We have access to advanced platforms as well as on-site section rooms and bioimaging facilities.

In addition the prioritized research areas at DTU Health Tech, including diagnostic imaging, surgical technology, precision diagnostics and personalized therapy create, a unique and active mutually beneficial environment for further exploration of the Ossabaw pig model.

We have many years of experience in basic research on innate immunology and transcriptional regulation in pigs, focused at understanding innate host responses against infections such as influenza as well as responses to chronic inflammatory states such as obesity/metabolic syndrome and cancer in pigs (see references below).

We also identify, characterize and develop assays for biomarkers (cytokines, acute phase proteins, microRNA) for diagnosing inflammatory processes as well as vaccine responses, infection pathogenesis etc. As a result, we have built up a unique pig immunology toolbox.

Collaborative project

Bioavailability of micronutrients in dairy/plants (BioMicro) and Health effects of Vitamin K: towards evidence-based nutrition recommendations and chronic disease prevention

A three-year projects initiated in 2023, funded by the Danish Dairy Research Foundation led by Dr. Jette Jakobsen, DTU Food and both investigating vitamin K uptake and effects in humans and in Ossabaw pigs. Specifically, the projects will investigate the bioavailability of vitamins in Ossabaw pigs as well as the potential effect of dietary vitamin K supplementation on atherosclerosis development in obese Ossabaw pigs.

Collaborative project

Impact of obesity-related metabolic syndrome on antiviral immunity and influenza A virus infection – exploration of mechanisms using the Ossabaw miniature pig model

A three-year collaborative project funded by the Independent Research Foundation of Denmark, headed by Dr. Kerstin Skovgaard DTU Bioengineering, starting 2024. The project will model influenza infection and disease in obese human individuals using obese Ossabaw pigs.

Reference

The Ossabaw genome

Zhang Y, Fan G, Liu X, Skovgaard K, Sturek M, Heegaard PMH.
The genome of the naturally evolved obesity-prone Ossabaw miniature pig.
iScience. 2021 Sep 3;24(9):103081. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103081. PMID: 34585119; PMCID: PMC8455653

References

Infection models and vaccine response

Skovgaard et. al., 2013, Innate Immunology
Brogaard et. al., 2016, Science Rep.
Brogaard et. al., 2018, PLOS ONE
Starbæk et. al., 2018, ILAR J.
Ugolini et. al., 2018, Nature Immunology
Overgaard et. al., 2018, Vaccine

References

Obesity models

Rødgaard et. al., 2013, Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol.
Rødgaard et. al., 2013, Animal Genetics
Boonen et. al., 2014, Pflügers Arch
Christoffersen et. al., 2015, Comparative Med.
Ludvigsen et. al., 2015, J. Transl. Med.

References

Forensic medicine models

Baringtong et. al., 2017, Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology
Baringtong et. al., 2018, Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Baringtong et. al., 2018, Research in Veterinary Medicine
Baringtong et. al., 2018, Data in Brief

References

Cancer Immunology

Overgaard et. al., 2015, Frontiers in Generics
Overgaard et. al., 2018, ILAR J.
Overgaard et. al., 2018, Frontiers in Immunology

References

Models for preterm birth and necrotrizing enterocolitis

Siggers et. al., 2008, Am J. Physiol.
Cilieborg et. al., 2011, Br. J. Nutrition
Støy et. al., 2013, ISRN Genomics
Støy et. al., 2014, Clin. Nutr.
Støy et. al., 2015, Neionatalogy
Niguyen et. al., 2016, Science rep.
Støy et. al., 2017, Neonatalogy
Sun et. al., 2018, Journal of Neuroinflammation
Brunse et. al., 2018, Schock
Niguyen et. al., 2018, American Journal of Pathology

Reference

Models for implant associated infections

Lüthje et. al., 2018, Laboratory Animals

Reference

The Ossabaw genome

References

Infection models and vaccine response

References

Obesity models

References

Forensic medicine models

References

Cancer Immunology

Overgaard et. al., 2015, Frontiers in Generics
Overgaard et. al., 2018, ILAR J.
Overgaard et. al., 2018, Frontiers in Immunology

References

Models for preterm birth and necrotrizing enterocolitis

Reference

Models for implant associated infections

Lüthje et. al., 2018, Laboratory Animals

Link

Immunology Toolbox

Read more about the immunology toolbox under Services.

Research

We have access to advanced platforms as well as on-site section rooms and bioimaging facilities.

Bioavailability of micronutrients in dairy/plants (BioMicro) and Health effects of Vitamin K: towards evidence-based nutrition recommendations and chronic disease prevention

Impact of obesity-related metabolic syndrome on antiviral immunity and influenza A virus infection – exploration of mechanisms using the Ossabaw miniature pig model

The Ossabaw genome

Infection models and vaccine response

Obesity models

Forensic medicine models

Cancer Immunology

Models for preterm birth and necrotrizing enterocolitis

Models for implant associated infections

The Ossabaw genome

Infection models and vaccine response

Obesity models

Forensic medicine models

Cancer Immunology

Models for preterm birth and necrotrizing enterocolitis

Models for implant associated infections

Immunology Toolbox

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