How cells communicate with each other
Although experiments often take weeks and still don't yield the hoped-for results, Emelie Rieneck loves her work at the Chair of Systems Biology at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. Here, she researches the messenger substance interleukin-6 (IL-6) and investigates how harmful inflammatory reactions can be specifically prevented. Her doctoral research is supervised by Dr. Anna Dittrich and Prof. Dr. Fred Schaper – both members of the Center for Dynamic Systems Research (CDS). A state graduate scholarship made her doctoral studies possible.
“Sometimes you work on an experiment for two weeks and in the end you only find out what doesn’t work,” the biologist explains. But the combination of patience, curiosity, and problem-solving fascinates her about research. For about three and a half years, she has been studying cytokines, which transmit signals between cells and regulate the immune response.
“ IL-6 is one of these messenger substances. For example, if you suffer an injury or an infection , it helps trigger an inflammatory response. But in chronic inflammatory diseases like Crohn's disease, the body can greatly increase its production, which can lead to damage in the body's own tissue,” explains Emelie Rieneck. This is where her work comes in: She wants to find out how the different signaling pathways of IL-6 can be distinguished from one another in order to specifically inhibit only the disease-promoting pathway without impairing the protective function of the immune system.
We wish Emelie continued success in her groundbreaking research and keep our fingers crossed for many exciting discoveries.