Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and inflammatory bowel disease affect millions of people worldwide. Although significant advances in treatment have improved the lives of many patients, current therapies often focus on controlling symptoms and suppressing inflammation rather than addressing the underlying causes of disease. As a result, many patients continue to experience disease flares, limited treatment responses, and the need for long-term medication.
CASCAID aims to change this perspective. By bringing together experts from medicine, immunology, biology, data science, and engineering, we investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive autoimmune diseases. Our goal is to understand why disease activity resolves in some patients, persists in others, or returns after successful treatment. Through this interdisciplinary approach, we seek to pave the way for more precise therapies and long-lasting disease control.
Remission
Remission describes a state in which disease activity is absent or greatly reduced and patients experience little to no symptoms. However, the biological processes that enable long-term remission are still not fully understood.
Our research focuses on how the immune system regains balance after inflammation and how affected tissues recover and maintain their normal function. By identifying the mechanisms that support stable remission, we aim to uncover the foundations for durable disease control and, ultimately, treatment-free remission.
Resistance
Not all patients respond equally to treatment. While some achieve significant improvement, others continue to experience active disease despite receiving advanced therapies.
The Resistance research area investigates why certain disease-driving pathways remain active and how immune cells and tissue environments adapt to evade therapeutic interventions. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for developing more effective and personalized treatment strategies for patients who do not benefit sufficiently from current therapies.
Relapse
Even after successful treatment, autoimmune diseases can reappear. These recurring phases of inflammation, known as relapses, can lead to additional tissue damage and significantly affect patients’ quality of life.
We study the biological factors that contribute to disease recurrence, including immune memory, tissue remodeling, and interactions between the immune system and the microbiome. By understanding what triggers relapse, we hope to develop strategies that help maintain remission and prevent disease from returning.
Central
The Central projects provide the scientific and technological foundation of CASCAID. They bring together advanced research technologies, data analysis platforms, and collaborative infrastructures that support all research areas.
Using state-of-the-art imaging, molecular profiling, computational modelling, artificial intelligence, and integrated data analysis, these projects enable researchers to study autoimmune diseases at unprecedented depth. By connecting data across disciplines and projects, they help transform complex biological information into meaningful scientific and clinical insights.