Ole Didrik Lærum

MD, Ph.D
Visiting professor

Key Research Interests
-Tumor invasion with main emphasis on malignant tumours in the GI tract, gliomas and bladder cancer.
-Analytical cytology /flow cytometry and high speed cell sorting
-Biological rythms and cellular clocks, particularly in stem cells
-Clinical pathology

Current projects
We are mainly working with the mapping of proteolytic mechanisms and cell types related to invasiveness in malignant tumours of the gastrointestinal tract in humans, and in particular in adenocarcinomas of the stomach and lower esophagus. The goal is to elucidate mechanisms of invasion which can be used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. We are also studying urothelial carcinomas and gliomas in humans.

Proteolytic mechanisms and tissue remodeling are also studied in parallel in chronic inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis), including changes in the local neurons near to the inflammatory site.

The second main area is the study of time functions in hemopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells in mice and in humans in order to elucidate the importance of clock genes , both in vivo and in vitro

External and professional activities
I am a professor pathology at the Gade Institute, Section of pathology, University of Bergen/ Haukeland University Hospital, N-5021 Bergen, Norway and spent a year at the Finsen Laboratory 2004-05 working in the same research area, where we have developed a very fruitful collaboration. The collaboration is being continued with research material from Bergen, and I now spend 6 months at the Finsen Laboratory again.

Career
1965 MD University of Oslo, 1969 dr. med. (PhD), same place, training in diagnostic pathology in Oslo, authorized specialist from 1975.

1971-73 post doc at Max-Planck-Institut für Virusforschung , Tübingen, Germany.

Since 1974 professor of experimental pathology and oncology at University of Bergen, Norway. Was department head 1977-79, vice rector at University of Bergen 1983-89, and rector (vice chancellor) 1990-95.

1996 visiting professor in Paris and at IARC in Lyon.

1997, visiting professor of molecular biotechnology, University of Washington, Seattle.

Has been chairman of the Board, The research council of Norway, and president at the Norwegian Academy of Science and letters.

2005 honorary doctor, Copenhagen University.