Unknown communication pathway in the immune system decoded
Magdeburg researcher receives award for groundbreaking work in skin immunology.
A discovery that opens up new perspectives for research into chronic inflammatory skin diseases: For his work on immune cell communication, Dr. rer. nat. Konstantinos Katsoulis-Dimitriou, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Clinical Immunology and Cell Therapy at Magdeburg University Medical Center (Director: Prof. Dr. S. Fricke), has been awarded the “GC-I3 Paper of the Year: Young Research Award.” The prize was presented during this year’s Young Research Day at the Medical Faculty of Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg on May 18, 2026.
The award-winning study focuses on a previously little-studied mechanism of the innate immune system: the interaction between mast cells and macrophages. While mast cells are primarily known from allergy research, the Magdeburg researcher’s work shows that they are capable of much more—and can specifically influence other immune cells.
“We were able to show for the first time that macrophages take up the granules released by mast cells and thereby alter their properties,” explains Dr. Katsoulis-Dimitriou. “This opens up completely new perspectives on inflammatory processes in the skin.”
Photo: Dr. rer. nat. Konstantinos Katsoulis-Dimitriou is the winner of the “GC-I3 Paper of the Year: Young Research Award.” The award was presented by Prof. Dr. Dr. Anne Albrecht, Associate Dean for Early Career Development and Equal Opportunity, during this year’s Young Research Day at the Magdeburg Faculty of Medicine on May 18, 2026. Photographer: Melitta Schubert/Magdeburg University Medical Center
This process was discovered using intravital multiphoton microscopy in transgenic laboratory animals in which mast cells and macrophages can be made visible via fluorescence. The researchers observed that both cell types are located in close proximity to one another in the skin and communicate intensively with each other. When mast cells are activated by contact allergens, they explosively release their granules, which the macrophages then take up. After taking up the mast cell granules, the macrophages significantly altered their function: Among other things, they enhanced their ability to perform phagocytosis—that is, the uptake and breakdown of germs, foreign bodies, or cell components—while simultaneously developing both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties.
An underestimated problem affecting millions
The relevance of basic research becomes clear when looking at the disease statistics. Allergic contact dermatitis—the most common work-related skin disease—affects 20 percent of the population; each year, five to ten percent develop clinical symptoms that prevent people from working, whether in the chemical industry, a hair salon, or a bakery. Psoriasis, commonly known as psoriasis, affects around 125 million people worldwide. In both conditions, macrophages play a key role in the development of tissue damage.
“Mast cells react not only to allergens but also to cellular stress or mechanical stimuli. That is why our findings could have significance far beyond classic allergies—for example, in wound healing, skin infections, or chronic inflammatory diseases,” says the immunologist. Of particular interest is that the granules released by mast cells are very stable particles. This allows them to be specifically isolated and examined. The research team is now investigating whether these structures can be used in the future to specifically influence misguided immune responses and develop new approaches for diagnosis and treatment.
This work is among the leading international research efforts in the field of mast cell biology. At the same time, investigating the underlying mechanisms remains challenging. “We are engaged in basic research and are trying to understand how mast cells function and interact with other immune cells. Many questions remain unanswered—and that is precisely what makes this field of research so exciting,” says Katsoulis-Dimitriou.
The award-winning work was the result of close collaboration within the Immunoregulation research group led by Prof. Dr. Anne Dudeck at the Institute for Clinical Immunology and Cell Therapy (IKIZ). Also involved were the “Multiparametric Bioimaging and Cytometry Facility” (MPBIC) at the Center for Medical Research Infrastructure (ZMF) in Magdeburg, as well as collaborative partners at the Charité Berlin and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. The project was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), which has since approved a second funding period.
“This award means a great deal to me,” says Dr. Katsoulis-Dimitriou. “The path to publication was often challenging, but it is precisely these experiences that have helped me advance enormously, both scientifically and personally. At the same time, the work shows how many exciting questions remain unanswered.”
About the Author
Konstantinos Katsoulis-Dimitriou, born in 1989, studied molecular biology and biotechnology at the University of Crete. He then completed a master’s degree in infection and immunology with a focus on infectious immunology at the University of Glasgow. He ultimately wrote his doctoral thesis in cell biology at the University of Magdeburg—in collaboration with the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig. Since 2019, he has been conducting research as a postdoctoral fellow in the Dudeck group at the IKIZ and has specialized in the communication of mast cells via their granules, a specialized field and area of expertise in which the laboratory ranks among the world’s leading institutions. The award now opens the door for him to submit his own DFG grant application—the next step toward establishing an independent research group.
Scientific Contact
Dr. rer. nat. Konstantinos Katsoulis-Dimitriou, Institute for Clinical Immunology and Cell Therapy (IKIZ), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Faculty of Medicine, Konstantinos.Katsoulis-Dimitriou@med.ovgu.de