Project Group Translational Deep Phenotyping
Ongoing projects
The FOOTPRINT project: A fluid biomarker signature of treatment resistant schizophrenia (TRS) advancing schizophrenia care
FOOTPRINT is committed to improve outcomes for patients with schizophrenia by developing innovative solutions for the early detection of treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). Using advanced multi-omics techniques and immunoassays, we are aiming to create a liquid biopsy profiler that will allow for the early prediction of TRS.
By identifying key biomarkers and validating them through clinical studies, we hope to provide healthcare professionals with a tool to better personalize treatments, including exploring new therapeutic avenues beyond clozapine. Our research will not only enhance the understanding of TRS but also support the development of more targeted antipsychotic therapies, ultimately improving care for patients facing debilitating forms of psychosis.
The DECIDE study: A multimodal diagnostic trial to predict lithium augmentation response in treatment-resistant depression
The DECIDE study aims to provide insights into the complex mechanisms underlying lithium response in TRD and represents a step toward biologically informed, data-driven biosignature development. To achieve this goal, multimodal data will be collected and clinical cooperations are essential.
The following research and clinical core units as well as research groups are involved in DECIDE:
- Multimodal Neuroimaging: Katja Bochmann, Michael Czisch, Philipp Sämann
- Pupillometry: Julia Fietz, Victor Spoormaker
- Study Center: Norma-Christine Grandi
- EEG: Sandra Nischwitz
- Thyroid ultrasonography: Constanze Storr
- Analytics and Mass Spectrometry: Manfred Uhr
- BioPrep (Biomaterial processing and repository) Unit: Tamara Namendorf
You can read more about the DECIDE study here.
Brain-derived extracellular vesicles (BDEVs)-miRNA
Complex neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia are associated with gene dysregulations at both the cellular and molecular level. These dysregulations affect not only pathogenesis, but also the disease course, the severity of symptoms and the response to medical treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are key regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression, play an important role in this process.
Our EV-miRNA project aims to analyze miRNA profiles in brain-derived extracellular vesicles (BDEVs) isolated from the blood of patients suffering from schizophrenia. Since BDEVs hold the promise to reflect the conditions of their tissue of origin (brain) more closely than other peripheral markers, analyzing these miRNAs holds great potential for developing promising fluid biomarkers for clinical outcomes.
Our overarching ultimate goal is to identify and define reliable, clinically applicable biomarkers based on these miRNA signatures that can be used to identify schizophrenia patients at risk of cognitive impairment and treatment-resistance. Achieving this would facilitate earlier and improved personalized interventions, leading to more effective therapies and thus to optimal patient outcomes.