About the group

The research group represents a selection of researchers in the Department of Rheumatology, Skin and Infection Diseases (RHI) at the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital.

Our research focuses on to main areas; skin inflammation and skin cancer. We perform both translational and clinical research, and our research registry (Dermareg) and biobank (RHI biobank) form the basis for the current research activity.

The activities of the Dermatology Research Group are closely integrated with the clinical work at the Department of Dermatology, Oslo University Hospital.

Ongoing projects

  • Treatment of genital lichen planus in women. Investigator-initiated RCT on oral treatment with the apremilast for genital erosive lichen planus (Helgesen)

PhD projects

  • Olav Gramstad, hereditary angioedema, in progress (main supervisor Sundnes)
  • Siri Hansen Stabell, hidradenitis suppurativa, in progress (Main supervisor Sundnes)
  • Karianne Haga, Gorlin syndrome, in progress (Main supervisor Hortemo)

PhD dissertations

Cathrine Helene Mohn – “Occurance and treatment patterns in children with atopic dermatitis and subsequent comorbiditiy in form of severe acne – a nationwide prescription registry study”.

Cooperation

Internal

  • Rheumatology Research Group, OUS
  • ORAACLE - Oslo Research group of Asthma and Allergy in Children, the Lung and Environment
  • PreventADALL
  • K. G. Jebsen Inflammation Research Centre
  • Department of Pathology, OUS Radiumhospitalet.
  • Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, OUS
  • Institute for Internal Medicine Research, OUS Rikshospitalet
  • Department of Medical Genetics, OUS
  • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, OUS Ullevål
  • Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Women’s Health, OUS
  • Department of General Practice, UiO

National

  • Janssen-Cilag AS, Oslo
  • Department of Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo
  • Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo
  • Haukeland University Hospital, Centre for Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Bergen
  • The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Østerås

International

  • Nijmegen University Hospital, The Netherlands
  • University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
  • University of Halifax, Canada.
  • SCOPE network (Skin Care in Organ-transplanted Patients Europe)
  • EADV Task Force Pruritus
  • European Society of Psychiatry and Dermatology

Selected publications

  • Alfonso JH, Graff P, Viegas C, Lossius AH, Eriksen E (2025)Hand Eczema, Risk Factors and Microbial Skin Contamination in the Norwegian Waste Sorting Industry: A Cross-Sectional Study. Contact Dermatitis, 94 (1), 60-66, DOI 10.1111/cod.70037, PubMed 41139909
  • Augustin M, Bewley A, Brüggen MC, de Bruin-Weller MS, Ezzedine K, Ferrucci SM, Gkalpakiotis S, Herranz P, Johansson EK, Kampe T, Lapeere H, Legat FJ, Rehbinder EM, Szepietowski JC, Torres T, Vestergaard C, Werfel T, Domenech A, Massana E, Koscielny V, Narayanan S, Kasujee I, Gutermuth J (2025) European, multicentre, prospective observational phase IV clinical study to assess the impact of lebrikizumab on health-related well-being and control of skin manifestations in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (ADTrust): study protocol BMJ Open, 15 (7), e102155 DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-102155, PubMed 40645621
  • Borge RH, Johannessen HA, Alfonso JH (2025). Psychosocial work exposures as risk factors for skin problems in a general working population: cross-sectional and prospective associations, Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 98 (3), 309-319DOI 10.1007/s00420-025-02135-w, PubMed 40069534
  • Gerdin SW, Skjerven HO, Konradsen JR, Borres MP, Granum B, Jonassen CM, LeBlanc M, Nilsen M, Rehbinder EM, Rudi K, Staff AC, Söderhäll C, van Hage M, Vettukattil R, Lødrup Carlsen KC, Nordlund B (2025) The Effect of Early Food Introduction and Skin Emollients on Pollen Sensitization: A Randomized Trial (PreventADALL) Sub-Study. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract, 13 (6), 1325-1334, DOI 10.1016/j.jaip.2025.03.046, PubMed 40204120
  • Lauritzen KH, Yang K, Frisk M, Louwe MC, Olsen MB, Ziegler M, Louch WE, Halvorsen B, Aukrust P, Yndestad A, Sandanger Ø (2025). Apigenin inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation in monocytes and macrophages independently of CD38. Front Immunol, 15, 1497984, DOI 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1497984, PubMed 39840045
  • Bains KES, Kreyberg I, Färdig M, Granum B, Gudmundsdóttir HK, Haugen G, Hedlin G, Hilde K, Jonassen CM, Nordlund B, Rehbinder EM, Rueegg CS, Skjerven HO, Staff AC, Söderhäll C, Vettukattil R, Carlsen KCL (2024). Maternal use of snus as smokeless tobacco in pregnancy and infant lung function. ERJ Open Res, 10 (4). DOI 10.1183/23120541.00958-2023, PubMed 38978555