Proteases are enzymes that help the body cleave protein molecules. Malfunctions in this diverse family of enzymes promote chronic inflammatory processes, which play a central role in many diseases such as Alzheimer's dementia, multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease. The exact mechanisms of the protease malfunctions are so far only insufficiently understood.

As part of the interdisciplinary research group MultiSensE, which is funded by the Ministry of Science and Health, a new type of biosensor technology is being developed that combines rapid measurement of protease activity with many other disease-related cell parameters. The method allows more precise unterstanding of the underlying biological mechanisms in the immune system and neurodegenerative diseases, and can also be used in drug discovery.