Project: Autophagy in inflammation and inflammatory disorders (ATLANTIS), from basic insights to experimental therapy

2021-01-01 – 2024-12-31

Abstract

Autophagy is crucial in the (patho)physiology, including inflammation, infection and cancer. Autophagy functions as a survival mechanism by maintaining viability during periods of stress, and by removing damaged organelles and toxic metabolites, such as protein aggregates or intracellular pathogens. The Atlantis research consortium (AuTophagy in InfLAmmatioN and inflammaTory dISorders) brings together a team of expert investigators from the complementary fields of autophagy, (cancer) cell death signaling, inflammation signaling, angiogenesis and atherosclerosis, and drug screening and medicinal chemistry. We will study in an integrated way the impact of autophagy and its pharmacological modulation in various vascular diseases with a focus on the endothelium and its functional interaction with immune cells in sepsis, tumor-driven (lymph)angiogenesis, and atherosclerosis.