Elisabeth Seebach
Elisabeth Seebach is a project leader at Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg (UKHD) in the department of medical microbiology and hygiene. She earned a Master of Science in Biochemistry before completing her doctoral studies at Heidelberg University, where she obtained the degree Dr. sc. hum. with a dissertation on the role of mesenchymal stromal cells in bone regeneration and osteomyelitis. Her training in both molecular sciences and translational infection research laid the foundation for her current work on osteoimmunology and biofilm-associated bone infections.
Her lab is interested in the interactions between the immune system and bone cells, with particular interest in inflammatory bone disease and implant-related bone infections. The chronic nature of these infections are closely related to biofilm formation, which shields bacteria from the immune response and antibiotics. Moreover, the biofilm milieu reshapes the immune system’s activity, encouraging immune escape, dampened inflammation, and tolerance. The aim of their project is to investigate how biofilm formation impacts the immune response and to identify potential targets that could serve as candidates for immunotherapeutic intervention.
In addition to her research, she mentors and teaches students in medicine and biosciences.
