Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Luise Erpenbeck

Group leader

Luise studied medicine in Magdeburg and Göttingen (2003-2010) and has been interested in neutrophils and tumor immunology since her dissertation "Platelet Receptors and Melanoma Metastasis" (defended in 2011). She spent two years in Denisa Wagner's laboratory (Boston Children's Hospital, 2012-2014) to learn everything about NETs, ​​thrombosis, and cancer, and was a principal investigator in Göttingen from 2014 to 2021. Since August 2021, she has held a professorship in Münster. When she is not in the lab, she works as a physician at the dermatology clinic in Münster. Her hobbies include spending time with her family, reading, and singing.

Phone: 0251-8359526
EMail: Luise.Erpenbeck@ukmuenster.de

Dr. rer. nat. Sangeetha Shankar

Post Doc

Sangeetha joined our laboratory in June 2023 after completing her PhD in Alex Weber’s group in Tübingen, where she studied inflammasome signaling. Currently, she is exploring neutrophil signaling, cellular interactions, and NETosis in the context of inflammatory skin diseases.

Email:Sangeetha.Shankar@ukmuenster.de

Franziska Wulfert

PhD student

Franziska has been part of the lab since November 2024. Her master's thesis focused on replication-deficient influenza A viruses. In her doctoral research, she is investigating the role of neutrophils and NETs in the context of viral infections. Outside of the lab, she enjoys relaxing with yoga or spending time with friends.

Email: Franziska.Wulfert@ukmuenster.de

 

Michael Wojak

PhD student

Michael joined our lab in March 2025 and investigates the interactions between neutrophils and melanomas. Outside of the lab, he is particularly interested in martial arts, which he has been practicing for many years.

Email: Michael.Wojak@ukmuenster.de

 

Marie Britz

medical PhD student

Marie joined the lab in 2021, while we were still in the process of moving to Münster. Because of the move, I wasn't yet looking for a medical student, but Marie was so enthusiastic and convincing that we took her on – and we haven't regretted it. She quickly became an expert on urticaria and neutrophils. In her free time, she's a keen snowboarder and generally enjoys sports.

Email: marie.britz@ukmuenster.de

Meike Steinert

BTA

Meike is an experienced technician who welcomed us upon our arrival in Münster in August 2021 and has been a great help every day since.

Tel: +49 251 8359517

Email: Meike.Steinert@ukmuenster.de

Stefanie Detering

Administration

Stefanie is a dedicated and efficient administrator, helping to organize everything in and around the laboratory. She takes care of all the lab staff and ensures that everything runs smoothly.

Tel: +49 251 8358640

Email: Stefanie.Detering@ukmuenster.de

Former members of Erpenbeck Lab

Anne Schmitz, PhD Student (2021-2024)
Project: Intercellular Communication between Neutrophils

Jason Holsapple, PhD Student (2021-2024)
Project: Biophysical Forces and Intercellular Reorganization in the Formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs)

Thea Mara Husar, Medical Student (2019-2021)
Project: Neurotransmitter Signaling in Neutrophils

Antonia Luise Gruhn, Medical Student (2018-2021)
Project: Influence of Substrate Elasticity on NET Formation

Lukas Mromwietz, Medical Student (2019-2021)
Project: Influence of Shear Forces on NET Formation

Meike Schaffrinski, BTA (2019-2021)

Tobias Baldeweg, Master's Student
Project: Development and Establishment of promising new techniques, including expansion microscopy for immune cells

Elsa Neubert, Postdoctoral Researcher (2015–2019)
Projects: Molecular mechanisms of NETosis (co-supervised by Sebastian Kruss, Physical Chemistry), influence of light on neutrophils, significance of experimental conditions for the induction of NETosis