We are delighted to welcome Dr. Tal Pecht as a new member of our Cluster of Excellence. The young scientist already made outstanding research contributions during her time as a postdoc within ImmunoSensation at the LIMES Institute of the University of Bonn. We are therefore even more pleased to welcome Tal Pecht as a full member, and her support her in establishing the FemmunityX research group.
The investigation of gender-specific differences in the functioning of the human immune system is at the core of Tal Pecht's research interest. While systems immunology has advanced, understanding the healthy female immune system remains incomplete until today. To change this, the Femmunity Study was so-called “born”, aiming to close the knowledge gap and ultimately contribute to the foundation of sex and gender-specific medicine.
The menstrual cycle is a monthly process that happens in the female* body during the fertile years. In a natural rhythm, it usually repeats itself every 28 days, but the cycles exact duration can vary from person to person. We met Tal Pecht and talked about the menstrual cycle, implications of the immune system and the Femmunity Study.
What is the role of the immune system in the menstrual cycle?
During the menstrual cycle, people experience a wide range of bodily changes, and we know the immune system in the uterus is going through extensive changes in order to support the breakdown and buildup of the uterine lining in preparation for possible pregnancy.
So if the immune system is changing in the uterus, does it mean menstruating people are more or less susceptible to diseases or other immune conditions in certain periods of their cycle?
This is an excellent question, which we do not completely know the answer to yet. Indeed, several studies have looked at the immune system in the peripheral blood at different phases of the cycle, but considering the diversity and complexity of the system as well as person-to person variability there is still much to figure out.
And how about potential changes in the immune system caused by oral contraceptives, like "the pill"?
Also for that question, on what one may call the “pill cycle”, our knowledge is very limited. But these are exactly the questions we had in mind when we started the Femmunity Study here in Bonn, in collaboration with Jr. Prof. Marie-Christine Simon. In this study we focus on the peripheral immune system and examine - with the most advanced techniques available - how it changes across a person’s cycle. Acknowledging that the immune system is also subjected to changes in our body metabolism and gut microbiome, we are also looking at these parameters to gain a more holistic systemic view on the so-called immune-metabolic changes that happen in both the natural and “pill cycle”.
And this study is based on participants from the Bonn area, right?
Yes. We rely on the support of volunteers and are currently actively recruiting individuals to participate in the Femmunity Study. So we are happy to talk to prospective participants as well as possible collaborators for the project. If you are interested in participating in the study, please contact us at femmunity@uni-bonn.de.
Great. Thank you for this insights and all the best for the Femmunity Study.
(Interview with Dr. Tal Pecht from Systems Medicine at the DZNE Bonn, 08.03.2023, by Dr. David Fußhöller)
Contact
Dr. Tal Pecht
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
mail: talpecht@uni-bonn.de
phone: +49 228 43302707
