I am a medical doctor, PhD, assistant professor at Aarhus University and head of the Bioassay Laboratory at Aarhus University Hospital. I develop biological measurement methods (bioassays) for growth factors and steroid hormones and investigate how signalling molecules regulate muscle and bone. Drawing on my clinical and experimental background, I work to translate insights into hormone activity into better diagnostics and new treatments.
My research connects growth factor and steroid hormone biology with the development of diagnostics and treatments. A central part of this work is developing and validating bioassays that measure biological activity. I developed a serum bioassay for free and bioactive glucocorticoids that is now undergoing clinical evaluation and laboratory implementation.
I also study activin signalling in muscle and bone, combining bioassays, protein design and preclinical disease models to explore treatments for muscle and bone loss. This includes leading the preclinical characterisation of Keros Therapeutics’ drug candidate KER-065.
The same interest in translating biological insights into treatments underpins my work on drug delivery. I developed PlasmPort, a platform for delivering nucleic acids and biological medicines into the cytoplasm of cells, and co-founded Enter Therapeutics. Across these projects, I draw on my medical background to connect experimental research with the development of technologies that have the potential to address clinical needs.
I teach gross anatomy and have experience in anatomy, histology and biochemistry. I have supervised three PhD students and eight research year students. Drawing on my experience as a doctor and researcher, I emphasise the connections between the body's structure, function and disease.
I collaborate with Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus University's Department of Biomedicine, the University of Copenhagen, Herlev Hospital, Odense University Hospital and Rigshospitalet. International partners include Erasmus MC, the University of Münster and the Swiss Center for Musculoskeletal Biobanking. Industry partners include Keros Therapeutics and Novo Nordisk. These collaborations span bioassays, muscle and bone biology, and the development of new treatments.
I advise pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as investors, on growth factor biology, drug development and scientific strategy. My experience includes advising Novo Nordisk, Aureka Biotechnologies and Morgan Stanley. I contribute expertise in the TGF-β family of signalling molecules, bioassays and preclinical research.
I lead the development and validation of bioassays that measure the biological activity of growth factors and steroid hormones. My work spans assay development, testing and assessment of clinical applications. This includes a bioassay I developed for free and bioactive glucocorticoids, which is now undergoing clinical evaluation and laboratory implementation.
