RINAI program:

2024 – 2027

Clinic:

St. Josef Hospital Bochum, Klinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie

Director:

Prof. Dr. med. Eggert Stockfleth

Project: Clinical-translational investigation of the role of metainflammation and metabolism in acne inversa/hidradenitis suppurativa

Biosketch:

Dr. med. Nessr Abu Rached is a dermatology resident and clinical lecturer at the St. Josef Hospital Bochum, RUB. He earned his medical degree in 2020 and completed his doctoral thesis on Mismatch Repair Protein expression in Merkel cell carcinoma (magna cum laude). In addition to his clinical role, he serves as coordinator of the Bochum Skin Cancer Center and is actively involved in teaching and academic dermatology. Dr. Abu Rached has been recognized with multiple national and international awards for his scientific work, and he is a member of several professional dermatological societies.

Project:

His current research focuses on Acne inversa, a chronic autoinflammatory skin disease. His project aims to characterize clinically relevant inflammatory subtypes based on immunological and metabolic markers to better understand the link between meta-inflammation, systemic disease, and treatment response. The program includes 5 working packages (WP). WP focusing on histopathological analyses of tissue samples is almost completed. WPs including immune cell phenotyping, soluble marker analyses, cell culture analyses, laboratory and clinical patient characterization are ongoing. This work is expected to contribute to improved stratification and individualized therapy in inflammatory dermatoses.

Third-party grant applications submitted:

1. Project "META-AI - Translational metabolomic analysis in patients with acne inversa/hidradenitis suppurativa, psoriasis vulgaris and a control group" was submitted to the EADV. This project is a cooperation with the Clinical Proteomics (Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum GmbH, Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Prof. Barbara Sitek). Approval pending
2. Project "Translational proteome analysis in patients with Acne inversa/Hidradenitis suppurativa" was submitted to the FORUM in 2025. Planned cooperation with Clinical Proteomics (Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum GmbH, Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie, Prof. Barbara Sitek). Approval rejected

Clinical mentor

Prof. Dr. med. Falk G. Bechara

St. Josef Hospital Bochum

Klinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie

Scientific mentor

Dr. rer. medic. Marina Skrygan

St. Josef Hospital Bochum

Klinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie

Dr. med. Sebastian Bertram

RINAI program:

2023 – 2026

Clinic:

Marien Hospital Herne, Medizinische Klinik I

Director:

Prof. Dr. med. Timm H. Westhoff

Assessment of calcification properties of blood soluble markers for the prediction of cardio-vascular events and atherosclerosis progression

Biosketch:

Dr. med. Sebastian Bertram is a board-certified internist and attending physician at the Department of Nephrology, Gastroenterology, and Pulmonology at Marien Hospital Herne, a university hospital of Ruhr University Bochum. He is currently resident in pneumology. He earned his doctorate with an experimental, publication-based thesis on neuronal regeneration. Since his entrance in the CSP, he has advanced into a leading clinical role with ongoing involvement in translational cardiovascular research.

Project:

His current project focuses on vascular calcification as a predictive and mechanistic factor in atherosclerosis. Using a newly developed cell-based assay (CEPTA) with cultured human smooth muscle cells (SMC), the study investigates patient-specific sera and immune profiles to identify calcification-inducing factors. The approach integrates clinical data and serum samples from a well-characterized biobank (OsteoSys cohort, N=800) to correlate in vitro calcification potential with cardiovascular events. This work aims to establish SMC calcification as a biomarker for early detection and progression of atherosclerosis and to explore novel personalized therapeutic strategies.

Third-party grant applications submitted:

1. 02/2025 Drittmittelförderung "Analysis of vascular inflammation under PCSK9 inhibitor therapy and further lipid-lowering therapy using lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2". Submitted in cooperation with CS fellow Seidel M. Approval pending.

Clinical mentor

Prof. Dr. Timm H. Westhoff

Medical Dept. I

University Hospital Marien Hospital Herne

RUB

Scientific mentor

Prof. Dr. med. Nina Babel

Center for Translational Medicine

Marien Hospital Herne

RUB

Dr. med. Ulaş Ceylan

RINAI program:

2023 – 2026

Clinic:

Klinik für Neurologie, St. Josef Hospital in Bochum, Universitätsklinikum der Ruhr Universität Bochum

Director:

Prof. Dr. Ralf Gold

Immunological changes in early multiple sclerosis as drivers of progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA)

Biosketch:

Dr. med. Ulaş Ceylan is a physician in training in neurology at the St. Josef Hospital, RUB. He studied medicine in Bochum and has been actively engaged in neuroimmunological research since 2017. His doctoral work, conducted under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Simon Faissner, focused on microglial modulation in multiple sclerosis (MS) and was published in Frontiers in Immunology. He is a recipient of several research awards, including the Young Science Best Medical Paper Award and the FoRUM Research Prize.

