News
ATLAS partner awarded prestigious career grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation
ATLAS partner and principal investigator Kim Ravnskjaer has been awarded 11.4M from the Novo Nordisk Foundation for liver research.
Hepatic stellate cells control metabolism
By use of genetic engineering, super-resolution microscopy, multiomics, and indirect calorimetry of mice, the Ravnskjaer Lab now demonstrates that the hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) expressed protein plasmalemma vesicle-associated protein (PLVAP) is vital for whole-body lipid distribution and fasting metabolism. They show that HSCs control the liver adaptation fasting and that ablation of PLVAP in these cells disrupts the switch from glucose to lipid utilization. The work is now published in Cell Metabolism.
Unveiling the Mysteries of Liver Cells: An Interview with Nicolaj Ibsgaard Toft
Unlock the secrets of liver cells with Nicolaj Ibsgaard Toft from ATLAS! His groundbreaking research reveals that liver cells, though they look identical, have unique roles essential for our health. Dive into how these discoveries could revolutionize treatments for liver diseases. Curious to learn more? Check out the full interview on the SDU website here.
Professor Susanne Mandrup receives the prestigious Annual Award from Villum Foundation
Professor Susanne Mandrup is a renowned researcher in the field of adipocyte differentiation and function, and her lifelong efforts were honored today with one of the most prestigious awards to be bestowed upon a researcher within Science and Technology in Denmark: the Villum Kann Rasmussen Annual Award of DKK 5 million.
ATLAS researcher Anne Loft receives a prestigious fellowship from the Lundbeck Foundation
Anne Loft, a junior group leader in ATLAS, has been awarded a prestigious 10 million DKK fellowship from the Lundbeck Foundation. Over five years, the grant enables her to establish her own research group investigating how a dysfunctional fat tissue in obese individuals contributes to the development of severe liver inflammation and fibrosis.
New review publication from ATLAS researchers on adipose tissue at single-cell resolution
The recent advances in single-cell omics technologies have revolutionized our understanding of tissue dynamics. In a new review publication, ATLAS researchers, Babukrishna Maniyadath and Susanne Mandrup, with colleagues from UT-Southwestern-Texas provide a comprehensive overview of the recent insight gained from single-cell studies into the cellular heterogeneity and plasticity of adipose tissue. Opportunities to leverage emerging single-cell technologies to acquire further mechanistic insight into adipose biology is discussed.
Another non-invasive biomarker for NASH identified in collaborative effort by ATLAS researchers
ATLAS researchers have combined forces and demonstrated the strength of interdisciplinary research by identifying the protein SMOC2 in blood as a novel biomarker of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A simple blood sample with SMOC2 protein level as readout may reflect an integrated state of the liver health and holds promise as a new tool for diagnosis of NASH, which will potentially substitute liver biopsies for many patients.
ATLAS researchers discover new non-invasive biomarker for NASH
The strength of our interdisciplinary center is obvious, as ATLAS researchers in a joint effort have identified that the protein TREM2 in blood is a plausible individual biomarker of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The promising new discovery has the potential to reduce the need for liver biopsy, which is an invasive procedure, and instead rule-in or rule-out the presence of NASH in a normal blood sample manner.
ATLAS researchers reveal a new link between the immune system and fasting metabolism
Using cell type-resolved genomics, ATLAS researchers, Anne Loft and Søren Fisker Schmidt, have explored the crosstalk between hepatocytes and liver macrophages during fasting. Here they found that liver macrophages modulate the fasting response in hepatocytes via a signaling axis connecting the glucocorticoid receptors in the two cellular compartments.
ATLAS researchers receive grant to study healthy and unhealthy fat tissue in human obesity
The health insurance Sygeforsikringen ”danmark” has awarded 5.6 million DKK to Prof. Susanne Mandrup for the project “Single cell dissection of healthy and unhealthy adipose tissue in human obesity”. The aim is to shed light on the metabolic mechanisms underlying the differences generally observed between individuals with so-called apple- and pear-shaped bodies.
