Autoimmune diseases as a group pose an increasing threat to our health system. However, our understanding about the emergence of autoimmune diseases is relatively scarce and current treatment options are limited to unspecific systemic immune suppression, which results in severe side effects including an increased vulnerability to infections. The CRC 1526 aims to elucidate the initial events leading to the emergence of autoimmune diseases and develop novel therapeutic and diagnostic strategies, for the early detection and site-specific treatment of autoimmune diseases. Therefore, we will exploit the properties of pemphigoid diseases as a group of prototypical  autoimmune disease and assess, if gained insights are transferable to other autoimmune diseases.