Anne-Kathrin Classen

Anne-Kathrin Classen is a researcher at the University of Freiburg, affiliated with the Faculty of Biology and the CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies. She is also associated with the BIOSS cluster of excellence. Her work focuses on cellular signaling mechanisms in epithelial tissues, particularly in wound healing, regeneration, and cancer cell exclusion.

• Heisenberg Program Fellowship recipient (DFG, 2020)
• Emmy Noether Programme grantee

Her research explores how epithelial cells use molecular signals for tissue repair, with emphasis on JAK/STAT and JNK pathway interactions, cell cycle regulation, and metabolic influences. She investigates cancer defense mechanisms, including how epithelial tissues detect and eliminate mutated cells independently of the immune system.

Recent publications highlight work on Toll receptors in cell surveillance, JNK activation in aberrant cell elimination, and computational modeling of signaling pathways. Key themes include epithelial tissue mechanics, signal transduction dynamics, and regenerative medicine applications.

Scientific Awards
• Heisenberg Program Fellowship (DFG)
• Emmy Noether Programme Grant

Her affiliations include the University of Freiburg (since 2016), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, and postdoctoral work at UC Berkeley. She studied at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden.