Our research

Research areas

Medical/Steno Aarhus Research Laboratory (M-Lab) is a highly specialised clinical research laboratory with a distinct focus on metabolism, diabetes, endocrinology, adiposity and nutrition.

  • We carry out advanced “state-of-the-art” metabolic studies in patients and in healthy individuals.
  • We conduct invasive, mechanistic clinical trials to identify physiology, disease processes and effects of treatments.
  • We develop hormone and metabolite analyses to improve biological understanding, diagnosing and treatment.
  • We forge and advance cell and tissue models to define and understand cellular processes of diseases.
  • We conduct clinical research trials employing biomarkers for identification of late diabetic complications and cardiovascular disease.

Medical/Steno Aarhus Research Laboratory focus on patient safety and high-quality data, and comply with all pertinent national/international guidelines.

Competences

  • High level of knowledge, experience and skills in conducting glucose clamp experiments and other controlled clinical metabolic protocols.
  • Blossoming collaboration with internal and external laboratories and departments nationally and internationally.

Facilities

  • Examination/operating clinical research rooms
  • Laboratory
    • Freezer capacity: -80C and -20C
    • 24 hour temperature surveillance of all storage facilities
    • GC mass spectrometry/isotope dilution methodology
    • A/v techniques
    • Indirect calorimetry
    • Ultracentrifuges
    • Beta counter
    • PCR and western blot facilities for examination of biopsy specimens
    • HPLC
    • Immunoassays (TRIFMA, ELISA, FRET, Cobas, IDS, multiplex)

History

The present Medical/Steno Aarhus Research Laboratory at Aarhus University Hospital in Skejby came into existence through a close collaboration between Medical Research Laboratory from Nørrebrogade, the Research Laboratory from Tage Hansens Gade and Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus.

Medical Research Laboratory at Nørrebrogade was founded during the 1950'ies focusing on clinical and translational research, which covers studies of e.g. substrate and stress metabolism, growth disorders and biomarkers of cardiovascular and microvascular importance.  

The Research Laboratory at Tage Hansens Gade was developed during the 1970'ies focusing on research within diabetes, cardiology, osteoporosis, haematology, nutrition and adiposity.

During the summer of 2018 both laboratories moved to Aarhus University Hospital in Skejby where they were merged in new laboratory facilities.

Over decades, the Medical Research Laboratory has had a close collaboration with the Department of Clinical Medicine and the Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, who both contribute to the running of the laboratory.   

In September 2019 the laboratory merged with the Research Unit at Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus. This merge has further lead to a closer collaboration with the Department of Biomedicine.