---

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine and a pivotal regulator of the immune response implicated in the pathogenesis of various acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. In 1993, D-dopachrome tautomerase (D-DT) was discovered during an investigation of melanogenesis. The tertiary structure of D-DT is remarkably similar to MIF, identifying D-DT as the only known eukaryotic MIF homologue discovered to date. Despite D-DT´s intriguing similarities to the very well studied MIF, there have been very few reports on the biological functions and mechanisms of action of D-DT. This dissertation aimed at the functional characterization of D-DT in biological and pathophysiologic conditions.

---

Was born in 1986 in Lüdinghausen, Germany. She studied medicine at RWTH Aachen University and received her M.D. degree in 2011. Her dissertation was conducted at RWTH Aachen University and Yale University School of Medicine, USA.

---