Director of the Clinic of Neurology and Polyclinic
Faculty of Medicine
Bergmannsheil University Hospital
Bürkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1
44789 Bochum
Phone:
+49 (0)234 302-3255
Email:
tobias.ruck@bergmannsheil.de
The research group led by Prof. Tobias Ruck focuses on the system- and disease-transcending translation of immunological mechanisms in the central (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). The aim is to understand why similar immunological triggers—such as T cell–mediated processes, immune cell migration, or inflammatory microenvironments—lead to markedly different clinical phenotypes in distinct organ and tissue systems.
A central goal of the group is to identify shared and divergent pathophysiological principles across diseases such as multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, inflammatory myopathies, and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). These insights are evaluated for their diagnostic and therapeutic relevance, particularly with regard to novel immunomodulatory treatment strategies.
The research is based on a bidirectional translational approach: findings from model systems are transferred to human contexts (forward translation), while mechanisms identified in patients are modeled in animals (reverse translation).
Methodologically, the group applies multidimensional approaches: flow cytometry (FACS), histopathological analysis, transcriptomics, proteomics, and digital biomarkers are used in both experimental and patient-based studies. The focus lies on immune cell functions and their cellular interactions at neurovascular interfaces (e.g., the blood–brain and blood–nerve barrier) as well as tissue-specific aspects such as the immunological roles of muscle cells.
Lichtenberg, S., Vinnenberg, L., Steffen, F., Plegge, I., Hanuscheck, N., Dobelmann, V., Gruchot, J., Schroeter, C.B., Ramachandran, H., Wasser, B., Bachir, D., Nelke, C., Franz, J., Riethmüller, C., Tenzer, S., Distler, U., Vogelaar, C.F., Kusche-Vihrog, K., Skryabin, B., Rozhdestvensky, T.S., Schwab, A., Krutmann, J., Rossi, A., Budde, T., Bittner, S., Meuth, S.G., Ruck, T. (2025). K2P2.1 shapes morphology and function of brain endothelial cells via actin network remodeling. Nature Communications, accepted.
Lu, I.N., Cheung, P. F.Y., Heming, M., Thomas, C., Giglio, G., Leo, M., Erdemir, M., Wirth, T., König, S., Dambietz, C. A., Schroeter, C. B., Nelke, C., Siveke, J. T., Ruck, T., Klotz, L., Haider, C., Höftberger, R., Kleinschnitz, C., Wiendl, H., . . . Meyer Zu Horste, G. (2024). Cell-mediated cytotoxicity within CSF and brain parenchyma in spinal muscular atrophy unaltered by nusinersen treatment. Nature Communications, 15(1), 4120. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48195-3
Nelke, C., Müntefering, T., Cengiz, D., Theissen, L., Dobelmann, V., Schroeter, C. B., Block, H., Preuße, C., Michels, A. P. E., Lichtenberg, S., Pawlitzki, M., Pfeuffer, S., Huntemann, N., Zarbock, A., Briese, T., Kittl, C., Dittmayer, C., Budde, T., Lundberg, I. E., . . . Ruck, T. (2024). K2p2.1 is a regulator of inflammatory cell responses in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Journal of Autoimmunity, 142, 103136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaut.2023.103136
Nelke, C., Schroeter, C. B., Barman, S., Stascheit, F., Masanneck, L., Theissen, L., Huntemann, N., Walli, S., Cengiz, D., Dobelmann, V., Vogelsang, A., Pawlitzki, M., Räuber, S., Konen, F. F., Skripuletz, T., Hartung, H.P., König, S., Roos, A., Meisel, A., . . . Ruck, T. (2024). Identification of disease phenotypes in acetylcholine receptor-antibody myasthenia gravis using proteomics-based consensus clustering. EBioMedicine, 105, 105231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105231
Nelke, C., Schroeter, C. B., Theissen, L., Preusse, C., Pawlitzki, M., Räuber, S., Dobelmann, V., Cengiz, D., Kleefeld, F., Roos, A., Schoser, B., Brunn, A., Neuen-Jacob, E., Zschüntzsch, J., Meuth, S. G., Stenzel, W., & Ruck, T. (2023). Senescent fibro-adipogenic progenitors are potential drivers of pathology in inclusion body myositis. Acta Neuropathologica, 146(5), 725–745. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-023-02637-2
Preuße, C., Paesler, B., Nelke, C., Cengiz, D., Müntefering, T., Roos, A., Amelin, D., Allenbach, Y., Uruha, A., Dittmayer, C., Hentschel, A., Pawlitzki, M., Hoffmann, S., Timm, S., Louis, S. L., Dengler, N. F., Wiendl, H., Lünemann, J. D., Sickmann, A., . . . Ruck, T. (2022). Skeletal muscle provides the immunological micro-milieu for specific plasma cells in anti-synthetase syndrome-associated myositis. Acta Neuropathologica, 144(2), 353–372. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-022-02438-z
Ruck, T., Barman, S., Schulte-Mecklenbeck, A., Pfeuffer, S., Steffen, F., Nelke, C., Schroeter, C. B., Willison, A., Heming, M., Müntefering, T., Melzer, N., Krämer, J., Lindner, M., Riepenhausen, M., Gross, C. C., Klotz, L., Bittner, S., Muraro, P. A., Schneider-Hohendorf, T., . . . Wiendl, H. (2022). Alemtuzumab-induced immune phenotype and repertoire changes: Implications for secondary autoimmunity. Brain : A Journal of Neurology, 145(5), 1711–1725. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awac064
Ruck, T., Bock, S., Pfeuffer, S., Schroeter, C. B., Cengiz, D., Marciniak, P., Lindner, M., Herrmann, A., Liebmann, M., Kovac, S., Gola, L., Rolfes, L., Pawlitzki, M., Opel, N., Hahn, T., Dannlowski, U., Pap, T., Luessi, F., Schreiber, J. A., . . . Meuth, S. G. (2022). K2p18.1 translates T cell receptor signals into thymic regulatory T cell development. Cell Research, 32(1), 72–88. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-021-00580-z
Birkner, K., Wasser, B., Ruck, T., Thalman, C., Luchtman, D., Pape, K., Schmaul, S., Bitar, L., Krämer-Albers, E.M., Stroh, A., Meuth, S. G., Zipp, F., & Bittner, S. (2020). Β1-Integrin- and KV1.3 channel-dependent signaling stimulates glutamate release from Th17 cells. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 130(2), 715–732. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI126381
Bittner, S., Ruck, T., Schuhmann, M. K., Herrmann, A. M., Moha ou Maati, H., Bobak, N., Göbel, K., Langhauser, F., Stegner, D., Ehling, P., Borsotto, M., Pape, H.C., Nieswandt, B., Kleinschnitz, C., Heurteaux, C., Galla, H.J., Budde, T., Wiendl, H., & Meuth, S. G. (2013). Endothelial TWIK-related potassium channel-1 (TREK1) regulates immune-cell trafficking into the CNS. Nature Medicine, 19(9), 1161–1165. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3303
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Last update: Jun 04, 2025
