During his PhD studies, Emil Christian Poulsen investigated a family of proteins found in human blood and connective tissue. The examined group of proteins are called Inter-a-inhibitor heavy chains and are involved in stabilizing the connective structure surrounding the cell (called the extracellular matrix). If these proteins are missing or disturbed, it can result in errors in the makeup of the extracellular matrix. An example of this is that the protective coating of the oocyte, that is important for ovulation and fertilization, is abolished if inter-a-inhibitor heavy chains are non-functional, which leads to oocytes without a protective layer and results in infertility. Emil Christian Poulsen studied how inter-a-inhibitor heavy chains work and how they are degraded during inflammatory diseases, like arthritis.

The new research findings contribute to the understanding of how inter-a-inhibitor heavy chains work and what role the play in the progression of arthritis.

The PhD study was completed at Institute for molecular biology and genetics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University. This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Friday, 22 April 2022 at 13:00
Place: The PhD defence will be held online. To receive a link to the event, please send an e-mail to Jan Enghild, jje@mbg.au.dk.
Title of PhD thesis: : Inter-alpha inhibitor heavy chains – a curious family of proteins in the extracellular matrix

Contact information: Emil Christian Poulsen, e-mail: ecp@mbg.au.dk, tel.: +45 51553743

Members of the assessment committee:

• Professor Christoph Becker-Pauly, Department of Biochemistry, University of Kiel, Germany
• Professor Michael Toft Overgaard, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Denmark
• Associate Professor Pia Møller Martensen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University (chair), Denmark

Main supervisor:
Professor Jan Enghild, Institute for molecular biology and genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark

Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English.

The defence is public.

The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences/GSNS, Katrinebjergvej 89F, building 5132, 8200 Aarhus N.