The Schwerpunktprogramm MI-VascAD (Methods to Investigate the Vasculature in Autoimmune Diseases) holds its first symposium on 28 September 2026 at Fraunhofer IMTE. The event introduces the consortium's work to the wider University of Lübeck community and is intended to build new connections across departments and research groups on campus.

Programme highlights

Keynote lecture by Prof. Carmen Ruiz de Almodóvar (Institute for Neurovascular Cell Biology, Bonn)

Talks from MI-VascAD project members spanning pharmacology, rheumatology, medical engineering, biomedical optics and ophthalmology:

• Magnetic Particle Imaging as a Theranostic Platform — Dr. Mandy Ahlborg
• Neurocognitive Impairment triggered by Autoantibodies: Insights into mechanisms and diagnostics — Dr. Hanna Grasshoff
• New Technologies for Quantitative Imaging of Retinal Vessels — Prof. Gereon Hüttmann
• Systemic Disease and Ocular Circulation — Prof. Yoko Miura
• GPCRs at the Circumventricular Organs: An Overlooked Problem in Graves' Disease? — PD Dr. Helge Müller-Fielitz
• Antibody-conjugated Magnetic Particles in Vascular Autoimmunity: From Linker Chemistry to a Functional Tracer — Dr. Anja Stähle
• Endothelial Dysfunction and Cerebral Perfusion – How Vascular GPCR signaling affects the Brain — PD Dr. Jan Wenzel
• Buffet and networking to close the afternoon

Whether your research touches on autoimmunity, vascular biology, imaging, antibody conjugates or none of the above: all members and students of the university are warmly invited to attend.

--> download Symposium Flyer

Registration and full programme: www.mi-vascad.uni-luebeck.de/events/symposium-2026