{"id":6984,"date":"2022-12-23T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-23T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leo-foundation.org\/en\/?p=6984"},"modified":"2023-02-22T11:47:49","modified_gmt":"2023-02-22T10:47:49","slug":"the-leo-foundation-awards-dkk-23-million-to-eight-new-research-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leo-foundation.org\/en\/2022\/12\/23\/the-leo-foundation-awards-dkk-23-million-to-eight-new-research-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"DKK 23 million to eight new skin research projects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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23 December 2022<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A project which aims to help differentiate between atopic dermatitis and Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma – a cancer of white blood cells, investigation into the common skin disease Ichthyosis, and insights into sebaceous glands which are critical for the physiological balance and barrier function of our skin. The LEO Foundation awards DKK 23 million (EUR 3 million) in the latest round of research grants in open competition.  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eight exciting new projects have received grants from the LEO Foundation and are to place a wide range of focuses on skin diseases and the bettering of their understanding. The projects are headed by eight inspiring scientists from all over the world, who each provide their stirring motivations for progressing research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three grantees hail from Danish universities in this round, representing three separate institutions \u2013 Aarhus University, University of Copenhagen, and University of Southern Denmark. The round also sees a previously funded project receive a second grant, as Richard Granstein, from Weill Medical College of Cornell University in USA, continues research into the role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in regulating skin immunity.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spain and Germany are also represented in the latest round, Xavier Gasull hailing from Fundaci\u00f3 Cl\u00ednic per a la Recerca Biom\u00e8dica (FCRB) in Spain – Xavier is also a Professor at the University of Barcelona. A further two grantees hail from Germany \u2013 Michael Bader and Catherin Niemann, from Max-Delbr\u00fcck-Center for Molecular Medicine and University of Cologne respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This latest round of research grants marks over DKK 416 million (EUR 55 million) given in independent research grants to scientists around the world since 2016, dedicated to improving the understanding and treatment of skin diseases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A glance into the projects<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three of the eight projects include those from Larisa Geskin, Lotte K. Vogel and Catherin Niemann, who each propose to expand varying insights into skin diseases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Larisa Geskin from Columbia University USA, is one scientist to receive a grant in the latest round as she proposes important exploration of blood-borne biomarkers to differentiate between atopic dermatitis (AD) and Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), a cancer of the white blood cells, which can often look like AD. Through her project, Larisa hopes to help develop a screening test for patients with AD to assure better identification of undiagnosed CTCL in such patients. If successful Larisa\u2019s project paves the way for providing a simple and inexpensive test for a great number of physicians, before beginning therapy for AD. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, Lotte K. Vogel from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark proposes investigation into the common skin disease Ichthyosis, which causes \u201cfish-scale\u201d like skin in patients. There are unfortunately currently poor treatment options for this debilitating disease, and the molecular mechanisms behind Ichthyosis are not well understood. With her project, Lotte explores variations in genes which may cause the skin disease. If successful, Lotte and her team stand to make an original contribution to understanding Ichthyosis, improving opportunity for developing treatment options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sebaceous glands (SGs) are highly important for the physiological balance and barrier function of our skin, and with her project, Catherin Niemann hopes to provide novel understanding of the main drivers of normal SG function \u2013 which otherwise remain incompletely understood. SG dysfunction is unfortunately associated with a variety of skin diseases, including acne. The long-term goal of Catherin\u2019s project is to therefore shed light on the central mechanisms of SG regulation and establish a means of testing new therapeutic strategies for SG disorders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more about all eight research projects below and gain an understanding of each of their impacts upon the global scene of dermatology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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