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News from Lund University Diabetes Centre At LUDC, more than 300 people work in a vibrant research environment consisting of more than 30 research groups.

Lund University Diabetes Centre (LUDC) is a research centre dedicated to unravelling the mechanisms behind diabetes and its complications. Our vision at LUDC is to improve patient stratification and to undertake innovative translational studies that lead to better prevention and management of diabetes and its complications through precision diabetes medicine. Our scientists work within the Lund University strategic research area EXODIAB (Excellence of Diabetes Research in Sweden). EXODIAB is a joint strategic diabetes research initiative at Lund University and Uppsala University. Within the framework of EXODIAB, our scientists look for new treatments and drugs to prevent, delay, or cure diabetes. The research teams also work towards developing personalised care and treatment for patients with diabetes. Various fields of research are integrated within clinical studies and population studies (epidemiology), and platforms for collaboration between academia and industry are created. On our page, you can take part in, comment on and discuss current research and events at LUDC. You are welcome to comment on our posts and publish content on our site, but avoid the following:
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All comments are reviewed and material that does not follow the guidelines above and/or violates Swedish law will be removed if necessary. All posts on the page are public documents and may be registered. Please visit the LUDC website for more information about LUDC:
https://www.ludc.lu.se/

19/03/2026

We would like to congratulate LUDC researcher Lena Eliasson who has been awarded a research grant of SEK two million from Diabetes Wellness Sverige 💙 👏

The funds will be used for a project which will investigate how microRNAs regulate the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas during the development of type 2 diabetes.

Lena Eliasson’s team will use single-cell sequencing to map which microRNAs are active in the beta cells and how this may change in diabetes. The goal with the research is to contribute with knowledge that may be used to develop new treatments of type 2 diabetes.

Read more: https://www.diabeteswellness.se/nyheter-event/nyheter/professor-lena-eliasson-har-tilldelats-ett-forskningsanslag-pa-2-miljoner-kronor/

18/03/2026

Our warmest congratulations to LUDC researcher Nils Wierup who has been awarded a research grant of SEK two million from Diabetes Wellness Sverige ✨ 👏

His research team will study enteroendocrine cells to better understand how they differ in people with and without type 2 diabetes. The aim with the project is to identify targets for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

If the research team find ways to stimulate the secretion of the hormone GLP-1, this knowledge may lead to new treatments of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Read more about the project: https://www.diabeteswellness.se/nyheter-event/nyheter/professor-nils-wierup-har-tilldelats-ett-forskningsanslag-pa-2-miljoner-kronor/

17/03/2026

Studies of the gut microbiota can provide new knowledge about human health and how the risk of developing various diseases is affected.

🧬 Two new studies, published by Nature Genetics, have discovered several new gene variants in the human genome that may influence which bacteria are found in the gut. Some of the new gene variants can be linked to an increased risk of celiac disease, haemorrhoids, and cardiovascular disease.

Marju Orho-Melander at Lund University Diabetes Centre is one of the co-authors of the articles. She is collaborating with Tove Fall at Uppsala University, lead author of one of the articles, on several studies which explore the importance of the gut microbiota for human health.

“We have succeeded in identifying several new genetic regions that are important for the gut flora. By studying the importance of genes for the gut microbiota, we gain new knowledge about biological mechanisms that regulate the gut microbiota and how the risk of developing various diseases is affected. This is a big step forward for the research area,” says Marju Orho-Melander, professor of genetic epidemiology at Lund University.

Read more: https://www.ludc.lu.se/article/mapping-gene-variants-which-affect-gut-microbiota-and-disease-risk

12/03/2026

Marju Orho-Melander and Anna Larsson at Lund University Diabetes Centre are two of the authors of a new study in the journal Nature Medicine which has investigated how different antibiotics can be linked to short-term and long-term changes in the gut microbiota 💊

In observational studies, use of antibiotics has been associated with an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Previous research has reported alterations in the gut microbiome shortly after antibiotics treatment, but the long-term consequences have largely been unknown.

The research team behind the new study, led by Tove Fall at Uppsala University found that the use of antibiotics can affect the human gut microbiota for several years. Some types of antibiotics had a greater impact on the gut microbiota than others.

“It is great that we have antibiotics which help us fight infections, as this saves many lives. At the same time, it is important to investigate the possible disadvantages with the use of antibiotics,” says Marju Orho-Melander, professor of genetic epidemiology at Lund University Diabetes Centre.

