Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Neutrophil Activation in a Pathophysiological Context

A research internship investigating Syk-mediated signalling and the dynamics of neutrophil activation using live-cell techniques. The official LMU Munich Faculty of Medicine research-module catalogue describes this project as studying the spatial and temporal dynamics of neutrophil activation in a (patho-)physiological context: human neutrophils play an important role in host defense and inflammation; adhesion molecules of the β2 integrin (CD11/CD18) family are critically involved in neutrophil recruitment and activation during inflammation, and ligand binding activates the non-receptor tyrosine kinase Syk, which plays an important role for neutrophil activation in inflammatory settings. The group focuses on Syk-mediated signalling events required for leukocyte activation at the molecular level using techniques including real-time analysis of live cells, integrating molecular, cellular and animal studies to identify new molecular targets for therapy. The catalogue lists 2-3 internship places under Principal Investigator Daniela Maier-Begandt.