Project:

His current research explores progression-independent disease mechanisms in multiple sclerosis, particularly the role of Eomesodermin-positive cytotoxic T cells as potential biomarker for early neurodegenerative processes (PIRA: Progression Independent of Relapse Activity). The project aims to better understand the immune-related progression of MS especially in its progressive forms by identifying and validating immune and glial biomarkers. The program includes two phases – patient recruitment and sample analysis. 

Taken together, the study findings may contribute to risk stratification and early therapeutic intervention in MS, even during radiologically or clinically isolated stages.

Clinical mentor

Prof. Dr. Simon Faissner

Katholisches Klinikum Bochum gGmbH

Neurologische Universitätsklinik

Scientific mentor

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Ingo Schmitz

Molekulare Immunologie

Medizinische Fakultät

Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Dr. med. Marco Kramer

RINAI program:

2023 – 2026

Clinic:

LWL-Universitätsklinikum Bochum, Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Präventivmedizin

Director:

Prof. Dr. Georg Juckel

The Role of Psychosocial Stress in the Autoimmune Pathogenesis of Psychotic Disorders

Biosketch:

Dr. med. Marco Kramer, B.A. is a resident in psychiatry at the LWL University Hospital RUB. He completed his medical studies in Bochum and Bonn with distinction (very good) and initially trained in neurology before transitioning to psychiatry. He holds a doctorate in medicine based on experimental neuroscientific work within the DFG-funded CRC 874, which he completed with magna cum laude. In addition, he earned a Bachelor's degree in philosophy (with distinction) and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in European Philosophy. Dr. Kramer is actively involved in medical teaching and peer review for scientific journals. His research interests lie at the interface of psychiatry, immunology, and neurobiology.

Project:

His current project investigates the role of psychosocial stress as a potential modulator of autoimmune processes in psychotic disorders. Specifically, the study focuses on the gut microbiome, stress-related immune markers, and peripheral immune cell profiles in patients with schizophrenia, aiming to identify immunologically relevant subgroups and potential new therapeutic targets.

Clinical mentor

Prof. Dr. Georg K Juckel

LWL-Universitätsklinikum Bochum

Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Präventivmedizin

Scientific mentor

Jun. -Prof. Dr. Nadja Freund

LWL-Universitätsklinikum Bochum

Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Präventivmedizin

Dr. med. Frederik Krause

RINAI program:

2025 – 2028 (start is ongoing)

Clinic:

Knappschaft Kliniken Universitätsklinikum Bochum, Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie

Director:

Prof. Dr. med. Michael Adamzik 

Metabolic sepsis phenotyping

Biosketch:

Dr. med. Frederik Krause is a resident in anesthesiology and intensive care at the University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus, RUB. He holds a B.Sc. in biochemistry and studied medicine in Kiel, where he conducted translational research in neuroimmunology and metabolomics.

Project:

His current project aims to identify metabolic phenotypes in sepsis through cell-based infection models and patient sample analysis. Using mass spectrometry, key pathways such as glycolysis and the TCA cycle are profiled in THP-1 macrophages after bacterial stimulation. In a second step, this method is applied to samples from the SepsisDataNet.NRW cohort to correlate metabolic patterns with clinical outcomes. The project seeks to define molecular fingerprints of sepsis subtypes and identify novel therapeutic targets, laying the groundwork for personalized immunotherapy in critically ill patients.

Clinical mentor

Prof. Dr. med. Michael Adamzik

Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie

Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum GmbH

Scientific mentor

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Barbara Sitek

Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie

Universitätsklinikum Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum GmbH

Dr. med. Karsten Krause

RINAI program:

2025 – 2028 (start is ongoing)

Clinic:

Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Berufsgenossenschaftliches Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil

Director:

Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Ruck

Inflammatory Mechanisms in Mitochondrial Myopathies

Biosketch:

Dr. med. Karsten Krause is a neurology resident at the BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, RUB. He completed his medical degree and doctoral studies at Ruhr University Bochum, where he focused on proteomic characterization of muscle fiber composition (grade: very good). His scientific interest lies in inflammatory and mitochondrial mechanisms of neuromuscular diseases.

Project:

In his current project, Dr. Krause investigates inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction in hereditary and autoimmune myopathies. Muscle biopsies from selected patients are analyzed using microscopy, mtDNA analysis, and Western blotting of key markers. In collaboration with the University of Cambridge, he is developing patient-derived organoid models for inclusion body myositis (IBM) and mitochondrial myopathies. These models will be used to study immune signaling pathways (e.g. cGAS/STING, JAK/STAT) and test therapeutic interventions. The project aims to uncover mechanisms of inflammation in muscle diseases and establish a translational model for personalized treatment development.

Clinical mentor

PD Dr. med. Felix Kleefeld

Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik

Berufsgenossenschaftliches Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil

Scientific mentor

Prof. Rita Horvath, MD, PhD

Department of Clinical Neurosciences

University of Cambridge

Dr. med. Lazaros Lazaridis

RINAI program:

2025 – 2028 (start is ongoing)

Clinic:

Knappschaft Kliniken Universitätsklinikum Bochum, Klinik für Neurologie

Director:

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Dr. rer. physiol. Corinna Seliger-Behme

Current practice of immunohistochemical determination of phosphorylated mTOR status in neuro-oncological centers in Germany

Biosketch:

Dr. med. Lazaros Lazaridis is a senior neurology fellow at the Knappschaft Kliniken, RUB, specializing in neuro-oncology and the treatment of primary brain tumors. He is a highly active clinical investigator, contributing to over 20 multicenter trials and publishing widely on glioma diagnostics and therapies. He earned his doctorate for a study on circulating tumor cells in renal cancer.

Project:

His current project focuses glioblastomas, which are the most common malignant primary brain tumors in adults and have a poor prognosis despite medical advances. Research focuses on the mTOR signaling pathway, with particular interest in the phosphorylation of mTORSer2448, which plays a key role in the effectiveness of treatments like Temsirolimus. However, immunohistochemical testing for mTOR phosphorylation varies widely and lacks standardization in Germany. This retrospective study aims to systematically collect and analyze glioblastoma tissue samples from different pathology institutes, focusing on harmonizing testing protocols and comparing evaluation methods across institutions.

Clinical mentor

PD Dr. med. Felix Kleefeld

Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik

Berufsgenossenschaftliches Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil

Scientific mentor

Prof. Rita Horvath, MD, PhD

Department of Clinical Neurosciences

University of Cambridge

Dr. med. Nathalie Maria Malewicz-Oeck, M.Sc.

RINAI program:

2024 – 2027

Clinic:

Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensiv- und Schmerzmedizin, Berufsgenossenschaftliches Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil Bochum

Director:

Prof. Dr. med. Peter K. Zahn

Biomarker of critical illness neuromyopathy after intensive care – development of early detection methods through integration of clinical, immunological, and muscular diagnostics

Biosketch:

Dr. med. Nathalie Maria Malewicz-Oeck, M.Sc is a board-certified anesthesiologist and critical care specialist at the BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, RUB. She holds additional qualifications in emergency medicine and has an extensive academic background, including a Master of Science in Clinical Research in cooperation with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a doctoral degree in pain research (magna cum laude). She completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at Yale University, supported by a DFG research scholarship, and currently co-leads the "Anesthesiological Pain Research Group." Dr. Malewicz-Oeck has a strong record in clinical research leadership, teaching, and academic service, including mentoring early-career researchers and participating in faculty governance.

Project:

Her research focuses on critical illness neuropathy and myopathy (CINM), a common but underdiagnosed complication in ICU survivors. She combines neuromuscular ultrasound, serum cytokine profiling, and muscle tissue analysis in a longitudinal, prospective study to identify early biomarkers of CINM.

The aim is to enable early diagnosis and targeted interventions, ultimately improving outcomes and reducing long-term disability in ICU patients.

Third-party grant applications submitted:

1. 10/2024 Förderung im Young Professional Programm Schmerz 2024, Reise- und Kongressstipendium. Application approved
2. 11/2024 Charlotte-Lehmann Drittmittelförderung zur Erforschung der Critical Illness. Application approved

Clinical mentor

Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Vorgerd

Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik

BG- Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil

Scientific mentor

PD Dr. Veronika Matschke

Institut für Anatomie

Abteilung für Cytologie, Medizinische Fakultät Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Dr. Iulia Roman

RINAI program:

2025 – 2028 (start is ongoing)

Clinic:

Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Marien Hospital Herne, Universitätsklinik der RUB

Director:

Prof. Dr. h.c. Dr. med. Xenofon Baraliakos

VISTA-mediated regulation of inflammation and its osteoimmunological effects in the pathogenesis of inflammatory rheumatic diseases

Biosketch:

Dr. Iulia Roman is a board-certified rheumatologist at the Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, RUB and currently enrolled in a Master’s program in Translational Medical Research at Heidelberg University. She studied medicine in Bucharest and has extensive clinical research experience in immunology, clinical trials, and biomarker discovery.

Project:

Her project investigates the role of VISTA, an immune checkpoint receptor, in regulating inflammatory and osteoimmunological processes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). While RA is marked by bone erosion via osteoclast activation, axSpA shows excessive bone formation driven by Wnt/BMP signaling. VISTA is hypothesized to act disease-specifically, influencing both inflammatory cytokine release and osteoclastogenesis. This project aims to define disease-specific VISTA functions and explore its therapeutic potential as a novel immunomodulatory target in autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Clinical mentor

Prof. Dr. med. Uta Kiltz

Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet

St. Elisabeth Gruppe GmbH

Scientific mentor

Dr. rer. nat. Christian Schütz

Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet

St. Elisabeth Gruppe GmbH

Dr. med. Maximilian Seidel

RINAI program:

2024 – 2027

Clinic:

Universitätsklinikum Marien Hospital Herne, Medizinische Klinik I

Director:

Prof. Dr. Timm H. Westhoff

Identification and characterization of cardiovascular effects of propionate

Biosketch:

Dr. med. Maximilian Seidel is a physician in training at the Marien Hospital Herne, RUB. He completed his medical studies in 2018 and earned his doctoral degree in 2019 with a thesis on the influence of uric acid-lowering therapy on intrarenal resistance after kidney transplantation. Since 2019, he has been working clinically with a focus on internal medicine and cardiovascular research. Upon and in case of successful CSP completion, an attending physician position to perform clinical research is planned by the clinic director (target position).

Project:

CS fellow´s scientific interest lies in the prevention and modulation of cardiovascular disease through novel mechanisms. In his current project, he investigates the cardiovascular effects of propionate, a short-chain fatty acid with known anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. The study combines immunophenotyping, cytokine profiling, and clinical measurements of endothelial function and arterial stiffness to assess propionate’s therapeutic potential. In addition, the project explores its impact on dysfunctional HDL and vascular calcification processes relevant to high-risk patients such as those with chronic kidney disease or diabetes. 

The overarching goal is to expand preventive strategies against cardiovascular diseases beyond the reduction of cholesterol and blood pressure.

Third-party grant applications submitted:

1. 02/2025 Drittmittelförderung "Analysis of vascular inflammation under PCSK9 inhibitor therapy and further lipid-lowering therapy using lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2". Submitted in cooperation with CS fellow Bertram S. Approval pending.

Clinical mentor

PD Dr. Felix Seibert

Medizinische Klinik I

Marien Hospital Herne

Universitätsklinikum der Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Scientific mentor

Dr. rer. nat. Ulrik Stervbo

Zentrum für translationale Medizin

Universitätsklinikum der Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Dr. med. Nicolina Südkamp

RINAI program:

2023 – 2026

Clinic:

Neurologische Universitäts- und Poliklinik, BG Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil Bochum GmbH, Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Director:

Prof. Dr. Tobias Ruck

Investigation of secondary inflammation in human and murine muscle biopsies of calpainopathy and the immune response to systemic AAVMYO-based gene replacement therapy in a calpainopathy animal model

Biosketch:

Dr. med. Nicolina Südkamp is a neurology resident at the University Department of Neurology, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, RUB. She graduated from medical school at RUB with distinction (grade: 1.3) and earned her doctoral degree with summa cum laude for experimental work on neural information processing in the healthy and diseased brain. Her research training was supported by an MD scholarship from the DFG Collaborative Research Centre 874 and the International Graduate School of Neuroscience. In 2022, she was awarded the Rotary Club Bochum-Heilweg University Prize for outstanding academic achievement.

Project:

Her current research focuses on calpainopathy (LGMD2NR1), the most common form of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. The project investigates secondary inflammatory components in both human muscle biopsies and a newly established mouse model of the disease. Additionally, the study evaluates immune responses to an AAVMYO-mediated CAPN3 gene therapy, aiming to assess safety and efficacy of this novel therapeutic approach. By exploring the interplay between inflammation and gene therapy, her work contributes to a better understanding of the disease mechanism and the development of targeted treatments for this currently untreatable neuromuscular disorder.

Third-party grant applications submitted:

Südkamp established a cooperation between the Neurology and the Institute for Molecular Immunology (Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Ingo Schmitz, Ruhr-Universität Bochum), which resulted in a successful project funding obtained at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Muskelkranke e.V. for the project "Immunphänotypisierung bei hereditären neuromuskulären Erkrankungen: Bedeutung als mögliche Biomarker in Diagnostik, Prognostik und Therapiemonitoring". Application approved.

Clinical mentor

Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Vorgerd

Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik

BG Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil Bochum gGmbH

Scientific mentor

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Ingo Schmitz

Molekulare Immunologie

Medizinische Fakultät

Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Dr. med. Andrea Witowski