My research has four subjects:

• Genetics and epigenetics in trophoblastic diseases and differentiation
• Genetics in neoplastic disease
• Classical genetics (“opportunistic research”)
• Medical education.

Studies of genetics and epigenetics of trophoblastic disease and differentiation are undertaken/orchestrated in The Danish Mole Project that was initiated in 1986. A hydatidiform mole is an abnormal human conceptus/miscarriage in which the placenta shows a characteristic morphology and the foetus is either absent, or malformed and not viable. Most moles either have a diploid genome with genes exclusively from the father (androgenesis), or three genome sets, of which two are inherited from the father. The risk of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia is high after a molar pregnancy. The epigenetic phenomenon that the molar morphology most often is correlated to a relative surplus of paternal genes, indicates that normal function of one or more of the genes regulated by the parental origin (imprinted genes) is necessary for normal early differentiation.

Studies of genetics in neoplastic diseases mainly focus on identifying and handling hereditary risk of colonrectal cancer and breast cancer.

Being a senior researcher and doctor, one has an obligation spot and nurture talents and research opportunities. This may give rise to projects that is outside one’s narrow personal research interest: “opportunistic research”.  Presently my main classic genetic project concerns cystic kidney diseases

A project on the learning at the morning round aims at generating knowledge relevant for medical education