Read more: https://www.ludc.lu.se/article/antibiotics-can-have-long-term-effect-gut-microbiota

📷 Portrait of Marju Orho-Melander and Anna Larsson

06/03/2026

Researchers at Lund University Diabetes Centre have identified a gene variant that controls the body’s capability to form new blood vessels in muscles – a mechanism that affects physical performance, health, and recovery. The gene variant is considerably more common among top athletes in endurance sports, compared with both top athletes in explosive sports and non-athletes 💪

Ola Hansson and Kristoffer Ström, who led the study, describe the finding as a genetic brake for the new formation of blood vessels in muscles. They hope that the knowledge of how molecular mechanisms affect the muscles’ adaption to exercise can contribute to more individualised training, better rehabilitation, and new treatments for metabolic diseases.

“We have started a collaboration with Astra Zeneca to hopefully find an effective drug for muscle insulin resistance among diabetics – something that is not available at present,” says Ola Hansson, researcher in physiology at Lund University.

👉 Read more: https://www.ludc.lu.se/article/genetic-brake-forms-our-muscles

📷 Photograph of Kristoffer Ström and Ola Hansson by Åsa Hansdotter.

03/03/2026

Thank you to everyone who have joined us for today’s LUDC Diabetes Research Day, currently taking place at Clinical Research Centre in Malmö. The event is arranged by our network of early career researchers at LUDC. This is an event when we celebrate achievements by early career researchers and junior and senior diabetes researchers give lectures on current research.

✨ Some highlights from today's event:
Patrick MacDonald of University of Alberta in Canada is new in his role as visiting professor at the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University. He has joined us to present his research and took the chance to reconnect with LUDC researchers Lena Eliasson and Hindrik Mulder. Nearly two decades ago, Patrick MacDonald worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Lund University.

Susanne Mandrup, professor at Syddansk Universitet – University of Southern Denmark, gave today’s keynote lecture on the topic adipose tissue plasticity in obesity and weight loss at single cell resolution.

Daniel Coral, postdoctoral fellow within the research group Diabetic Complications at LUDC, is this year’s recipient of the Leif C. Groop Young Scientist Scholarship. He presented his award-winning project during the event.

Axel Lindström, doctoral student within the research group Diabetes – Epigenetics at LUDC, received one of the two LUDC ECN student grants for a research project within epigenetics and type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Hanna Samuelsson, doctoral student within the research group Paediatric Endocrinology at LUDC, received the LUDC ECN student grant within type 1 diabetes this year. Thanks to a generous donation, the network of early career researchers has expanded the funding opportunities for early career researchers this year by awarding an additional student grant of SEK 40,000.

25/02/2026

Philipp Kaldis is the leader of a research group within metabolic disorders and liver disease at LUDC. He has led a new study on MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease), which is closely associated with obesity.

The article in eLife is the result of an international collaboration between researchers at Lund University, The University of Melbourne, National University of Singapore, and Karolinska Institutet. The research team identified an altered expression of specific genes in liver samples from obese people with MASLD and liver fibrosis. The researchers hope that the knowledge may lead to better treatment of MASLD in the future.

“The study would not have been possible without this collaboration. There is a great need for increased knowledge of how liver diseases can be prevented and treated. MASLD is a disease that typically causes no symptoms, which means that the disease can go undetected and progress to more serious stages. Of course, this is a major problem for individuals who already have other systemic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes," says Philipp Kaldis.

Read more: https://www.ludc.lu.se/article/new-research-identifies-potential-treatment-target-fatty-liver-disease

📷 Photograph of Philipp Kaldis, research group leader at LUDC. Umur Keles and Gabrielé Sakalauskaite from the research group are two of the co-authors of the new study in eLife.

24/02/2026

Join us on the LUDC Diabetes Research Day on March 3. The event is arranged by the LUDC Early Career Network (LUDC ECN), our network of young diabetes researchers at LUDC. Register by February 25.

✨ Some of the highlights:
Laura Elo, professor of computational medicine at Turun yliopisto - University of Turku, is this year's recipient of the Leif C. Groop Award for Outstanding Diabetes Research for her research on type 1 diabetes. She will give an award lecture about her research during the event.

We are also looking forward to the talk from our keynote speaker Susanne Mandrup, professor at University of Southern Denmark, on adipose tissue plasticity in obesity and weight loss at single cell resolution.

Patrick MacDonald, professor at University of Alberta and visiting professor at the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University, has been invited to give a talk with the title “From islet resources to phenotypic insight: Team science in action!”.

The LUDC Diabetes Research Day is a time of year when we celebrate achievements by our early career researchers. The Leif C. Groop Young Scientist Scholarship of SEK 200,000 will be handed out as well as the two LUDC ECN student grants of SEK 40,000 each.

