Asger Bach Lund

Project title

Gut Barrier Dysfunction in Obesity: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential

What is your project about?

My research focuses on the role of the gastrointestinal tract in metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Chronic inflammation is an important driver of many obesity-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, and diabetes. However, we still do not fully understand what initiates and sustains this inflammation.      

One possible explanation is impaired intestinal barrier function. Under normal conditions, the intestine acts as a barrier between the body and the billions of bacteria residing in the gut. If this barrier becomes compromised, bacteria and bacterial products may enter the circulation and activate the immune system. A central question is therefore whether impaired intestinal barrier function contributes to inflammation or simply develops as a consequence of obesity.      

This project will investigate how diet and physical inactivity affect the intestinal barrier and whether gut-targeted treatment can reduce inflammation. Overall, the aim is to determine whether alterations in intestinal barrier function contribute to the chronic inflammation observed in obesity.

How did you become interested in your particular field of research?

As a medical student, I was introduced to research on gut hormones by Prof. Filip K. Knop. I was fascinated by how signals originating from the gut influence processes far beyond the gastrointestinal tract. Since then, I have been driven by a desire to understand how the gut affects metabolism and the development of disease. More recently, my collaboration with Assoc. Prof. Benjamin Jensen at the University of Copenhagen sparked my interest in the intestinal barrier and its potential role in chronic inflammation and metabolic disease. The combination of fundamental physiology, clinical research, and the opportunity to generate knowledge with direct relevance for patients continues to motivate me.

What are the scientific challenges and perspectives in your project?

One of the major challenges in this field is understanding what drives the chronic inflammation that is closely associated with obesity and many of its complications. Animal studies suggest that impaired intestinal barrier function may play a central role, but evidence in humans remains limited, and it is still unclear whether alterations in the intestinal barrier are a cause of inflammation or a consequence of disease. The project combines controlled intervention studies with targeted treatment of the gut to investigate these relationships directly in humans. The ambition is to generate new knowledge about the mechanisms linking diet, lifestyle, intestinal function, and inflammation.

What is your estimate of the impact, which your project may have to society in the long term?

Obesity is one of the major public health challenges of our time and is associated with a wide range of diseases that affect both quality of life and healthcare costs. If this project can contribute to a better understanding of how chronic inflammation develops, it may ultimately improve our understanding of the mechanisms that drive obesity-related disease.      

If the intestinal barrier proves to play a central role, it could open new avenues for prevention and treatment. A particular strength of the project is that it investigates whether existing and well-established medications can be used to target these mechanisms. In the long term, I hope that this research will contribute to more targeted treatments and thereby help reduce the burden of disease for people living with obesity.

Which impact do you expect the Sapere Aude programme will have on your career as a researcher?

Being part of the Sapere Aude programme is, first and foremost, a great recognition of the work that I have carried out over many years. The grant provides an opportunity to bring together several years of research in metabolism and gastrointestinal physiology around a common scientific question and to pursue a research direction that I find particularly exciting. At the same time, the project offers an opportunity to involve and mentor younger researchers who will hopefully help advance the field in the years to come.