New approaches to research into systemic sclerosis
A research team at TWINCORE was able to establish that TLR8 influences the formation of disease-relevant cytokines.
Christine Ehlers receives PhD Prize of the Gesellschaft der Freunde der MHH
The 23rd doctoral thesis to receive an award at TWINCORE
Former TWINCORE PhD student Christine Ehlers was awarded PhD Prize of the Gesellschaft der Freunde der MHH (Society of Friends of the MHH) for her thesis entitled “The role of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases”. She received the award during the MHH’s graduation ceremony on 8 May 2026.
From February 2022 to September 2025, Christine Ehlers conducted research into the role of myeloid cells in inflammatory skin diseases as part of the “Translational Immunology” Clinical Junior Research Group led by Dr Dr Theresa Graalmann. The role of this group of cells from the innate immune system in systemic and local inflammatory reactions was previously unknown. The new findings are intended to enable more precise treatment of inflammatory skin diseases in the future.
During her PhD, Christine Ehlers was the first author of two scientific publications in international journals. Since early 2026, she has been a postdoctoral researcher and coordinator of a DFG Research Training Group at Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel.
Press releases for Christine Ehlers' publications
People involved
Alumni
Christine Ehlers
PhD Student
Publications
2025Rheumatology (oxford, England) : keaf198
T cells of patients with systemic sclerosis or Sjögren's disease display an aberrant metabolic state and memory phenotype in blood and lungs
Ehlers C, Biermann H, Thiele T, Schupp J, Villa M, Jänke C, Risser L, Witte T, Kalinke U, Seeliger B, Graalmann T
2025Arthritis & Rheumatology (hoboken, N.j.)77 (1) : 59-66
Toll-Like Receptor 8 is Expressed in Monocytes in Contrast to Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells and Mediates Aberrant Interleukin-10 Responses in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis
Ehlers C, Thiele T, Biermann H, Traidl S, Bruns L, Ziegler A, Schefzyk M, Bartsch L, Kalinke U, Witte T, Graalmann T
