Signe Ingvarsen

Ph.d. student

Key Research Interests
Collagen degradation, membrane-type matrix metalloproteases.

Current project
Collagen constitute the most abundant protein component of the extracellular matrix and collagen degradation is thus an extremely important event in tissue growth and remodelling as well as in various pathological conditions. My work is focused on two members of the group of membrane-tethered matrix metalloproteases, MT1-and MT2-MMP, which play an important role in cellular collagen turnover. The project involves structural and functional characterization of recombinant MT1-and MT2-MMP proteins and cellular studies of collagen turnover using primary cell cultures established from wild-type and MT1-and MT2-MMP knock-out mice. A central part of the project involves the generation of monoclonal antibodies against MT1-and MT2-MMP. Specifically, antibodies, which interfere with the functions of MT1-and MT2-MMP, will be used to elucidate the role of the proteases in cellular collagen turnover in various situations. Furthermore, the antibodies will be used to study the interplay between MT1-and MT2-MMP and the endocytic collagen receptor uPARAP in collagen degradation.

Career
2008 - : Ph.D student, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen

2007 - 2008: Research assistant, The Finsen Laboratory

2005 - 2007: Master student, The Finsen Laboratory