Read more and register: https://www.ludc.lu.se/calendar/ludc-diabetes-research-day-2026

Medicinska fakulteten vid Lunds universitet University of Alberta Lund University

📷 Photograph by Kennet Ruona

19/02/2026

Our warmest congratulations to Laura Elo at University of Turku in Finland who is this year’s recipient of the Leif C. Groop Award for Outstanding Diabetes Research 🏆 👏

The Leif C. Groop Award is awarded annually by the Lund University Diabetes Centre to a young investigator who is active in any of the Nordic countries.

“It’s important to study the disease from different perspectives to get the full view of the disease. We need to look at both proteins and genes to understand the disease. It’s like being a detective," says Laura Elo, professor of computational medicine at Turun yliopisto - University of Turku.

Join us on the LUDC Diabetes Research Day at CRC in Malmö on March 3 when the award will be presented.

Read about the award: https://www.ludc.lu.se/article/laura-elo-awarded-leif-c-groop-award-outstanding-research-type-1-diabetes

Register for the event by February 25: https://www.ludc.lu.se/calendar/ludc-diabetes-research-day-2026

📷 Photograph by Suvi Harvisalo/University of Turku

29/01/2026

Sara Bsharat, PhD student within the research group Endocrine Cell Differentiation and Function at Lund University, will defend her thesis on February 10. The main aim of Sara Bsharat’s thesis project has been to define the role of the transcription factor MAFB in pancreatic development and endocrine cell specification and function 🔬

Loss or dysfunction of pancreatic beta cells is a central cause to the impaired ability to control blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes. The transcriptional mechanisms that control the development and function of endocrine cells and function are not fully understood.

The thesis establishes MAFB as a central regulator of beta cell development, communication, and function. This knowledge may be important for researchers who want to develop new strategies to generate or protect beta cells for therapeutic purposes.

Sara Bsharat is affiliated with Lund University Diabetes Centre and the strategic research areas EXODIAB and Lund Stem Cell Center. Join her thesis defence to learn more about the findings.

📍Event details:
Time: February 10, 10.00
Place: Agardh Lecture Hall, Clinical Research Centre, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, Malmö
Language: English

Read about the thesis defence: https://www.ludc.lu.se/calendar/thesis-defence-sara-bsharat

Read the thesis: https://portal.research.lu.se/en/publications/mafb-in-pancreatic-%CE%B2-cell-biology-from-developmental-regulation-t/

22/01/2026

Three research groups at LUDC receive new project grants within precision medicine. The aim with the projects is to develop individualised treatment strategies that may benefit people with type 2 diabetes.

🔹 Diabetes researcher Charlotte Ling will lead the project EPIPREDIA, which has been awarded about SEK ten million from the European Partnership for Personalised Medicine (EP PerMed). The international research team aims to develop different biomarkers for different types of therapies given to people with type 2 diabetes.

🔹 Allan Vaag, research group leader within translational diabetes research at LUDC and coordinator of the strategic research area EXODIAB, will carry out clinical research as part of the project.

🔹 Paul Franks, research group leader within genetic epidemiology at LUDC, will participate in another major project within precision medicine during the next three years. Type 2 diabetes is a known risk factor for dementia, but the link between the two diseases is poorly understood. NeuroSync is funded by JPND (the EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research) and led by Amsterdam University Medical Centre.

Our warmest congratulations to Charlotte Ling, Allan Vaag, and Paul Franks! 👏

Read more: https://www.ludc.lu.se/article/precision-medicine-research-within-type-2-diabetes-and-dementia-receives-support

19/12/2025

Anna Stubbendorff, PhD student within the research group Nutrition Epidemiology at LUDC and the strategic research area EXODIAB, has examined the associations between environmentally sustainable diets and health outcomes in her thesis project 🌍 🥦 🩺

Adopting more sustainable dietary patterns, such as the EAT-Lancet diet, has been proposed as a way to promote environmental sustainability while also preventing common diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. There are, however, uncertainties regarding both short- and long-term health effects.

The analyses in Anna Stubbendorff’s thesis project were mainly based on the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study. Adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet was assessed using a dietary score, and dietary climate impact was assessed through dietary greenhouse gas emissions. The thesis project shows that environmentally sustainable diets were associated with lower risks of mortality, as well as reduced risks of stroke and diabetes.

Join Anna Stubbendorff’s thesis defence on January 16 to learn more about the results.

📍Event details:
Time: January 16, 09.00
Place: Agardh Lecture Hall, Clinical Research Centre, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, Malmö
Language: English

Read about the thesis defence: https://www.ludc.lu.se/calendar/thesis-defence-anna-stubbendorff

Read the thesis: https://portal.research.lu.se/sv/publications/environmentally-sustainable-diets-and-human-health-nutritional-ad/

📷 Photograph by Adam Haglund

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