Projects
The CRC/TRR 205 comprises a total of 21 projects: 17 scientific projects and four service projects, which are led by 45 project leaders from the Technische Universität Dresden (TUD), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU), Technische Universität München (TUM) and the Helmholtz Zentrum München (HMGU).
The projects of the CRC/TRR 205 are divided into two research areas A and B. Both research areas involve investigations of pathological conditions characterised by abnormal proliferation or survival of cells arising from either the adrenal medulla or cortex.
Research Area A, “Adrenal and systemic disease” focuses on cellular interactions within the adrenal microenvironment and the bidirectional crosstalk between adrenals and major systemic functions in the context of systemic diseases, such as obesity and inflammation. This research area centres it’s attention on mechanisms regulating adrenal plasticity and regeneration.
Research Area B, “Adrenal-related tumours” focuses on adrenal tumours and in particular their pathogenesis, paving the way for the development of an improved approach for diagnosis and therapy.
The knowledge gained from each research area will provide insights into the other, leading to a new detailed overall knowledge of the adrenal.
| Project | Project title | Project leaders |
| A | Adrenal and Systems Disease | |
| A01 | Regulated Cell Death in Adrenal Inflammation and Septic Shock | Prof Dr Stefan R. Bornstein Prof Dr Andreas Linkermann Dr Waldemar Kanczkowski |
| A02 | The impact of hypoxia pathway proteins on the adrenergic response in the adrenal gland and beyond | Prof Ben Wielockx, PhD Prof Dr Ali El-Armouche |
| A04 | In vitro and in vivo models of novel therapeutic approaches in congenital adrenal hyperplasia | Prof Dr Nicole Reisch Prof Dr Angela Hübner PD Dr Katrin Köhler |
| A05 | Biological treatment of adrenal insufficiency by encapsulated xenogeneic adrenal cells | Prof Dr Barbara Ludwig Prof Dr Stefan R. Bornstein |
| A06 | Adrenal stem cells under homeostatic and stress conditions | Charlotte Steenblock, PhD Cynthia L. Andoniadou, PhD Dr Andreas Schedl |
| A07 | The regulation of adrenal gland function and peripheral glucocorticoid signalling by Th2 immunity | Dr Vasileia Ismini Alexaki, PhD |
| A08 | Adrenal gland - crossroads of stress response - epigenetic, transcriptional, and metabolic analyses | Dr Anna Riester PD Dr Silviu Sbiera |
| A09 | Sexual dimorphism of adrenal hormone action in metabolic tissues | Prof Dr Henriette Uhlenhaut Prof Dr Stephan Herzig |
| B | Adrenal-related Tumours | |
| B11 | The molecular pathology of PPGLs and genetically-driven molecular-targeted therapies: Towards precision medicine |
Prof Natalia Pellegata, PhD Prof Dr Svenja Nölting Dr Hermine Mohr |
| B12 | HIF-MYC/MAX pathway in neural-crest derived catecholamine producing (NCCP) tumours: Identification of a metabolic fingerprint related to tumor aggressiveness | PD Dr Christina Pamporaki PD Dr Nicole Bechmann |
| B13 | Novel radiopharmaceuticals for molecular imaging and therapy of adrenocortical tumors | Prof Dr Stefanie Hahner PD Dr Andreas Schirbel |
| B14 | Genetic and environmental contributors to vascular function in primary aldosteronism | Prof Dr Felix Beuschlein Prof Dr Thomas Gudermann Dr Holger Schneider |
| B15 | Pathophysiology and advanced approaches for subtyping in primary aldosteronism | Prof Graeme Eisenhofer, PhD Tracy Ann Williams, PhD |
| B16 | Steroid hormones and cancer immunity – learning from adrenocortical carcinoma |
Prof Dr Martin Fassnacht |
| B17 | Signalling network aberrations in corticotroph tumorigenesis and hypercortisolism | Prof Dr Marily Theodoropoulou Prof Dr Martin Reincke |
| B19 | The physiology and pathophysiology of aldosterone production in the pig | Prof Dr Eckhard Wolf PD Dr Elisabeth Kemter Dr Tracy Ann Williams, PhD |
| B20 | Targeting ferroptosis in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC): from basic mechanisms to novel treatments | Prof José Pedro Friedmann-Angeli, PhD Dr. Hamed Alborzinia Jun.-Prof. Dr. Carmina Teresa Fuß |
| S | Service Projects | |
| S01 | Analytical platform | Dr Mirko Peitzsch Prof Dr Axel Walch Dr Max Kurlbaum Dr Martin Bidlingmaier |
| S02 | Clinical studies and biobanks |
Prof Dr Martin Reincke |
| Specific Programme Modules | ||
| INF01 | Infrastructure for adrenal | Dr Ralph Müller-Pfefferkorn Prof Dr Nicole Reisch Prof Dr Martin Fassnacht |
| Z | Central Project | |
| Z01 | Central administration | Prof Dr Stefan R. Bornstein |