Translational Neuroimmunology

Oertel Lab

Translational Neuroimmunology

Profile

We are a translational neuroimmunology lab at the Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC) of the Max Delbrück Center and Charité Berlin. Combining animal models and clinical studies, we investigate neuroinflammatory disorders with emphasis on neuroprotection, imaging, and the visual system.

Neurodegeneration is the leading cause of functional decline in neuroinflammatory disorders. Initiated by neuroinflammation and/or demyelination, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neuroinflammatory disorders such as neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) undergo non-reversible neurodegeneration leading to major disability accrual. Although neuroinflammation and demyelination are targeted by existing or upcoming treatments, neurodegeneration can currently not be prevented or reversed. The goal of our lab is to identify characteristics of 1) neuronal vulnerability and of 2) innate immune cell activation that amplify neurodegeneration and can be therapeutically targeted. Our lab also contributes to 3) developing imaging markers for neurodegeneration in clinical trials.

The visual system offers a well-defined environment for these investigations due to various available innovative translational methods, a robust separation from nearby structures and clear structure-function-correlations. In our lab, we are combining advanced methods of preclinical (innovative mouse models, in vivo imaging, single-cell RNA sequencing) and clinical research (retinal imaging, artificial intelligence-based post-processing) in a unique translational approach to understand how we can reduce neurodegeneration and enhance neuroprotection in neuroinflammatory disorders.

 

Header image generated by DALL·E

Team

 

Optometrists

 

Charlotte Bereuter, BSc

Optometrist

 

 

Carla Leutloff, MSc

Optometrist

 

 

Lukas Reeß, MSc

Optometrist

PhD Student

Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany

 

Lab Manager

 

Kimberley Drousch

Lab Manager & Technical Assistance

 

 

Mariam Salim, BSc

Lab Manager & Technical Assistance

 

 

 

Doctoral Students

José Luis Peralta Uribe, MD

PhD Student, PhD Program Medical Neurosciences

Fellow, German National Academic Foundation

Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany

 

 

Hadi Salih, MSc

PhD Student

Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany

 

 

Gilberto Solorza Buenrostro, MD MSc

PhD Student, PhD Program Medical Neurosciences

Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany

 

Yihan Wang, MSc

PhD Student, PhD Program Medical Neurosciences

Fellow, Dongcheng Donghua Hospital Scholarship Program

Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany

 

 

Murat Delikaya, MD

Dr. med. Student

Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany

 

 

Lidia Kilinska, MD, Ophthalmologist

Dr. med. Student

Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany

 

 

​​​​​Bianca Knaack

Dr. med. Student

Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany

 

 

Annabelle Löffler

Dr. med. Student

together with: University of California, San Francisco

 

Luca Magdalena Manthey

Dr. med. Student

Fellow, Hertie medMS Scholarship Program

Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Deutschland

 

Henriette Reinsberg

Dr. med. Student

Fellow, PROMOS Scholarship Program (DAAD)

together with: University of California, San Francisco

Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Germany

 

 

Guest Scientists

 

Roua Hamdi, MSc

University of Tunis Manar, Tunis, Tunisia

 

 

Master Students

 

Lisa Shah, BSc 

Master's Program in Molecular Medicine

Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany

 

 

Research Assistants 

 

Sarah Brückner, BSc

Master's Program in Optometry

BHT Berlin, Germany

 

​​​​​

Clara Schulle

Medical Student

Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany

 

 

Alumni - Graduates

Hendrik Schulz, MSc (Master Thesis, Master's Program in Optometry, BHT Berlin, Germany)

Johanna Reckzeh, BSc (Bachelor Thesis, Bachelor's Program in Optometry, BHT Berlin, Germany)

 

Alumni - Visiting Researchers

Olumayowa Olawumi Igado, DVM, Ph.D. (Visiting Scientist & Postdoctoral Fellow, DFG-TWAS Program, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria)

Emilio López Varela, MSc (Visiting Researcher and PhD student, CITIC Research Center, Universidade da Coruña, Spain)

 

Alumni - Lab Rotations

Julianna M Forbess, BSc (Lab Rotation, Master's Program in Medical Neurosciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany)

Pratishta P Wadnerkar, BSc (Lab Rotation, Master's Program in Medical Neurosciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany)

Elisa Nowak, Medical Student (Internship, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany)

Zeynep Aydinalp, Medical Student (Lab Rotation, University Bahcesehir Istanbul, Republic of Türkiye)

Eugénie Rahier, BSc (Lab Rotation, Master's Program in Neuroscience, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France)

Juliette C Pesch, BSc (Lab Rotation, Master's Program in Molecular Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany)

Laura K Ismajli, BSc (Lab Rotation, Master's Program in Medical Neurosciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany)

Gelsomina N Kaufhold, BSc (Lab Rotation, Master's Program in Molecular Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany)

 

 

 

 

Publications

Join us

Are you a bachelor or master student looking for an internship or thesis project? Are you planning to pursue a dissertation (PhD, MD/PhD, Dr. med.) or a postdoctoral fellowship? Whether you come from a clinical, computational or biology/neuroscience background: If you are interested in implementing translational projects, please contact us by email to discuss ideas.

Frederike Oertel
Prof. Dr. Frederike C Oertel, MD/PhD
Contact
Max Delbrück Center
Robert-Rössle-Straße 10
13125 Berlin, Deutschland