Fabian Schwerdtfeger

Tetraspanins are membrane proteins that act as organizers of cellular membranes and regulate processes such as cell migration, proliferation and survival. Some tetraspanins are expressed in many different cell types whereas others are exclusively expressed in certain tissues. They are also critical to maintain immune cell function and play an essential role in antigen presentation pathways.

We focus on novel tetraspanins, identifying their interaction partners and elucidating the impact of these interactions on immune cells. By gaining insight into the molecular make-up of tetraspanin clusters in immune cell membranes at the nanoscale level we hope to better understand cell surface targeted cancer therapies.