Curriculum vitae · Academic profile
Prof. Dr. Cassian Sitaru
Dermatology · Laboratory Medicine · Immunology · Quality management
Academic physician and researcher with a focus on the molecular pathogenesis of cutaneous autoimmune diseases, immunological diagnostics, and inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. A further focus of my work is the implementation and monitoring of quality management systems to optimize diagnostic performance.
Academic profile
Prof. Dr. Cassian Sitaru combines clinical dermatology, laboratory medicine and immunology with a research program centered on autoimmune skin diseases.
Professional Focus & Expertise
Research
Molecular pathogenesis of cutaneous autoimmune diseases & development of new diagnostic tests and therapeutic approaches: A major focus of my research has been to establish in vitro and in vivo models to study the autoimmune and inflammatory reactions to structural proteins of the epidermal basement membrane.The results obtained using these experimental models clearly demonstrated the blister-inducing potential of antibodies against collagens VII and XVII and provided new tools for understanding the pathogenesis of skin autoimmunity. Our further studies using these experimental models revealed essential mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of tissue damage induced by IgG and IgA autoantibodies. A special focus of our research activity is related to the pathogenic activation of granulocytes in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and their therapeutical modulation.
Laboratory diagnostics
Immunological and dermatological diagnostics: Since early in my career, I have been actively involved in immunodermatological laboratory diagnosis. I have been substantially involved in translational research, including the development of immunoassays that have subsequently been incorporated into routine diagnostic practice. As a laboratory physician, I work across the full spectrum of laboratory medicine, including clinical chemistry, protein diagnostics, immunology, haematology, and infectious disease serology. My particular areas of expertise are allergy and autoimmune diagnostics. Through my work in dermatological laboratory diagnostics, I have also developed extensive experience in microbiological diagnostics, including mycology.
Clinical medicine
Inflammatory and autoimmune diseases: My clinical interests focus primarily on inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. I have many years of experience in the clinical care of patients with these conditions, frequently working within an interdisciplinary setting. As a clinical investigator, I have participated in clinical trials, with a particular focus on autoimmune dermatoses. My training in rheumatology and clinical immunology provided broad experience in the systemic and internal medicine aspects of autoimmune diseases, complemented by the additional qualification in Immunology
Teaching
I have been continuously involved in undergraduate medical education, including teaching and examinations, since completing my doctoral degree, with an increasing focus on teaching activities following my habilitation. I hold authorization from the Baden-Württemberg Medical Council to provide postgraduate resident training programme training in Clinical Pathology and Immunology. I also regularly contribute to the organization and delivery of internal and external continuing medical education programmes and serve as part of certification boards for exams for graduate and postgraduate studies.
Professional career
Attending physician / Consultant
Department of Dermatology & Venereology Freiburg · University Medical Center Freiburg
Board-certified clinical pathologist (Laboratory medicine specialist)
Head of Immunology Department / Quality Management Representative · MVZ Clotten Freiburg
Acting attending physician / Quality Management Representative
Department of Dermatology & Venereology Freiburg · University Medical Center Freiburg
Resident physician in clinical pathology
MVZ Clotten Freiburg
Resident physician in internal medicine
Department of Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology · University Medical Center Freiburg
Resident physician in clinical pathology
MVZ Clotten Freiburg
Dermatologist / Research group leader
Department of Dermatology & Venereology Freiburg · University Medical Center Freiburg
Resident physician in Dermatology
Department of Dermatology, Allergology & Venereology Lübeck · University Medical Center Lübeck
Research Fellow / Resident physician in Dermatology
Department of Dermatology · University Medical Center Würzburg
Doctoral fellow (DFG Research Fellow)
Department of Dermatology Würzburg · DFG Graduate College 520/1 Immunmodulation
Resident physician in Dermatology
Department of Dermatology · University of Medicine & Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca
Education & academic qualifications
Medical studies
„Iuliu Hațieganu“ University of Medicine & Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca
Study of Psychology
„Babeș-Bolyai“ University Cluj-Napoca
Dr. med.
Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg · Magna cum laude
Dr. med.
„Iuliu Hațieganu“ University of Medicine & Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca · Summa cum laude
Board certification Dermatology
Targu-Mures · Romania
Habilitation
University of Lübeck
Venia legendi (Authorization to teach)
Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg
Adjunct Professor
Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg
Subspecialty certification dermatology laboratory testing
Baden-Württemberg · Germany
Certification of Qualification for specialty-bound genetic counseling
Baden-Württemberg · Germany
Board certification Clinical Pathology
Baden-Württemberg · Germany
Subspecialty certification Medical Quality Management
Baden-Württemberg · Germany
Subspecialty certification Immunology
Baden-Württemberg · Germany
Professional accomplishments
After graduating from the Medical School in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, I received clinical training at the Department of Internal Medicine in Cluj-Napoca and at the Departments of Dermatology of the University Medical Centers in Cluj-Napoca, Wuerzburg and Luebeck. In addition, I have completed my training in clinical pathology at the Department of Rheumatology and in a large medical laboratory in Freiburg.
A major focus of my research has been to establish in vitro and in vivo models to study the autoimmune and inflammatory reactions to structural proteins of the epidermal basement membrane. Autoimmunity to collagen VII is associated mainly with epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, but was also described in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and inflammatory bowel disease. Pemphigoid diseases are characterized by autoreactive T and B cells specific to collagen XVII. We demonstrated that patient autoantibodies against collagen VII and XVII recruit and activate leukocytes in vitro resulting in dermal-epidermal separation in cryosections of human skin. This separation was mediated by the release of elastase and gelatinase B from granulocytes. In further studies, I have focused on establishing animal models of autoimmune skin blistering diseases and demonstrating the blister-inducing potential of antibodies against collagen VII. The results obtained using these experimental models demonstrated the blister-inducing potential of antibodies against collagens VII and XVII and provided new tools for understanding the pathogenesis of skin autoimmunity. Our further studies using these experimental models revealed essential mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of tissue damage induced by IgG and IgA autoantibodies. A special focus of our research activity is related to the pathogenic activation of granulocytes in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and their therapeutical modulation.
