Lidia Bosurgi’ laboratory

Macrophages in infections and Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases

Our lab focuses on uncovering the mechanisms of Innate Immune Regulation, with a particular emphasis on macrophage biology. We investigate the cellular processes and molecular pathways that guide macrophages to drive efficient tissue remodeling in homeostasis and across a range of pathological conditions. These include immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs)—such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and autoimmune liver diseases, both of which have seen a rising incidence in recent decades—as well as parasitic infections.

A key area of focus is the macrophages’ ability to engulf dying cells and the downstream effects of this process on the surrounding environment in both human pathological settings and murine experimental disease models.

As macrophage-based cell therapies enter a transformative era, our goal is to develop innovative strategies that enhance the efficiency of these therapies and improve the treatment and management of diverse diseases. By leveraging the unique capacity of macrophages to promote tissue remodeling and resolve inflammation, we aim to unlock their full therapeutic potential.

Team

Former members:

Clarissa Lanzloth, Ph.D. candidate, graduated

Amirah Al Jawazneh, Ph.D. candidate, graduated

Madeleine Hamley, Ph.D. candidate, graduated

Felix Piecha, clinician scientist

Benjamin Kraft, Master student, graduated

Ongoing projects:

• The influence of apoptotic cell nature on macrophage function
  
  
• Phagocytic macrophage control of cholangitis progression
  
  
• The contribution of IL-23 released by efferocytic macrophages in intestinal homeostasis
  
  
• Lipid processing and efferocytic capacity of adipose tissue macrophages
  
  
• Efferocytic macrophages and Trm17 cell in kidney autoimmune diseases
  

Fundings:

• DFG, 5198/9-1, Heisenberg Programme, Professor for Innate Immune Regulation
  
  
• DFG, 5198/7-1
  
  
• DFG, TRR333, project P07, Co-PI with Dr. A. Worthmann
  
  
• DFG, CRC1700, project A04, Co-PI with Dr. A. Worthmann
  
  
• DFG, CRC1700, project B07, Co-PI with Dr. N. Feliu and Prof. F. Grüner
  
  
• DFG, RU5775, Project 6
  
  
• Landesforschungsförderung Hamburg, Pathogene und Autoimmunerkrankungen, Co-PI with Prof. Dr. med. C. Krebs
  
  

Selected publications

Al Jawazneh A*, Liebold I*, Leyk S*, Lanzloth C, Brackrock V, López-López T, Graute S, Aranda-Pardos I, Hamley M, Bahn J, Heeren J, Von Felden J, Lohse AW, Schramm C, Schwinge D, Sáez PJ, A-Gonzalez N, Huber S, Jacobs T, Adlung L, Worthmann A, Bosurgi L. Bile acid retention in efferocytic macrophages shapes their inflammatory status during cholangitis. J Exp Med. 2026 Jul 6;223(7):e20242079. doi: 10.1084/jem.20242079.

Leyk S, Liebold I, Lanzloth C, Richardt U, Kux JM, Kilian C, Moritz M, Gocke A, Meyer S, Höhn K, Honecker B, Haas H, Böttcher M, Weidemann S, Kind S, Schlüter H, Metwally NG, Adlung L, Sáez PJ, Jacobs T, Ruckdeschel K, Bosurgi L. Extracellular Vesicle Properties and Functions Are Defined by the Originating Cell's Fitness Status. J Extracell Biol. 2026 Feb 19;5(2):e70115. doi: 10.1002/jex2.70115.

Liebold I#, Bosurgi L#. 2024. Harnessing apoptotic cells to enhance efficiency of macrophage-based cell therapy. Clin Transl Med 14: e70008. doi: 10.1002/ctm2.70008 .

Andreeva L, Bosurgi L, Chong SZ, Chu C, Ge Y, Hoste E, Jurado KA, Lengefeld J, Mishra A, Wculek S, Young A. 2024. Women in STEM becoming independent: Our shared motivation and enthusiasm are our driving force. J Exp Med. 2024 Aug 5;221(8):e20240971. doi: 10.1084/jem.20240971

Liebold I, Al Jawazneh A, Casar C, Lanzloth C, Leyk S, Hamley M, Wong MN, Kylies D, Gräfe SK, Edenhofer I, Aranda-Pardos I, Kriwet M, Haas H, Krause J, Hadjilaou A, Schromm AB, Richardt U, Eggert P, Tappe D, Weidemann SA, Ghosh S, Krebs CF, A-Gonzalez N, Worthmann A, Lohse AW, Huber S, Rothlin CV, Puelles VG, Jacobs T, Gagliani N#, Bosurgi L#. Apoptotic cell identity induces distinct functional responses to IL-4 in efferocytic macrophages. Science. 2024;384(6691):eabo7027. doi: 10.1126/science.abo7027 .

Hamley M*, Leyk S*, Casar C, Liebold I, Al Jawazneh A, Lanzloth C, Böttcher M, Haas H, Richardt U, Rothlin CV, Jacobs T, Huber S, Adlung L, Pelczar P, Henao-Mejia J, Bosurgi L. Nmes1 is a novel regulator of mucosal response influencing intestinal healing potential. Eur J Immunol. 2024;54(2):e2350434. doi: 10.1002/eji.202350434 .


Zhao L*, Giannou AD*, Xu, Y*, Shiri AM, Liebold I, Steglich B, Bedke T, Zhang T, Lücke J, Scognamiglio P, Kempski J, Woestemeier A, Chen J, Agalioti T, Zazara DE, Lindner D, Janning M, Hennigs JK, Jagirdar RM, Kotsiou OS, Zarogiannis SG, Kobayash Y, Izbicki JR, Ghosh S, Rothlin CV, Bosurgi L#, Huber S#, Gagliani N#. Efferocytosis fuels malignant pleural effusion through TIMP1. Sci Adv. 2021;7(33):eabd6734. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abd6734 . Open access


Zhao Y*, Kilian C*, Turner JE*, Bosurgi L*, Roedl K*, P Bartsch, AC Gnirck, F Cortesi, C Schultheiß, M Hellmig, LUB Enk, F Hausmann, A Borchers, MN Wong, HJ Paust, F Siracusa , N Scheibel, M Herrmann, E Rosati, P Bacher, D Kylies, D Jarczak, M Lütgehetmann, S Pfefferle, S Steurer, JS Zur-Wiesch, VG Puelles, JP Sperhake, MM Addo, AW Lohse, M Binder, S Huber, TB Huber, S Kluge, S Bonn, U Panzer#, N Gagliani#, CF Krebs#. Clonal expansion and activation of tissue-resident memory-like Th17 cells expressing GM-CSF in the lungs of severe COVID-19 patients. Sci Immunol. 2021;6(56):eabf6692. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abf6692 .


Liebold I, Al Jawazneh A, Hamley M, Bosurgi L. Apoptotic cell signals and heterogeneity in macrophage function: Fine-tuning for a healthy liver. Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Nov;119:72-81. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.06.012 .


Bosurgi L, Rothlin CV. Management of cell death in parasitic infections. Semin Immunopathol 2021 Aug;43(4):481-492. doi: 10.1007/s00281-021-00875-8 .

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* equally contributing authors; # corresponding author;

Scientific illustration by C. Di Pietro (@VisualSciSketch) . Liebold I et al, Science 2024

Contact:

Lidia Bosurgi

email: l.bosurgi@uke.de

phone: +49 (0) 152 22815534

address:
N25, Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology (HCTI)
2nd floor, room 02.2.010
Martinistraße 52
20246 Hamburg, Germany