PhD defence: Marie Louise Næstholt Dahl
Antibody may provide new clues about Sjögren’s disease
Info about event
Time
Location
Bartholin Auditorium, Aarhus University
On Friday 23 October 2026 at 13:00, Marie Louise Næstholt Dahl defends her PhD dissertation entitled “Anti-Ro21/TRIM21 autoantibodies in autoimmune connective tissue disease with a focus on Sjögren's Disease”.
An antibody found in many patients with autoimmune diseases can be present years before diagnosis, and may also play a role in the disease process itself. This is shown in a new PhD dissertation from Aarhus University.
In her PhD project, Dr Næstholt Dahl investigated the antibody anti-Ro52, found in several autoimmune connective tissue diseases, but particularly in Sjögren’s disease. In one study, the researchers analysed blood samples from Danish blood donors who later developed an autoimmune disease. In some individuals, anti-Ro52 could be detected up to 12 years before diagnosis, and the antibody was associated with an increased risk of subsequently developing Sjögren’s disease. Another study showed that anti-Ro52 may also help identify Sjögren’s disease in patients with the autoimmune liver disease primary biliary cholangitis.
Finally, the PhD project investigated whether the antibody could induce disease. Laboratory experiments showed that anti-Ro52 can affect TRIM21, a protein that plays an important role in the immune defence within cells. This raises the possibility that the antibody is not merely a marker of disease but may itself contribute to the disease process. However, further research is needed to fully elucidate the disease process.
The summary is written by the PhD student.
The defence is public and takes place in Bartholin Auditorium, Aarhus University. Please see the press release for more information.
Contact
PhD student Marie Louise Næstholt Dahl
Mail: naestholt@biomed.au.dk
Phone: +45 28497150