Biography
Our goal is to find novel disease mechanisms and molecular targets, that can be used for innovative therapies for inflammatory skin diseases and cutaneous T cell lymphoma.
The group works to unravel the interplay between immune, skin cells, and the microbiota to understand, what drives disease progression and resistance to treatment. As inflammation damages the skin barrier, it paves the way for microbial colonization, that fuels more inflammation and disease progression.
“Severe skin inflammation and lymphoma arise in the crossfire between skin, immunity, and infection. To find new ways to break the vicious circle, we therefore have to attack and correct all three players in disease progression - skin cells, immune cells, and the microbiota”, says research leader and center director, prof Niels Ødum.
The group builds on multidisciplinary collaboration between basic, translational, and clinical researchers. The techniques and models span from molecular, genetic, single cell sequencing, advanced flow cytometry, imaging, and cellular approaches to 3D and animal models as well as patient ex vivo models, human skin models, and clinical trials. Together with partners at the Department and the Health Science Faculty, Danish University Hospitals, as well as International academic and industrial collaborators, we create a unique platform to study specific disease mechanisms and therapy at all levels from molecule to the patient in question.