The CRONIC-PPF Faculty

	Katrin MILGER-KNEIDINGER Ass.-Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. univ. Progression and inflammation in hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Division of Pulmonology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036 Graz Phone: +43-316-385 72911, ✉ e-mail WWW: Forschungsportal Med Uni Graz ORCID: 0000-0003-2914-8773 PubMed: PubMed (nih.gov)
• Profile      • Curriculum vitae     • Publications

Katrin Milger is a clinician-scientist specializing in diseases driven by various types of hypersensitivity and allergic reactions. After completing the international postgraduate program Molecular Biology and Medicine of the Lung, she advanced her clinical career, earning board certifications in respiratory medicine and allergology. Her research group has a strong track record in the diagnosis and treatment of asthma and is actively engaged in experimental and translational studies to identify new therapeutic targets. Within CRONIC-PPF, she investigates immune complex-mediated hypersensitivity and its role in progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF), particularly in fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

Project

Research interests

1. We investigated the role of CCR2⁺CD4⁺ T cells in experimental lung fibrosis and in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and other fibrosis. We found that pulmonary CCR2⁺CD4⁺ T cells are immunosuppressive, and attenuate lung inflammation and fibrosis. Therapeutic strategies completely abrogating CCR2-dependent signalling will therefore also eliminate cell populations with protective roles in fibrotic lung disease. This emphasises the need for a detailed understanding of the functions of immune cell subsets in fibrotic lung disease. (Milger et al., 2017a [↗])
2. We evaluated the epidemiology, care and treatment situation of patients with severe asthma in Germany using data from anonymised electronic health records, prescription data and the GAN severe asthma registry. We identified factors associated with disease burden and response to therapy. (Bergmann et al, 2022 [↗]; Korn et al., 2022 [↗]; Milger et al., 2020 [↗]; Bal et al., 2022 [↗]; Milger et al., 2023 [↗]; Mümmler et al., 2022 [↗]; Milger et al., 2023 [↗]; Götschke et al., 2025 [↗])
3. We have shown that distinct plasma miRNAs are differentially regulated both in murine and in human allergic asthma and were associated with clinical characteristics of patients. We identified a biomarker signature showed a good sensitivity and specificity in. Correlation of miRNA ratios with clinical characteristics further revealed associations with FVC % predicted, and oral corticosteroid or antileukotriene use. Thus, we suggested that miRNA levels in plasma might have future potential to subphenotype patients with asthma. Currently, we are investigating the potential of miRNA in predicting the response to different targeted antibody therapies (anti-IgE, anti-IL5, anti-IL4R, anti-TSLP) in different phenotypes of asthma. (Milger et al., 2017b [↗])

04.04.2026 CRONIC-PPF · Doctoral Programme “Clinical & Research Oriented Network for Innovative Classification of Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis”