Professor Dr Thomas Krieg

Major Scientific Interest: clinical dermatology, autoimmune diseases, tumor diseases, impaired wound healing, cell-matrix interactions, fibrosis, mouse models, inflammatory mechanisms
Thomas Krieg is a dermatologist. His research focuses on impaired wound healing, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory mechanisms, and connective tissue research. He identifies molecular mechanisms of chronic wounds and fibrotic diseases and is working on new therapeutic approaches.
The underlying causes of chronic wounds and fibrotic reactions are not yet fully understood. Thomas Krieg and his team identify risk factors and molecular mechanisms of chronic wounds, scarring, and fibrosis such as scleroderma. All these diseases lead to chronic inflammation and fibrosis of the skin or other organs, which are often highly pronounced and are very difficult to treat. Using mouse models, his research group has established that activated fibroblasts and specific cells of the immune system (macrophages) play a key role in these processes. The scientists were able to identify complex cellular interactions in fibrotic skin diseases and highlight their importance for scar formation.
The treatment of chronic wounds and fibrotic diseases including their associated complications is a major medical and socio-economic problem. Thomas Krieg aims to identify processes responsible for degenerative changes in the skin which thus inhibit the normal healing process. His group utilizes a variety of experimental approaches for this purpose. Based on experiments with cell cultures, transgenic mice are investigated as model organisms.
With his research, Thomas Krieg seeks to develop innovative therapies for the treatment of chronic wounds and fibrosis to limit scarring as much as possible and restore normal tissue functions.