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Nykjær Group

Receptor Neurobiology

Research activities are focused towards the functional characterization of a group of type-1 receptors denoted the Vps10p-domain family, or so-called sortlins, that comprises sortilin, SorLA, and SorCS-1, -2, and -3. The receptors are enriched in neurons where they mediate trafficking and signaling of a vast number of ligands such as neurotrophic factors along with their cognate receptors, neurotransmitter receptors, APP, and progranulin. Among many activities, the receptors regulate neuronal cell fate, differentiation, innervation, synaptic plasticity, and learning and memory. Key goals of the Nykjaer lab is to understand their functions in the heathy brain, dissect out their mode of actions, investigate how genetic variation contributes to disease development - in particular of neuropsychiatric disorders and memory impairment -, and to evaluate their potential as drug targets.

Methodologies include transgenic mice and zebrafish, a broad repertoire of molecular, cellular and genetic and viral tools, transcriptomics and (phospho)proteomics, neuroembryology, mouse behavior, electrophysiology and advanced imaging including high-resolution microscopy. In vivo fiber photometry and mesoscale single unit recordings are currently being implemented.

Available projects 

The Nykjær group currently has projects available for Master students and postdocs within the following research areas. 

Functions of the sortilin receptor family in health and disease:

  • Molecular mechanisms underlying memory and psychiatric disorders

Please contact Group Leader Anders Nykjær directly, if interested.

Previous news from the research group

News

New publication from Anders Nykjær's group - Sortilin mediates vascular calcification via its recruitment into extracellular vesicles

- Research news

Vascular calcification is a common feature of major cardiovascular diseases. Extracellular vesicles participate in the formation of…

Anders Nykjær's group is visited by researchers from the Mayo Clinic Florida

- People

PhD-student Maarten Rotman and Lab Manager Gangadaar Thotakura, Mayo Clinic Florida, will be visiting Anders Nykjær’s Group the first week of…

New publication from Anders Nykjær's group published in the Journal of Clinical Investigations

- Research news

In this study "Targeting sortilin in immune cells reduces proinflammatory cytokines and atherosclerosis", the researchers identify a new mechanism…

Anders Nykjær is new professor at the Mayo Clinic

- People

On October 1st 2014, Anders Nykjær was appointed Professor of Neuroscience at Mayo Medical School, Mayo Clinic Florida, where he has his own research…

New publication from DANDRITE researchers - new way for cholesterol treatment

- Research news

Researchers from Anders Nykjær's group publish new results on cholesterol research in the article "The Hypercholesterolemia-Risk Gene SORT1…