About me
I am an associate professor in experimental dermatology and venereology and PI working in Unit of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet. I received my Ph.D. degree in medical virology from Uppsala University, Sweden (2008) and did postdoc research at Molecular Dermatology research group led by Prof. Mona Ståhle in Karolinska Institutet (2009-2013). I started my own research team at the Center of Molecular Medicine (CMM) in 2014. More information about my research group can be found at http://www.xulandenlab.com
Research description
Research Profile:
Bowel chronic non-healing wounds and psoriasis are major and rising health and economic burdens worldwide and lack of effective treatment. Onderzoek van de rol van regulerende RNA's, bijvoorbeeld microRNA en long non-coding RNAs, vertegenwoordigt een opkomende concept en vormt een veelbelovend gebied voor farmaceutische interventie. The goal of our laboratory is to unravel the role (s) of regulatory RNAs in skin wound healing and in psoriasis. Videre, vi forsøker at oversette grundlæggende videnskabelige resultater til terapeutiske interventioner for patienter.
Project 1. The role of non-coding RNAs in human skin wound healing
The aim of our research is to develop novel RNA-based treatments to improve healing of human skin wounds. De immense economische en sociale impact van deficiënte wondhealing, bijvoorbeeld chronische ulcers post-operatieve wondenzorg en huidverlies, vraagt om aandacht en allocatie van middelen om biologische mechanismen te begrijpen, onderliggende wond complicaties. Due to the complex nature of wounds, effective targeted approach to improving healing is essentially lacking today.
De onlangse discovery of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) as powerful gene regulators provides hope to develop novel RNA-based treatments for a wide variety of diseases. Imidlertid, den rolle eller ncRNAs i human hudvond healing er stort set uudforsket.
The objective of our study is to reveal the role (s) of ncRNAs in skin wound healing and to explore the potential of RNA-based therapy for chronic wounds. We focus primarily on small ncRNAs, ie microRNAs (miRNAs) and long-non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and study:
(i) The expression profiles of miRNA / lncRNA in injured human skin;
(ii) The biological function of differentially expressed miRNAs / lncRNAs in wounds;
(iii) The molecular mechanisms mediating the biological functions of wound related miRNAs / lncRNAs;
(iv) The therapeutic potentials of targeting wound related miRNAs.
Our research network is composed of both clinicians and scientists, which allows us to perform ‘Bench-to-Bedside’ research. At present, we are investigating the novel roles of miRNAs and lncRNAs in skin wounds using our unique collection of human wound tissues. In the next step, we aim to translate our basic scientific findings into therapeutic interventions for wound patients.
More information about this project: http://vimeo.com/149126472
Project 2. Investigation of the mechanistic links between psoriasis and co-morbidities
Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease of the skin. It is a lifelong disease with spontaneous remissions and exacerbations, affecting the patients’ life quality substantially, and there is no cure for it today. Epidemiological studies show that psoriasis patients have increased risks of developing systemic co-morbidities, e.g. obesity, overt diabetes and cardiovascular disease; however, the molecular mechanisms behind these co-morbidities remain unexplored. We have previously demonstrated that miRNAs play important roles in skin inflammation of psoriasis. Here, we study whether miRNA could also be a key mechanistic link between psoriasis and its co-morbidities, using materials from a large biobank of psoriasis patients in Stockholm. This study will further increase our understanding about pathogenesis of psoriasis. It is essential for the effective management of psoriasis and prevention of its related co-morbidities.
More information about this project: http://vimeo.com/195280801
Funding:
Current:
- Lau grant from the Ming Wai Lau Centre for Reparative Medicine
- Ragnar Söderbergs Foundation
- Swedish Research Council (project and network grants)
- Swedish Psoriasis Foundation
- Jeanssons Foundation
- Åke wibergs Foundation
- HudFonden (Swedish dermatology foundation)
- KI Faculty funded position as senior researcher
- Karolinska Institutet KID-grant
- Karolinska Institute foundation
Past:
- Foundation La Roche-Posay
- Hedlunds foundation
- Swedish medical doctor society (SLS) research fund
- European Skin Research Foundation
- Swedish society for medical research (SSMF) fund
- Pfizer AB Investigator Initiated Research fund
- Tore Nilssons foundation for medical research
- Lars Hiertas memorial foundation
- Sigurt och Elsa Goljes memorial foundation
Team members:
- Ning Xu Landén, Associate Professor, Group leader
- Dongqing Li, PhD, Postdoc fellow
- Eva Herter, PhD, Postdoc fellow
- Jianmin Wu, PhD, Visiting researcher
- Xi Li, MD, PhD student
- Maria-Alexandra Toma, Student
Alumni:
- Jingxin Ma: Visiting researcher in 2017, now professor in Dalian Medical University (China)
- Dani Visscher, Master student in 2017
- Aoxue Wang, Visiting researcher in 2016, now professor in Dalian Medical University (China)
- Eleni Liapi, Project student in 2016, now PhD student in Maastricht University (Netherlands)
- Xi Liu, Master student in 2014, now PhD student in Karolinska Institutet
- Benedicta Ugochi Iwuagwu, Master student in 2012, now PhD student in Robert Gordon University (UK)
Key publications:
[pubmed:26121747]
[pubmed:25685928]
[pubmed:25068518]
[pubmed:24670381]
[pubmed:24588688]
[pubmed:23233723]
[pubmed:22782903]
[pubmed:21412257]
Full publication list (PubMed)
Education:
- We organize the following doctoral course at KI: In situ hybridization: theory and practice (# 2872)
- Master's and other projects: We are always looking for talented and interested students
Opportunities:
We always want to get in touch with talented potential co-workers. Hvis du er interessert i at gøre forskning inden for vores gruppe, som et projekt eller som forsker, kontakt venligst Ning (ning.xu@ki.se). We would also be happy to assist with applications for external support for PhD studies or postdoctoral fellowships.
Academic honours, awards and prizes
2015 Ragnar Söderberg Fellowship in Medicine
2013 European Dermatology Research Prize awarded by La Roche-Posay Foundation
2013 Academy for Future Leaders in Dermatology, European Society for Dermatological Research
2012 New investigator award awarded by European Skin Research Foundation