Projects per year
Organization 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
Network
Profiles
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Meg Duroux
- The Faculty of Medicine - Associate Professor
- Department of Health Science and Technology - Associate Professor
- Molecular Pharmacology
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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Julie Niemann Holm-Jacobsen
- The Faculty of Medicine - Invigilator, Research assistant
- Department of Health Science and Technology - Invigilator, Research assistant
- Molecular Pharmacology - Research assistant, Invigilator
Person: VIP, External, TAP
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C19 Symptom Mapping
Boudreau, S., Bøggild, H., Duroux, M. & Holden, S.
26/03/2020 → …
Project: Research
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Cost Action CA17117 : Towards an International Network for Evidence-based Research in Clinical Health Research
17/10/2018 → 31/10/2021
Project: Research
Research output
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Participant comprehension and perspectives regarding the convenience, security, and satisfaction with teleconsent compared to in-person consent: A parallel-group pilot study among Danish citizens
Nyholm Gaarskjær, A., Crookshanks Duroux, M. & Hogreffe, R., Aug 2022, In: Contemporary clinical trials communications. 28, 100927.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Short-Term Functional and Morphological Changes in the Primary Cultures of Trigeminal Ganglion Cells
Veríssimo, C. P., Acosta Filha, L. G., Moreira da Silva, F. J., Westgarth, H., Coelho Aguiar, J. D. M., Pontes, B., Moura-Neto, V., Gazerani, P. & DosSantos, M. F., 8 Mar 2022, In: Current Issues in Molecular Biology. 44, 3, p. 1257-1272 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Downloads (Pure) -
The role of multimodal MRI in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease
Knudsen, L. V., Gazerani, P., Duan, Y., Michel, T. M. & Vafaee, M. S., Jan 2022, In: Journal of Neuroimaging. 32, 1, p. 148-157 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Datasets
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16s rRNA sequencing data for Downregulating carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 strongly affects disease progression in the SOD1 G93A mouse model
Kroese, L. (Contributor), Warming, N. (Contributor), Huijbers, I. (Contributor), Pritchard, C. (Contributor), Oklinski, K. (Contributor), Nieland, J. D. (Contributor), Kullab, U. (Contributor), Hald, J. L. (Contributor), Bolther, L. (Contributor), Baisgaard, A. (Contributor), Mørk, K. (Contributor), Huntjens, P. (Contributor), Trabjerg, M. (Creator) & Andersen, D. C. (Contributor), Mendeley Data, 2021
DOI: 10.17632/6zt29bjbzd.1, https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/6zt29bjbzd
Dataset
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Data for research article titled: "Lactobacillus rhamnosus PB01 (DSM 14870) supplementation affects markers of sperm kinematic parameters in a diet-induced obesity mice model"
Dardmeh, F. (Creator), Alipour, H. (Contributor), Gazerani, P. (Creator), Van Der Horst, G. (Contributor), Brandsborg, E. (Creator) & Nielsen, H. I. (Creator), Figshare, 2017
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.5446525.v1, https://doi.org/10.6084%2Fm9.figshare.5446525.v1
Dataset
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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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
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The Association of Migraine Disorders (External organisation)
Parisa Gazerani (Member)
2020Activity: Memberships › Membership of research networks or expert groups
Press / Media
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2N Pharma får millionstøtte af det amerikanske forsvarsministerium til at finde kur mod ALS
12/04/2022
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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We are finally beginning to understand migraines and how to treat them
26/01/2022
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Dansk studie: Migræne kan i sjældne tilfælde være tegn på hjerneskade
14/07/2021
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media