Assoc.Prof.Priv.-Doz.Dr. Romana Höftberger

Department(s): Institute of Neurology (Institute of Neurology)
Position: Assistant Professor
Location: Medical University of Vienna
Telephone: 004314040055040
E-Mail:
Further information: www.kin.at

Research Area:
Neuroimmunology

Research Interests:
Autoimmune Diseases

Principle Investigator(s):

• Höftberger, Romana (Head)
• Sachs, Gabriele

Interest Group(s):

• Epilepsy
• Neuroinflammation / Inflammatory Diseases of the Nervous System / Multiple Sclerosis
• The Neuromuscular System
• X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy

Grant(s):

• Biological markers in patients with anti-neuronal autoimmune encephalitis (Responsible)
• Biological markers in patients with visual impairment due to autoimmune retinopathy (Responsible)
• Spinal cord injury induced systemic maladaptive immune response and autoimmunity to CNS (Responsible)

Abstract:

Our research is at the intersection of neuropathology and neurobiology with main focus on characterizing autoimmune diseases targeting central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) proteins. This includes the description of neuropathology of autoimmune-mediated diseases, search for novel target antigens and associated syndromes, and development and improvement of diagnostic tests. Our research focuses on elucidating the mechanisms underlying immune-mediated tissue injury in demyelinating CNS diseases (MS, NMO, ADEM), anti-neuronal autoimmune encephalitis, PNS diseases (GBS, CIDP) and myasthenia gravis. Our findings impact multiple clinical and basic research disciplines, linking immunological processes with disease aspects in neurodegeneration, muscle diseases, and epilepsy.

Techniques:

Our techniques comprise immunohistochemistry on frozen and paraffin embedded material, immunofluorescence including double immunofluorescence labelling, confocal laser scanning microscopy, western blot, ELISA, immunoprecipitation, and cell culture including primary neuronal and glial cell cultures 

Selected Publications:

1. Höftberger R, Lassmann H (2017) Immune-mediated disorders. In: , Handbook of Clinical Neurology : 285-299
2. Gelpi E, Höftberger R, Graus F, Ling H, Holton J, Dawson T, Popovic M, Pretnar-Oblak J, Högl B, Schmutzhard E, Poewe W, Ricken G, Santamaria J, Dalmau J, Budka H, Revesz T, Kovacs G (2016) Neuropathological criteria of anti-IgLON5-related tauopathy Acta Neuropathol, 132 (4): 531-543
3. Höftberger R (2015) Neuroimmunology: An Expanding Frontier in Autoimmunity Front Immunol, 6
4. Titulaer M, Höftberger R, Iizuka T, Leypoldt F, McCracken L, Cellucci T, Benson L, Shu H, Irioka T, Hirano M, Singh G, Cobo Calvo A, Kaida K, Morales P, Wirtz P, Yamamoto T, Reindl M, Rosenfeld M, Graus F, Saiz A, Dalmau J (2014) Overlapping demyelinating syndromes and anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis Ann Neurol, 75 (3): 411-428
5. Hoftberger R, Titulaer M, Sabater L, Dome B, Rozsas A, Hegedus B, Hoda M, Laszlo V, Ankersmit H, Harms L, Boyero S, de Felipe A, Saiz A, Dalmau J, Graus F (2013) Encephalitis and GABAB receptor antibodies: Novel findings in a new case series of 20 patients Neurology, 81 (17): 1500-1506

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