Center director contributes to national educational material on “Fat cells, genes, and the code of life”
Elementary school teachers and their pupils are invited to join a journey into ATLAS Center Director Susanne Mandrup’s research area and get an introduction to fat cells, genes, and the code of life.
ATLAS partner is now Vice-Secretary of EASL
As the first Dane, Prof. Aleksander Krag, MD, takes up office as the new Vice-Secretary of the international European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL). He is professor in liver diseases and director of the elite research center FLASH at SDU and Odense University Hospital, as well as clinical partner in ATLAS.
Transcriptional networks regulating stromal cell differentiation
Rauch and Mandrup review recent advances in the understanding of the transcriptional networks driving stromal cell lineage determination and differentiation.
Review from ATLAS researchers on the newest methods to examine severely obese patients for liver disease
Current techniques for identifying fatty liver disease in overweight and obese patients are not satisfactory and new methods are highly needed. ATLAS researchers gauge the current status and go over new promising methods that can improve the diagnostic tests.
Plasticity of white adipose tissue at single-nucleus resolution in response to diet-induced obesity in mice
Using single-nucleus RNA-seq, the Mandrup Group shows in a collaborative study with the Madsen Group that diet-induced obesity in male mice leads to major transcriptional changes in all cell types in epididymal adipose tissue. They show that in vivo adipocyte differentiation is affected by obesity and demonstrate the existence of three adipocyte subpopulations, one of which is lost in obesity.
ATLAS annual meeting 2020 went hybrid, and it was a success
Plenty of distance, a combination of online and on-site activities, and enthusiastic center members made this year’s annual meeting possible and successful.
Towards a fast corona test
ATLAS researcher collaborates with Danish biotech company to develop antibodies for a home test for COVID-19. When ready, in just 10 min. the test can tell whether you have COVID-19 virus particles in your body, even before you experience any symptoms. The applications are enormous.
New publication in Nature Genetics shows that 3D enhancer communities play an important role in stem cell differentiation
A new study published by the Mandrup group reveals wide-spread interactions between transcriptional enhancers involved in driving stem cell differentiation.
Five young researchers join ATLAS this Fall
This Fall we onboard five dedicated young PhD fellows and Postdocs who over the coming years will contribute to our work towards understanding fat and liver tissue plasticity.
New publication in PLOS Genetics on molecular mechanisms controlling thyroid hormone receptor activity in the liver
The Grøntved group has just published a study revealing different mechanisms behind thyroid hormone receptor-mediated gene regulation in the liver
ATLAS has recruited new Assistant Professor in Computational Biology
ATLAS is pleased to announce that Jesper Grud Skat Madsen, has been appointed as Assistant Professor in Computational Biology
Human Cell Atlas: Mapping the human body once cell at a time – a virtual lecture by Dr. Sarah Teichmann
Dr. Sarah Teichmann, Group Leader at Sanger Institute and co-PI of the Human Cell Atlas will discuss how this ambitious global initiative provides unprecedented understanding of human cells and tissues in health and diseases such as cancer and Covid-19 infection.
Basic research in a Center of Excellence
Transformative research
New study in Hepatology
New technology to investigate the cellular processes as they change during fibrosis development
Molecular basis of human enhanceropathies - ENHPATHY
ENHPATHY is a multidisciplinary science consortium created in the frame of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions (MSCA)-ITN-ETN European Training Networks call and regrouping 15 academic and 9 non-academic European organisations in the continuum of basic, translational and clinical research on enhancers and associated diseases.
The Order of Dannebrog
Head of ATLAS, Professor Susanne Mandrup has been knighted with The Order of Dannebrog
Research Dissemination Prize 2019 to ATLAS researcher
The University of Southern Denmark´s Research Dissemination Prize is awarded to a researcher for the spirited, creative communication of his/her academic field aimed at a broad audience.
Does your liver have a memory?
