MIND is a well-established neuroscience research-center at the University of Aarhus. The center was founded on November 1st 2005 by groups at the Faculty of Health and the Faculty of Science and Technology in Aarhus, and is sponsored by a major grant from The Lundbeck Foundation. MIND is dedicated to multidisciplinary basic research in the molecular function and physio­logical role of the Vps10p-domain receptors also called the sortilins.

MIND combines state-of-the art techniques in recombinant protein expression (mammalian cells, Leishmania, viral expression systems), crystallography, biochemistry, cell and neurobiology, electro-physiology, transgenic animal models, imaging and PET scanning with the aim to characterize the role of the sortilins in health and disease.

The sortilins were initially identified by members of the consortium, as regulators of neurotrophin activity and other neuronal growth factors in the nervous system. By combining structure-function analysis at the level of atomic resolution with studies in cells and transgenic mouse models, we have shown that receptors of the gene family are pivotal regulators of neuronal survival and death during certain stages of development and aging as well as following injury to the spinal cord. Moreover, genetic association studies and analysis of knockout mouse models have demonstrated that receptor dysfunction is causally linked to several devastating disorders including sporadic/late-onset Alzheimer’s disease and psychiatric diseases such as bipolar disorder, but surprisingly also to type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.