Projects per year
Organisation profile
Organisation profile
Head of research group: John D. Vestergaard Nieland
Who are we?
We are a very international group, passionate about what we do, and we like to be challenged in our scientific work. Our research expertise spans from molecular cell biology to immunology and pharmacology.
The common interest is to advance our understanding of the most debilitating neurological disorders and optimize novel pharmacological treatments. From targeted recombinant antibody therapy to small molecules, we are interested in alleviating the symptoms and finding a cure.
Our overall aim is to discover new therapeutic strategies, develop better drugs, optimize their effectiveness, reduce unwanted side effects, and understand the response with a unique patient-centred approach. We use advanced research methods from bench to bedside to investigate the complex mechanisms underpinning diseases and optimize therapeutic approaches.
Our research – what we do?
The research of the Molecular Pharmacology group concentrates mainly on studying the pathophysiology of the causes of diseases and how diseases can be treated. We study diseases based on a systemic biological background. We hypothesize that diseases develop when several functions in the body/organism get out of balance. This can be understood as follows in diseases and several organismal functions like metabolism, hormone system, symbiosis with microorganisms in the gut, mouth, lungs and skin, immune system, mitochondria, CNS, environment such as diet that may all work together and are in balance in a healthy organism/person. When several of these systems come out of balance, the disease can develop. Our primary focus is on diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease (PD) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and brain cancer. Our study results suggest that the interplay between environment, diet, metabolites, and genetics is critical for evoking a specific condition of metabolic imbalance that leads to disease development. The research in the group has shown that several CNS diseases are linked to an imbalance in the metabolic process.
The balance is different for each individual. Therefore, the treatment of diseases must be personalised. We have begun to test our hypothesis with neurodegenerative conditions. Furthermore, we are also testing this “metabolic shift” concept in other disease models such as brain cancer, kidney pathologies, psoriasis, and vitiligo. Here, we try to identify the balance between a healthy and a diseased individual. Based on that, determine how this balance needs to be corrected or prevented by maintaining the balance in a healthy person. The treatment can be a mix of several options such as diet, probiotics, medicine and psychological treatment.
How does our research contribute to societal health challenges?
Considering the aging population, one of the significant medical challenges is CNS diseases. A promising approach to preventing or treating these diseases is based on identifying causative pathways and biomarkers. Research conducted in our group has developed a very promising medicine for treating Parkinson’s, MS and ALS. The medicine is currently being tested in a company that has evolved as a startup from our team. Encouraged by this success, we are working hard to discover new disease markers for fast and accurate diagnostics and new therapeutic approaches to CNS pathologies and others. In addition, we have identified novel prognostic biomarkers for the brain tumour glioblastoma.
Who are our key collaborators?
- Liliana M. Davalos, Professor of Conservation Biology, Stony Brook University, USA
- Dina Dechmann, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Germany
- Tae-Hwan Kwon, School of Medicine Kyungpook National University, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, South Korea
- Angelique Corthals, Assistant Professor, John Jay CUNY school of criminal Justice, New York, USA
- Paul Krimpenfoort, MCCA Transgenic Facility at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- 2A Pharma ApS, Aalborg, Denmark
- 2N Pharma ApS, Biological Innovation Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Neurosurgery Department, Aalborg University Hospital
State of the art model for brain disease at least 3 functions need to be out of balance to develop disease
In our model above, genetic and epigenetic factors which are different for each person determine disease sensitivity
However, other functions, as depicted in the cartoon, that modulate metabolism, in combination with genetics and epigenetics induce disease
Keywords
- Biomedicine
- neuropathology
- metabolism and disease
Fingerprint
Collaborations from the last five years
Profiles
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Peter Agre
- The Faculty of Medicine - Adjunct Professor
- Department of Health Science and Technology - Adjunct Professor
- Molecular Pharmacology
Person: External
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Amalie Elton Baisgaard
- Department of Health Science and Technology - PhD Fellow
- Molecular Pharmacology - PhD Fellow
Person: VIP
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Parisa Gazerani
- The Faculty of Medicine - Collaboration Partner
- Department of Health Science and Technology - Collaboration Partner
- Molecular Pharmacology
Person: VIP, External
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C19 Symptom Mapping
Boudreau, S., Bøggild, H., Duroux, M. & Holden, S.
