New AU professor examines the environments of cells

[Translate to English:] Jeppe Prætorius håber, at forskningen på længere sigt kan forbedre diagnostik og behandling af visse sygdomme.

3 March 2015 by Malene Løvig Nielsen

How do cells regulate their acidity or, as it is also known, pH value? This is what Jeppe Prætorius studies in his research. He has just been appointed professor at the Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University. Here he will use the professorship to continue his research into the proteins which regulate the pH value in and outside the body’s cells. The studies are being carried out in collaboration with research teams at the Department of Biomedicine in Aarhus, the University of Copenhagen and abroad.

For the body's cells to be able to carry out their specialised functions, it is necessary for the internal and external environment of the body to have a carefully regulated composition. It is here that the pH value becomes a crucial factor. Both the outer and inner pH of the cells are regulated by protein molecules such as sodium bicarbonate transport proteins. Any defects that arise in the proteins can result in various and severe diseases, including e.g. blindness, deafness, a tendency towards ulcers, high blood pressure and epilepsy.

“We hope that the research can improve diagnosis and treatment of certain diseases in the long term. This may be rare diseases which are directly attributable to defects in sodium bicarbonate transport proteins or more frequent diseases, where the regulation of these proteins can be used in treatment," explains Jeppe Prætorius.

Further information

Professor, DMSc Jeppe Prætorius
Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine
Direct tel.: +45 8716 7636
jp@biomed.au.dk