Axel Kornerup Hansen

Professor Axel Kornerup Hansen is a distinguished academic at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Health and Medical Science, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. Holding dual qualifications as DVSci and DVM, along with Dipl. ECLAM certification, he serves as Head of Section in Preclinical Disease Biology with over 25 years of continuous service since 1997. His expertise centers on laboratory animal science, welfare, and the critical role of microbiota in biomedical research.

• Cand. med. vet. (DVM equivalent), Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen (1985)
• Dr. med. vet. (DVSci equivalent), Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen (1996)
• Charter diplomate, European College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (2000)
• European Veterinary Specialist in Laboratory Animal Medicine (2000)

Professor Hansen's research focuses on improving mouse models for human diseases through microbiota interactions, with particular emphasis on how gut flora impacts disease development. His work bridges laboratory animal science with translational medicine, examining how experimental variables affect metabolic outcomes in obesity and diabetes models. His research has significant implications for refining animal models to better predict human responses to treatments.

Analysis of his recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong focus on microbiome research, particularly examining how gut bacteria influence metabolic diseases, inflammatory conditions, and responses to dietary interventions. His work spans multiple model systems including mice, rats, and pigs, with increasing attention to translational applications in human health conditions like ulcerative colitis, anorexia nervosa, and type 2 diabetes.

Professor Hansen serves as Chairman of the Danish 3R Centre and the National Committee for Animal Experimentation and Alternatives. He is an active member of numerous professional organizations including the Scandinavian Society for Laboratory Animal Science, American Society for Laboratory Animal Science, European Society for Laboratory Animal Veterinarians, European College for Laboratory Animal Medicine, and serves on the Editorial Review Board for Comparative Medicine.

His research is supported through collaborations with major pharmaceutical companies including Novo Nordisk A/S, Lundbeck A/S, and LeoPharma, among others. He has served as consultant for Riverstone Biotech and previously worked at Møllegaard Breeding Center (now owned by Taconic). Professor Hansen has developed and taught numerous courses on laboratory animal science for both academic and industry audiences.

He leads research in the Experimental Animal Models section, focusing on optimizing animal models through understanding microbiota interactions. His team works extensively with germ-free and gnotobiotic models to isolate the effects of specific microbial communities on disease phenotypes. The research environment emphasizes the 3R principles (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) in animal experimentation while maintaining scientific rigor.