2014: Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology (Specialization in Microbiology), Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran
Ayşegül Durgun
Master's Student
Short Bio
- 2023 – present: Master’s student in Molecular Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- 2022 – 2023: Research Assistant, Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koç University, İstanbul, Turkey
- 2017 – 2022: Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Genetics (High Honors), Boğaziçi University, İstanbul, Turkey