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We are delighted to share that Prof. Dr. Jörg Distler has been appointed Vice Dean for Clinical Research at the Faculty of Medicine of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU). Prof. Distler is Director of the Department of Rheumatology and the Hiller Research Center at University Hospital Düsseldorf and holds the W3 Professorship for Internal Medicine with a focus on Rheumatology at HHU. He also leads the Fraunhofer ITMP research group at HHU investigating fibrotic tissue

The University Hospital Düsseldorf (UKD) and Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf have launched a new Phase 1 study investigating allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy for systemic autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, myositis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Unlike conventional CAR T-cell approaches that use a patient’s own cells, this therapy is based on T cells from healthy donors. These cells are genetically engineered to target disease-drivi

Dr Andrea-Hermina Györfi and Dr Alexandru-Emil Matei from the Department of Rheumatology at University Hospital Düsseldorf have been featured in the latest issue of HHU Magazin. In the article, they discuss how organoids—three-dimensional, laboratory-grown tissue models—can help researchers better understand systemic sclerosis. Their work explores how these models can reproduce disease-related processes, such as fibrosis, and support the testing of potential new treatments. R

On June 10, 2026, the Hiller Research Center Rheumatology hosted a scientific afternoon symposium at the Life Science Center in Düsseldorf. The event brought together members of the scientific advisory board, the board of trustees of the Hiller Foundation, and colleagues from the Department of Rheumatology for an afternoon of scientific exchange focused on systemic sclerosis, fibrosis, and innovative therapeutic approaches. Festive lecture Prof. Dr. Oliver Distler Director of

Our team from Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf was strongly represented at the EULAR 2026 Congress in London, contributing several oral presentations and poster presentations across clinical, translational, and basic research. The congress provided an excellent opportunity to share our latest work, exchange with international experts, and highlight the broad scientific activity of our team. Oral presentations Dr. sc. hum. Tim Filla “Longitudinal patterns of vascular, immune an