Client: German Rheumatism Research Centre Berlin (DRFZ)

When antibodies cause illness

When the antibodies in our immune system go haywire and no longer do what they are supposed to do – for example, fight bacteria or viruses to protect us – but instead turn against our own body, autoimmune diseases arise. Faulty memory plasma cells in our bone marrow are to blame. They repeatedly produce the disease-causing antibodies again and again. This is the reason why rheumatism, for example, cannot be cured. The German Rheumatism Research Center Berlin is currently researching how these plasma cells can be eliminated. This new treatment strategy would make rheumatism and other chronic immune system diseases curable in the future. I presented this exciting topic in a short animated film and a matching infographic.