Education: Diploma in Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Plant Physiology and Biochemical Engineering, 2005

Dissertation in Cell Biology,  RWTH Aachen University, 2009

W1 Professor Molecular Pharmacology, Saarland University, 2018

Research: Inflammatory processes are driven and controlled by several endogenous mediators that undergo proteolytic conversion from surface-expressed proteins to soluble variants. This process called shedding is one major function of ‘a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM)’ family members (figure 1). These mediators include cytokines and their receptors, growth factors, proteogylcans as well as junction and adhesion molecules. Rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, lung inflammation, psoriasis, cancer development/metastasis formation, and Alzheimer’s disease are only a few examples of diseases involving the action of ADAM proteases. However, ADAM proteases are not only implicated in pathology but also contribute to developmental and regenerative processes. Thus, ADAMs can be regarded as valuable drug targets, but the danger of severe side effects, e.g. upon systemic treatment, is obvious.