Support to ATLAS PI, Associate Professor Kim Ravnskjaer and his group from Novo Nordisk
Grant to ATLAS Assistant Professor
ATLAS PI, Associate Professor, Lars Grøntved has received a new grant
Obesity - a major risk factor for development of a plethora of life-threatening metabolic diseases
A multidisciplinary symposium with international top scientists
Grant to our Project Student
ATLAS Project Student Trine Vestergaard Dam, receives a grant from Danish Diabetes Academy.
Official opening of Center for Adipocyte Signaling - ADIPOSIGN
On May 27, 2019 Center for Adipocyte Signaling (ADIPOSIGN) opens at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU)
And the prize goes to 2 ATLAS partners
Odd Fellow Order Prize 2019.
The Danish Science Festival - Forskningens Døgn
A great day with many curious kids.
To be or not to be a fat cell – a question of transcription factor network
A new publication is out in Nature Genetics entitled “Osteogenesis depends on commisioning of a network of stem cell transcription factors that act as repressors of adipogenesis"
New publication in Nature Scientific Reports on transcriptional regulation in Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
New paper from the Ravnskjaer Group in Nature Scientific Reports describes their identification of ETS1 and RUNX1 as transcriptional drivers of "Western" diet-induced liver fibrosis in mouse models of human Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
ATLAS Director expands obesity research with a new center
ATLAS Director Susanne Mandrup receives DKK 60 million from the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s Challenge Program for the establishment of a new research center – ADIPOSIGN – Center for Adipocyte Signaling. Together with ATLAS, the new center clearly demonstrates how SDU is at the forefront when it comes to research within obesity, functional genomics and metabolism
A most precious biopsy
Follow ATLAS researchers when they take out tissue samples from a patient
Fifty shades of Brown - On Plasticity of Thermogenic Adipocytes
ATLAS researchers recently published a review article in BioZoom highlighting the heterogeneity and plasticity of brown and white adipocytes.
ATLAS Center Director co-organizes international meeting
Center Director Susanne Mandrup co-organizes the 4th Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories meeting on Mechanisms of Metabolic Signaling and Disease
ATLAS Annual Meeting 2018
The first ATLAS Annual Meeting was a huge success. Great scientific presentations and discussions, and constructive ideas for the coming years - no doubt we are on the right track with a strong team in ATLAS!
Professor Blagoy Blagoev receives funding for exciting proteomics project
ATLAS Professor Blagoy Blagoev receives DKK 2.592.000,- from the Independent Research Fund Denmark for the project “Unraveling the puzzle of ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like protein modifications”.
ATLAS Seminar Series has been launched
Tune H. Pers and Benedicte M. Pers initiate the ATLAS Seminar Series with exciting talks on their research within the field of obesity
Measuring tiny interactions between proteins with the Octet
The newly arrived Octet RED96e enables ATLAS researchers to investigate tiny interactions between proteins in a high-throughput manner
ATLAS recruits two talented postdocs
Anitta K. Sárvári and Fabio Avolio joins ATLAS as postdoctoral fellows
ATLAS scientist promoted to Associate Professor
ATLAS is pleased to announce the promotion of Lars Grøntved to Associate Professor in Functional Genomics
NovaSeq 6000 has arrived at SDU
New Center of Excellence ATLAS ready to strengthen the investigation of obesity at the cellular level with the arrival of a state-of-the-art sequencer, the NovaSeq 6000.
New Centeradministrator
Louise Cathrine Braun Olsen Elmelund-Præstekær will be new Centeradministrator in ATLAS and PA to Susanne Mandrup from January 1, 2018
Sapere Aude - Starting Grant
Lars Grøntved, PI in ATLAS, Center for Functional Genomics and Tissue Plasticity, and Associate Professor in the Functional Genomics and Metabolism Research Unit, receives the prestigious Sapere Aude - Starting Grant.
Official Opening and Symposium
150 people joined us for the ATLAS opening and symposium