A joint collaboration between researchers from the spin-out company Commit Biologics, Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel and Aarhus University has led to a better understanding of the function of the so-called complement system. The findings offer a new approach to developing immunotherapies that can boost the immune system to fight diseases like cancer. The spin-out venture resulting from this collaboration aims to translate the research findings into clinical applications.
After seven years of intense research, a research group from Aarhus University has succeeded - through an interdisciplinary collaboration - in understanding why a very extended structure is important for an essential protein from the human immune system. The new results offer new opportunities for adjusting the activity of the immune system both up and down. Stimulation is interesting in relation to cancer treatment, while inhibition of the immune system is used in treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Although the protein ITIH4 is found in large amounts in the blood, its function has so far been unknown. By combining many different techniques, researchers from Aarhus University have discovered that ITIH4 inhibits proteases in the innate immune system via an unknown mechanism. The research results have just been published in the prestigious scientific journal Science Advances.
An international research team has been able to describe the overall structure of the antibody type IgE, which is the key molecule in allergic diseases. This is a scientific breakthrough which provides important insights into basic mechanisms of allergic reactions and may pave the way for more effective allergy medicine. The new research results have now been published in the scientific journal Allergy.
Researchers from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and from the Department of Biomedicine at Aarhus University have collaboratively developed and described a llama-antibody that might have significant impact for future diagnostics and treatment of, e.g., kidney diseases.
New research results give an improved basic scientific understanding of how the innate immune system works, which – among other things – opens up for new possibilities for the treatment of various diseases.
By studying a large protein (the C1 protein) with X-rays and electron microscopy, researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark have established a new model for how an important part of the innate immune system is activated. The activation of the C1 protein is a fundamental mechanism in immunology, and therefore the new research results also have medical potential.
In collaboration with Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., scientists from Aarhus University have used X-rays to understand how the therapeutic antibody eculizumab prevents our immune system from destroying red blood cells and damaging kidney tissue.
Forskningsresultater fra Aarhus Universitet kan hjælpe med at udvikle medicin mod betændelsestilstande.
Danish researchers have determined in atomic detail how an important mechanism in the immune system works. These results could form the basis for improved pharmaceuticals.
A research team from Aarhus University has revealed details of how a chain reaction in the human immune system starts. With these results, the researchers hope to promote the development of strategies aimed at alleviating suffering caused by unintentional activation of the immune system.
![[Translate to English:] olympiade](/fileadmin/_processed_/f/2/csm_Biologiolympiade-2024_c5612adaa4.jpg)
This week, the semi-finals of the Biology Olympiad were held for the 30 most talented upper secondary school students in biology in Denmark. The top 15 will advance to the final, where the top four will represent Denmark at the International Biology Olympiad, which this year will be held in Kazakhstan from 7-14 July 2024.
Gregers Rom Andersen and Poul Nissen from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, participate in a new three-year EU project for the Oresund-Kattegat-Skagerak (OKS) area, which has received a grant from the EU of EUR 3.6 million.
Five of Denmark’s leading researchers on structural biology will collaborate on a project to gain insight into the brain’s functions and diseases. The initiative is called BRAINSTRUC and funded by Lundbeckfonden with up to DKK 60 million over a five-year period.
Gregers Rom Andersen was awarded the prize as the best teacher of year 2014 at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics.
Gregers Rom Andersen has been appointed professor of structural biology at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Aarhus University
A group of researchers at AU has been granted DKK 15 million to create a new research center forn studying the body's membrane proteins. The following researchers from the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics participate in the center: Gregers Rom Andersen, Rune Hartmann, Lene Niemann Nejsum, Poul Nissen, Claus Oxvig and Lea Thøgersen.
Read the news article (in Danish)
Gregers Rom Andersen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, has achieved great international recognition with his nomination as a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). The election to EMBO is a recognition of Gregers Rom Andersen’s excellent research within structural biology.
Gregers Rom Andersen, Department of Molecular Biology, Aarhus University, has received the prestigious Hallas-Møller scholarship of 11 million Danish Kroner from the Novo Nordisk Foundation to support the project: Structural studies of complement C5 and C5a receptors with the aim of inhibitor development.
Researchers around the world dream of getting just one article in Nature or Science, as these two journals are the most recognised and prestigious journals in the world among researchers in science. But a Danish PhD students has now achieved something unheard of in the research. Within two days, 23-24 August 2006, Christian Brix Folsted Andersen, Department of Molecular Biology, Aarhus University, had his research published in both journals and we are talking about two different projects unrelated to each other. In addition, Christian has achieved these results while he was a student.
