Phone: +45 6550 4831
E-mail: bclausen@health.sdu.dk
Department:
Department of Molecular Medicine
Biography:
Dr. Bettina Hjelm Clausen is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Institute for Molecular Medicine, Neurobiology Research Unit. She is part of a distinguished research division recognized for excellence in Neuroscience Research.
Dr. Clausen earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at SDU, where she contributed significantly to the field of stroke research through her early research endeavors. Building upon her expertise, she has since established her own independent research lab. Her work aims to advance our understanding of brain function and pathology, driving innovation in neuroscience and molecular medicine.
2010: Ph.D. in Health Science, SDU/OU (May 11th, 2010).
2003: MSc in Biomedicine, SDU/OU (December 22nd, 2003).
2013: Postdoctoral Fellow, Stuart Cordwell, School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, Australia.
2011: Postdoctoral Fellow, Tadeusz Wieloch, Laboratory of Experimental Brain Research, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund, Sweden.
Board of DSfN (Danish Society for Neuroscience)
Dr. Bettina Hjelm Clausen's research in stroke has led to substantial advances in our understanding of neuroinflammation and the role of the immune system in stroke pathology. Through her work, Dr. Clausen has shown that adjusting the levels of inflammatory cytokines in vivo after a stroke can alter the fate of neurons, opening up possibilities for interventions that may limit neuronal damage and enhance recovery outcomes. She identified that immune cells, especially microglia, exhibit diverse functional profiles in the mouse brain following experimental stroke. A discovery which underscores the complexity of the immune responses within the brain's microenvironment after injury. Additionally, Dr. Clausen's research has highlighted the neuroprotective role of bone marrow-derived, showing their potential to mediate neuroprotection, presenting new avenues for immune-based interventions in stroke, particularly due to their ability to increase the levels of IL-1Ra in innate microglial cells. One of Dr. Clausen's most recent findings involves the role of the gut microbiota in stroke therapy outcomes. Her research shows that the composition of gut bacteria can significantly influence the efficacy of stroke treatments, suggesting that the gut-brain axis could become an integral factor in optimizing post-stroke therapies in the future.
Overall, Dr. Clausen's work offers a deeper understanding of immune dynamics in stroke and illuminates novel therapeutic pathways. Her research group engages in cross-species translational stroke research – evaluating the effect of new drug therapies on stroke and disease outcomes, e.g., cell survival, cell signaling, and behavioral outcomes.