Hematology
The group focuses through epidemiological studies of hematological cancers on markers associated with occurrence, treatment outcome, and late effects
Our Research
Hematological cancers affect a growing number of individuals due to the combination of increasing incidence and improving survival. Although hematological cancers occur in all age groups, most types typically affect older adults. Thus, many patients with hematological cancer also suffer from other co-morbidities that may complicate both cancer treatment and survivorship.
Our research into the epidemiology of hematological cancers focuses on data- and biomarkers associated with disease occurrence, treatment outcomes and late effects of treatment with the overarching aim of facilitating the translation of acquired knowledge into actual intervention.
An underlying theme in our research is that understanding the biological underpinnings of identified determinants is essential to achieve our ambitions. Denmark offers exceptional opportunities for gaining such insights, owing to the many population and health registers, clinical databases, population cohorts, and biobanks, which when mutually linked, supplement and enrich one another to constitute a unique research platform.
We believe that cross-disciplinary approaches are required to fully harvest the scientific potential of these rich data sources. We therefore actively pursue collaborations with experts in clinical, genetic, and other scientific areas to conduct biologically and clinically sound studies that advance our insight into the natural history of these important cancers.
Examples of research areas:
- Pre-and post-natal risk immune modulation and neonatal biomarkers in childhood leukemia
- Register-based studies of immune function and risk of lymphoid malignancies
- Register-based studies of immune function and survival after lymphoid malignancies
- Epidemiological and clinical differences between Epstein-Barr virus-positive and -negative Hodgkin lymphomas
- The epidemiology of Epstein-Barr virus infection and -related diseases
- Genetic architecture of malignant lymphomas
- Comorbidity and survival after chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Group leader: Henrik Hjalgrim
Henrik Hjalgrim, MD, PhD, DMSc and his colleagues formed the Hematology group at the Danish Cancer Institute in 2021.
Dr. Hjalgrim has a long-standing interest in diseases of the immune system notably lymphoid cancers and their associations with auto-immune and allergic conditions and with typical early life exposures such as infections.
Dr. Hjalgrim has extensive research-experience using the unique Danish registers in combination with other sources of data, especially administrative databases and biobanks, which have been used in a wide variety of study designs and methods, from purely registry-based to genome-wide association investigations.
Dr. Hjalgrim is professor at University of Copenhagen and participates in national and international research consortia.
Key Funding
US National Institutes of Health
Danish Cancer Society
Danish Childhood Cancer Foundation
Neye Foundation
Innovation Fund Denmark
Networks and consortia
Danish Blood Donor Study
InterLymph
SCANDAT
DALYCARE