These diseases, i.e. allergic rhinitis, asthma and COPD, inflict approximately one third of the population in Western countries, and consequently impacts on the individual as well as society.
Research has been carried out in close collaboration with the research unit at the Department of Pulmonary MedicineAarhus University Hospital. Our research considers disease mechanisms as well as observational and intervention studies.
So far, a major topic has been the description of eosinophils and their markers during allergic mucosal inflammation in rhinitis and asthma. The impact of pharmacological interventions on eosinophils and their markers has also been studied. We have demonstrated an eosinophil marker in serum, i.e. ECP, as a prognostic indicator for asthma development in allergic rhinitis patients. Similarly, we have studied applicability of eosinophil markers and exhaled NO as monitoring parameters in allergic rhinitis and asthma.
In addition to numerous studies on pharmacological interventions at phases II-IV of drug development, the group has undertaken studies on treatment of asthma and COPD with magnesium, vitamin D and various alternative therapies.

Methodologies

Multicolor FACS analysis.
FEIA analysis of eosinophil granule proteins.
Exhaled NO.
Acoustic Rhinometry.
Nasal lavage and biopsy techniques.
Allergen and non-allergen challenge techniques.
Measurement techniques for lung function.
Randomised controlled intervention studies.

Collaborators

Lars Peter Nielsen, Ass. Professor, Chief Physician, Centre for Pharmacotherapy, Institute of Biomedicine, Aarhus University and Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Aarhus University Hospital
Ronald Dahl, Professor, DrMSc, Chief Physician, Allergy Centre, Odense University Hospital
Hans Jürgen Hoffmann, Ass. Professor, PhD, Research unit at the Department of Respiratory Diseases and Allergy, Aarhus University Hospital
Mette K. B. Dolberg, PhD student, MD, Research unit at the Department of Respiratory Diseases and Allergy, Aarhus University Hospital
Ayfer Topcu, PhD student, MD, Research unit at the Department of Respiratory Diseases and Allergy, Aarhus University Hospital
Sarah Hussein, Research year student, Research unit at the Department of Respiratory Diseases and Allergy, Aarhus University Hospital