Meet the CELPPLUS Team
Cell Culture in a 2D format remains an important in vitro system for screening and early validation of drug candidates, however cells in in vitro settings experience very different microenvironment from those they represent in vivo which can lead to them acting differently. More relevant cellular phenotypes for in vitro screening have the potential to improve drug candidates. This project will develop and demonstrate a technology to generate more relevant 2D microenvironments in vitro with an aim to provide better cellular phentotypes for drug screening. Read more about the CELPPLUS Team members below
DUNCAN SUTHERLAND, Professor, iNANO, Aarhus University:
Heads the Nanobiointerfaces Group which focuses on nanostructured materials and their interaction with living systems. In the project the group will develop nanopatterned culture systems compatible with high throughput imaging and study cellular adhesions to steer differentiation of keratinocytes.
CLAUS JOHANSEN, Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University:
His research interests are in the molecular mechanisms involved in skin diseases such as psoriasis. In the project his group will characterize the phenotype of keratinocytes at different stages of differentiation generated via the new culture system and compare them to in vivo data.
ANDREAS HERCHENHAN, PhD Scientist, Explorative Biology and Bioinformatics, LEO Pharma:
The department is responsible for early target identification and validation in inflammatory skin diseases. In this context, Andreas and colleagues develop novel in vitro cell culture assays that reflect key disease pathways to foster data-driven target exploration. In the project LEO Pharma will test the developed cell culture system to improve a current immune drug screening assay.