Research interest
My research interest comprises the influence of plant-derived natural compounds (NC’s) on inflammation, inflammation resolution, and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) activation.
Plants and plant-derived preparations are being used all over the world for thousands of years as highly effective remedies. Yet during the chemical revolution of the last century our focus shifted towards single molecule API’s that show high efficacy but are also associated with severe side-effects. Along with our growing consciousness regarding our role and potential within the world around us, plants are regaining more and more popularity not only as remedies with little to no side-effects but also as powerful tools in the prevention and treatment of a plethora of medical conditions.
With inflammation being a crucial aspect of the majority of diseases in the industrialized world, I believe that plants and plant-derived NC’s are among our best options to resolve inflammation and reestablish homeostasis in a mild, well-tolerable and long-lasting manner - a believe that is supported by an ever growing body of scientific evidence.
After my PhD - where I focussed on the influence of plant NC’s on the innate immune system in the context of inflammation, a post-doc time in the field of instrumental analytics, and some industrial experience, where I investigated the applicability of Cannabinoids and Terpenes as NC’s for various clinical indications - I started at the SBI in Rostock in order to deepen my understanding in Systems Biology and Bioinformatics. Together with our industrial partner I am currently working on the generation of a Molecular Interaction Map (MIM) in the context of inflammation-resolution and the influence of herbal preparations on the proteins involved.