The focus of our projects is the investigation of the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to the development and maintenance of structural and functional neuronal changes as well as sensitisation phenomena. Furthermore, we investigate the molecular chronification of atopic dermatitis and chronic prurigo (as a prototype of scratch-associated pruritic skin diseases). Among other things, the following analyses are performed:

• Structural and functional analysis of the sensory nervous system in pruritus-associated dermatoses (including nerve densities, nerve function, branching patterns of epidermal nerve fibres, alloknesis, hyperknesis).
• Investigation of the role of scratching as a mechanical stress factor in the chronification of pruritus
• Investigation of expression signatures (RNA / protein) and the role of epigenetic mechanisms (e.g. DNA methylation) in the chronification of pruritus.
• Biomarker-based psychometric analyses of new pruritus detection tools
• Analysis of the influence of biological and psychosocial factors in the persistence of pruritus
• Collection of clinical data in an extensive database (cooperation with the Institute for Medical Informatics), deep phenotyping with biomarkers, machine learning-based database analyses
• Possibility of transmitting skin biopsies for the determination of nerve fibre densities from external researchers / clinicians (contact: J. Wolters, Tel. 0251-8356544).

• Development and validation of patient and physician reported measurement and documentation tools for chronic pruritus and chronic prurigo.
• Leadership and/or participation in national and international, multi-centre, biomolecular, burden of disease and drug studies.
• Coordination of national and international guidelines on chronic pruritus / chronic prurigo
• Coordination and leadership of national, european and international networks for the harmonisation of pruritus and prurigo-outcome instruments

The following DFG-funded projects are currently in progress

• DFG Research Unit PRUSEARCH FOR 2690:

The Translational Pruritus Research Group (PRUSEARCH) was established in 2018.
Deputy spokesperson: S. Ständer, Münster

1. Influence of scratch-induced lesions on skin profiles in chronic pruritus patients
2. Central Information Infrastructure, Centralized Biomaterial and Machine Learning Analyses

• DFG Research Unit SOMACROSS FOR 5211:

1. Biological and Psychosocial Factors Affecting the Persistence of Pruritus Symptoms