One of the fundamental characteristics of a functional immune system is to recognize and attack a large variety of foreign invading pathogens, without causing damage to the host. Therefore, the ability of the immune system to distinguish between self and non-self has to be properly developed and also kept in control during the lifespan of an individual. This is a complex regulatory process that is dependent on the interactions of different cells of the immune system in different microenvironments. The deregulation of this basic process has dramatic consequences for a human being and may lead to autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis or diabetes. Within this SFB we propose to investigate the molecular and cellular basis of establishment and maintenance of immune cell tolerance. This will provide a better insight into the fundamental basis of self versus non-self discrimination by the immune system, and may in the long-term range also provide the foundation for the development of therapeutic strategies for transplantation medicine and for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The ambitious aims of our project will be achieved by exploiting the synergies, expertise and technological resources of our interdisciplinary and multi-institutional (Medical University Vienna, IMBA and IMP) Vienna-based consortium formed by eight research groups that are committed to establish an internationally recognized research focus within the next 10 years.

Participating research groups (members) of the SFB are: Wilfried Ellmeier, Dieter Maurer, Maria Sibilia, Johannes Stöckl, Herbert Strobl and Thomas Wekerle (all from the Medical University of Vienna); Josef Penninger (IMBA); Ludger Klein (IMP).
In addition, we have one associated group: Clemens Scheinecker (Medical University of Vienna)