Isabell Kopka

Personal Data:
Country of Origin: Germany
Start of PhD: February 2010
Institution: UKJ

PhD Project:
Complement regulation in kidney cells

Supervisor(s): G. Wolf (UKJ), P.F. Zipfel (HKI)

Abstract:
The complement system forms the first defence line of the innate immunity and also affects the adaptive immune response. However, the complement system is involved in several aspects of renal disease, including primary renal diseases, dialysis and renal transplant rejection. The involvement of complement in renal disease was derived either from changes in complement levels in the circulation during disease or from the presence of complement components in tissues. My project focuses on the role of complement components and complement regulators expressed by kidney cells, their modification during necrosis, apoptosis of renal cells and regeneration and their influence of renal diseases like the hemolytic-uremic syndrome.