Profile

My research area involves studies on the physiological function of trace minerals in animals. My working field includes studies on zinc requirement of pigs with focus on special needs around weaning. The physiological mechanism of zinc in the intestine is studied with focus on its significance in relation to diarrhoea. For this the Ussing chamber technique is used. The research also includes development of in vivo and in vitro techniques that can be used to study bioavailability, absorption and metabolism of the dietary trace minerals. Finally, we develop methods to determine the trace mineral status in animals.

The mostly used method in my work is the Ussing chamber technique, which is an in vitro system that can be used to study the transport of nutrients across intestinal epithelium from e.g. a pig. The intestinal epithelium is mounted in Ussing chambers shortly after the pig has been slaughtered. Subsequently, the epithelium is kept alive for several hours due to a bathing media including nutrients, continuous addition of oxygen and a constant temperature at 38 °C. Consequently, it is possible, by different means, to study the absorption and secretion of various ions and nutrients over the intestinal epithelium.