Silke Meiners
Protein recycling and immune function
"In my research I concentrate on a specific protein complex in cells – the proteasome. It breaks proteins down into small parts that are then used to produce new protein molecules. The proteasome is a central element of the natural recycling of proteins in the cell. In immune cells the immunoproteasome is an important lever that controls the immune response to infection and inflammation. A change in the function of the immunoproteasome can contribute to acute and chronic diseases. In my working group at the Research Center Borstel we are examining how these protein complexes are controlled in autoimmune diseases, infections and chronic lung diseases. Specific inhibitors can prevent excessive activation of the immunoproteasome and represent a new approach for the treatment of these diseases."
Silke Meiners, 53 years old, born in Hamburg. Since September 2021: Leibniz professor of immunoproteasome research at Kiel University and the Research Center Borstel – Leibniz Lung Center. Previously adjunct professor at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich). 1997: Doctoral degree at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 2008: Habilitation (postdoctoral lecture qualification) at the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
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