Network Partner

Karsten Kristiansen
Ph.D. Professor
Department of Biology
University of Copenhagen and
University of Southern Denmark
Ole Maaløes Vej 5
DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
Phone: +45 3532 4443
e-mail: kk@bio.ku.dk

The Laboratory for Genomics and Molecular Biomedicine mainly focuses on analyses of the mechanisms that control adipose tissue development and function combining molecular analyses in vitro and in vivo with very powerful bioinformatics analyses taking advantage of a strong collaboration with Beijing Genomics Institute providing a huge capacity for parallel sequencing using Solexa and SoLiD sequencing technology. One Solexa sequencer operating in the Odense laboratory is mainly used for ChIP-sequencing and transcriptome analysis.

Major research themes concern i) the role of nuclear receptors and their co-factors in controlling energy homeostasis, ii) the role of the tumorsuppressors pRB and p53 as regulators of nuclear receptors, an iii) the role of cAMP signaling n control of adipocyte differentiation and nuclear receptor activity.

The laboratory also houses BioLigands ApS (business area: development of novel antidiabetic/antiobesity drugs including screening platforms for analysis, identification and characterization of nuclear receptor ligands and cofactor recruitment). The laboratory coordinates national and international projects aiming at identifying and characterizing bioactive substances from medicinal herbs and ordinary vegetables with an emphasis on compounds that activated nuclear receptors (PPARs, LXR, RXR, FXR and PXR) and hence may affect metabolic pathways.

The laboratory employs numerous mouse models including conventional strains, transgenic and knockout mice; we have established novel knockout/transgenic strains, and in addition, the laboratory is using a panel of already existing knockout strains. The laboratory has had a long standing interest in human epidermis with emphasis on molecular analyses of normal and psoriatic skin, with particular emphasis on the role of nuclear receptors and their interaction with the NF-?B system.