English

We wish to follow the research strategy of Aalborg University Hospital and focus on the prevalent diseases in society; we focus on COPD and Lung Cancer. We aim at integrating research in the daily clinical work in the Department and to make daily clinical work part of research projects. We wish to facilitate a research atmosphere where employees feel part of the research taking place in the unit and contribute after capacity.

In COPD we work under the headline: Early case-finding and intervention; help to self-support in COPD. The majority of COPD patient under the age of 65 are not part of the work force, and frequent users of the health system. Therefore, we focus on early case-finding, early patho-physiologic characteristics of disease and hindering of disease progression.We are part of the National COP:TRIN network, a collaboration on research in COPD exacerbation, part-taking in national PhD-projects within the network and is one of six central units in the Trial Nation collaboration with pharma industries.

In lung cancer we primarily work with mesothelioma, focusing on domestic and community exposure to asbestos and development of disease, but also genetic disposition and identification of tumor markers and mutations of these. Furthermore, the unit is involved in a national early relapse detection in lung cancer.