Single Blog Title

This is a single blog caption

New research centre on skin disease aims for global excellence

The MAERSK TOWER centrally located in Copenhagen Science City is the new home for the The LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center

A new ambitious skin disease research centre at the University of Copenhagen aims to use Big Data and highly specialised proteomics research to uncover the fundamental mechanisms behind skin disease. The LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center opened in February 2019. The centre expects to make full use of its location in Copenhagen Science City.

50 million Euro to co-locate Danish and international researchers

There are over 3000 known skin diseases. Their symptoms often reduce quality of life, and every fourth person on the globe suffers from one at some point in his or her life. Based on a grant from the LEO Foundation of more than 50 million EUR over 10 years the centre will bring together leading Danish and international researchers in immunology and skin disease.

Perfect location for co-creation

The skin centre is located in the MAERSK TOWER at the University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. The building is perfectly located for life science collaboration. Just across the road are clinicians at the University Hospital Rigshospitalet, a few hundred meters north you find University of Copenhagen departments for pharmacy, chemistry and computer science. A three minute walk brings you to COBIS which is the strongest life science start-up community in Denmark.

New paths to treatment and recovery

In the MAERSK TOWER, skin disease researchers will work closely with proteomics experts at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Protein Research. Most skin diseases are a result of protein imbalances and proteomics investigates proteins combining chemical analysis and advanced computer tools. To kick off their collaboration, researchers presented an atlas characterising and locating 11,000 proteins in healthy human skin. This will be an invaluable aid to discover new paths to treatment and possibly recovery from psoriasis, eczema, autoimmune diseases and other skin conditions.

From discovery over proof of principle to patients

The ‘LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center’ will identify key questions relating to disease heterogeneity, new pathological mechanisms, and novel therapies of inflammatory skin diseases.
The ultimate aim is to help people with skin diseases in the best possible way. The centre launches a focused effort employing cutting edge technologies to advance biological insights and translate basic discoveries to proof of principle and finally to patients.