What is the seminar about?
How do we work with experts from academia to advance the collective understanding of disease biology? Join us on March 26, 2026, for a live online seminar showcasing two successful collaborations that have advanced research in Crohn’s Disease and Systemic Sclerosis through Boehringer’s open innovation platform, opnMe.
Jochen Schmitz will provide an inside look at how opnMe initiatives have supported the development of translational models at Boehringer. Gianluca Matteoli will share how his group uncovered a novel profibrotic myeloid-stromal axis that plays a key role in driving fibrosis in Crohn’s disease1. Yulia Kiyan will present her team’s innovative microvascular niche‑on‑a‑chip model which enables detailed mechanistic exploration of vascular damage in systemic sclerosis.
| Agenda | |
| Welcome and introduction by Jochen Schmitz | How opnMe supports Boehringer’s immunology translational research |
| Presentation by Gianluca Matteoli | Decoding interactions between stromal and myeloid cells driving fibrosis in Crohn’s Disease |
| Presentation by Yulia Kiyan | Microfluidic models to study vascular damage in Systemic Sclerosis |
| Summary and interactive session with the audience | Please share your insights and questions |
Why should you attend?
In this interactive seminar, you will:
- Discover how open science can facilitate collaborations that accelerate the next generation of disease‑relevant models
- Gain new insights into the mechanisms driving Crohn’s Disease and Systemic Sclerosis
- Learn how academic researchers and the pharmaceutical industry can collaborate effectively to advance translational science
- Engage directly with the experts and get inspired for your own research
- Get an official opnMe certificate of attendance*
About the speakers
Gianluca Matteoli
Gianluca holds a PhD in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Naples (Italy) and the University of Tübingen (Germany). He is currently a Full Professor of Mucosal Immunology in the Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing at the Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Belgium. Gianluca has dedicated his career to understanding the complex interplay between intestinal stromal cells and the innate immune system, with the goal of identifying novel therapies for inflammatory bowel disease.
Yulia Kiyan
Yulia holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry in St. Petersburg, Russia. She is currently a Postdoctoral Scientist in the Department of Nephrology and Hypertension at Hannover Medical School, Germany. Yulia’s research focuses on endothelial biology, with particular emphasis on mechanisms regulating vascular function. Her team has developed a unique in vitro microfluidic cell culture system to model the microvasculature, enabling detailed investigation of endothelial cell responses and the role of intercellular communication in disease development.
Jochen Schmitz
Jochen holds a PhD in Chemistry and Biology from the RWTH Aachen University in Germany. Throughout his career, he has developed a strong interest in immunological diseases and in translating disease biology into potential therapeutic approaches. He is currently Director Immunology & Respiratory Discovery Research at Boehringer Ingelheim in Ridgefield, Connecticut, United States.
Reference
1Ke BJ, et al. Intercellular interaction between FAP+ fibroblasts and CD150+ inflammatory monocytes mediates fibrostenosis in Crohn's disease. J Clin Invest. 2024, 134(16):e173835. DOI: 10.1172/JCI173835.
*Please note that the name and email address you provide during registration will be used to generate your certificate of attendance.