26/03/2020 → …
Project: Research
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Research output
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Antigen presentation by B cells enables epitope spreading across an MHC barrier
Fahlquist-Hagert, C., Wittenborn, T. R., Terczyńska-Dyla, E., Kastberg, K. S., Yang, E., Rallistan, A. N., Markett, Q. R., Winther, G., Fonager, S., Voss, L. F., Pedersen, M. K., van Campen, N., Ferapontov, A., Jensen, L., Huang, J., Nieland, J. D., van der Poel, C. E., Palmfeldt, J., Carroll, M. C., Utz, P. J., & 3 others , 31 Oct 2023, In: Nature Communications. 14, 1, 6941.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
Can venoms be used in neuroprotection?
Gazerani, P., 26 Jan 2024, Natural Molecules in Neuroprotection and Neurotoxicity. de Oliveira, M. R. (ed.). Academic Press, Vol. 1.Research output: Contribution to book/anthology/report/conference proceeding › Book chapter › Research › peer-review
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Contribution of Central and Peripheral Glial Cells in the Development and Persistence of Itch: Therapeutic Implication of Glial Modulation
Gazerani, P., 17 Jan 2023, In: Neuroglia. 4, 1, p. 15-27Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile7 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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Histological and MRI brain atlas of the common shrew, Sorex araneus, with brain region-specific gene expression profiles
Baldoni, C. (Creator), Thomas, W. (Creator), Von Elverfeldt, D. (Creator), Reisert, M. (Creator), Làzaro, J. (Creator), Muturi, M. (Creator), Dàvalos, L. (Creator) & Nieland, J. D. (Creator), Edmond, 16 Feb 2023
DOI: 10.17617/3.hvw8zn, https://edmond.mpdl.mpg.de/citation?persistentId=doi:10.17617/3.HVW8ZN
Dataset
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16s rRNA sequencing data for Downregulating carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 strongly affects disease progression in the SOD1 G93A mouse model
Andersen, D. (Contributor), Baisgaard, A. E. (Contributor), Bolther, L. (Contributor), Hald, J. (Contributor), Huijbers, I. (Contributor), Huntjens, P. (Contributor), Kroese, L. (Contributor), Kullab, U. (Contributor), Mørk, K. (Contributor), Nieland, J. D. (Contributor), Oklinski, K. (Contributor), Pritchard, C. (Contributor), Trabjerg, M. (Creator) & Warming, N. (Contributor), Mendeley Data, 12 Mar 2021
DOI: 10.17632/6zt29bjbzd.1, https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/6zt29bjbzd
Dataset: Supplementary material
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sj-pdf-2-mpx-10.1177_1744806920962925 - Supplemental material for Preoperative serum circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers for chronic postoperative pain after total knee replacement
Giordano, R. (Creator), Petersen, K. K. (Creator), Andersen, H. H. (Contributor), Lichota, J. (Creator), Valeriani, M. (Creator), Simonsen, O. (Creator) & Arendt-Nielsen, L. (Creator), Sage Journals, 2020
DOI: 10.25384/sage.13060937.v1, https://doi.org/10.25384%2Fsage.13060937.v1
Dataset: Supplementary material
Prizes
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Migræne- og Hovedpineforeningen research project grant
Gazerani, Parisa (Recipient), 2019
Prize: Research, education and innovation prizes
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Det Obelske Familiefond
Gazerani, Parisa (Recipient), 2017
Prize: Research, education and innovation prizes
Activities
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The Association of Migraine Disorders (External organisation)
Parisa Gazerani (Member)
2020Activity: Memberships › Membership of research networks or expert groups
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Migraine Science Collaborative (External organisation)
Parisa Gazerani (Member)
2020Activity: Memberships › Board duties in companies, associations, or public organisations
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Atrium (External organisation)
Parisa Gazerani (Member)
2020Activity: Memberships › Board duties in companies, associations, or public organisations
Press/Media
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Cluster headaches may be more common in men, but more severe in women
04/01/2023
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Scientists Investigate a Cure to Headache During Flight
Sebastian Bao Dinh Bui & Parisa Gazerani
23/12/2022
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Meet the mammals that eat their own brains
30/11/2022
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media