BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//DTU.dk//NONSGML DTU.dk//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20250312T123000Z DTEND:20250312T143000Z SUMMARY:Ph.d. forsvar - Ida Aaberg Lillethorup DESCRIPTION:

Selective Delivery of Drugs to the CNS for Treatment of Neurological Diseases

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Brain diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson disease and Multiple Sclerosis are among the most challenging to treat, often leading to poor outcomes for patients. A major obstacle in treating these diseases is delivering drugs effectively to the brain while minimizing side effects. This is because the brain is protected by barriers that make it difficult for most drugs to reach it. This thesis explores new strategies to deliver drugs selectively in the brain using peptide-drug conjugates. These conjugates are designed to transport drugs into the brain and release them only in the brain. The conjugates consist of three parts.

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  1. A transporter (the peptide), that helps the drug to enter the brain
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  2. A drug that targets a brain disease
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  3. A linker that connects the two and only releases the drug upon reacting with the unique environment of the brain.
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By ensuring the drug’s activity is silenced in the circulation and only activated in the brain, this method could reduce side effects and improve treatment effectiveness. The thesis explores two novel strategies for designing linkers. One is activated by an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase which is abundant in the brain. The other is activated by the brain’s high levels of reactive oxygen species. These approaches represent a promising step toward more precise and effective treatments for brain diseases.

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Principal Supervisor:
\nAssociate Professor Katrine Qvortrup, DTU Chemistry

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Co-supervisor:

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Professor Jens Øllgaard Duus, DTU

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Examiners:
\nAssociate Professor Sebastian Meier, DTU Chemistry

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Professor Jarkko Rautio, University of Eastern Finland, School of Pharmacy, Finland

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Professor Rasmus Prætorius Clausen, University of Copenhagen

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Chairperson:

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Associate Professor Charlotte Held Gotfredsen, DTU Chemistry

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Selective Delivery of Drugs to the CNS for Treatment of Neurological Diseases

\n

 

\n

\n

Brain diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson disease and Multiple Sclerosis are among the most challenging to treat, often leading to poor outcomes for patients. A major obstacle in treating these diseases is delivering drugs effectively to the brain while minimizing side effects. This is because the brain is protected by barriers that make it difficult for most drugs to reach it. This thesis explores new strategies to deliver drugs selectively in the brain using peptide-drug conjugates. These conjugates are designed to transport drugs into the brain and release them only in the brain. The conjugates consist of three parts.

\n
    \n
  1. A transporter (the peptide), that helps the drug to enter the brain
    2. \n
  2. A drug that targets a brain disease
    3. \n
  3. A linker that connects the two and only releases the drug upon reacting with the unique environment of the brain.
    4. \n
\n

By ensuring the drug’s activity is silenced in the circulation and only activated in the brain, this method could reduce side effects and improve treatment effectiveness. The thesis explores two novel strategies for designing linkers. One is activated by an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase which is abundant in the brain. The other is activated by the brain’s high levels of reactive oxygen species. These approaches represent a promising step toward more precise and effective treatments for brain diseases.

\n

 

\n

Principal Supervisor:
\nAssociate Professor Katrine Qvortrup, DTU Chemistry

\n

\n

\n

Co-supervisor:

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Professor Jens Øllgaard Duus, DTU

\n

 

\n

Examiners:
\nAssociate Professor Sebastian Meier, DTU Chemistry

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Professor Jarkko Rautio, University of Eastern Finland, School of Pharmacy, Finland

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Professor Rasmus Prætorius Clausen, University of Copenhagen

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Chairperson:

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Associate Professor Charlotte Held Gotfredsen, DTU Chemistry

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URL:https://www.dtu.dk/sitecore/content/institutter/kemi/dtu_kemi_old/forside/arrangementer/2025/03/ph-d-forsvar-ida-aaberg-lillethorup DTSTAMP:20260515T042100Z UID:{C9DB5C2D-3288-43BF-85BA-0E4BD4F37FF0}-20250312T123000Z-20250312T123000Z LOCATION: Technical University of Denmark, Building 208, Aud. 53 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR