Already as a five-year-old, Lise M. Lindahl knew what she wanted to be when she grew up. In the little blue book from kindergarten class, it doesn't say veterinarian or police officer – it says doctor. And she has held onto that ever since.

"I have wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. I have always wanted to help others in my work, and I have used that as my driving motivation," she says.

Today, more than three decades later, the 43-year-old Clinical Associate Professor, Ph.D., Dr.Med. and specialist in dermatology receives the Jens Christian Skou Prize 2025 for her extraordinary work with lymphatic cancer in the skin. A prize that honors not just a skilled researcher, but a true pioneer.

Meet and join us in celebrating Lise M. Lindahl as she officially receives the Jens Christian Skou Prize 2025.

Passionate about research

For Lise M. Lindahl, it has always been the skin – and particularly the complex cancer forms that affect it – that has been interesting.

"I really like that it's a visual specialty – you can read extremely much from the skin, and the skin gives many answers. At the same time, the specialty is quite complex, so you never finish learning and deepening your knowledge. I really like that combination," she says.

Shortly after she finished as a doctor, she threw herself into research on lymphatic cancer in the skin. In the beginning, she had to do it in her spare time alongside her clinical work.

"I became passionate about research from the very beginning. Getting new ideas and pursuing them has been a constant pleasure. I worked in the clinic during the day, and then I researched in the evening, night and weekends. It was exhilarating," Lise M. Lindahl says enthusiastically.

The interest in research quickly developed into a desire to get a Ph.D. scholarship at Aarhus University and the Dermatology Department.

Lise M. Lindahl had published several scientific articles based on her early research, and this would prove to qualify her for a fully funded Ph.D. scholarship at Aarhus University.

The early pioneer work would also prove to become the foundation for her entire further career. When she started, there had been no research in lymphatic cancer in the skin for many years at the Dermatology Department. She basically founded the research field from the ground up.

"There was no research in lymphatic cancer in the skin when I started. But I saw that as an exciting challenge," she says.

With support from the then professor at the department, Lars Iversen, she got her Ph.D. scholarship. Subsequently, she defended her doctoral dissertation and built up a research group with collaborators in both Denmark and abroad.

Lise M. Lindahl has a broad, translational approach to research that spans from epidemiological studies through clinical studies to basic research examining the molecular mechanisms behind the disease.

Head of the Department of Clinical Medicine Jørgen Frøkiær calls Lise M. Lindahl an "exceptionally extraordinary researcher in a class of her own, who has pioneered the establishment of her very own research field at Aarhus University and contributed to all modern knowledge about lymphatic cancer in the skin. Her broad approach has been one of the keys to her success and has opened up new treatment possibilities and generated national and international recognition."

All in all, according to Jørgen Frøkiær, she has through her breakthroughs positioned herself in the absolute elite within her field.

The marker that both measures and creates disease

An example of Lise M. Lindahl's significant contributions is the development of a molecular marker that can predict how lymphatic cancer in the skin will develop.

"The purpose was to predict the disease course for the individual patient – whether the patient will have a peaceful or a more aggressive course. It makes a big difference if you can already at the time of diagnosis get an idea of how the course will be for the patient, so treatment can be targeted accordingly," Lise M. Lindahl explains.

The marker, which was developed in a national study with skin samples from patients throughout Denmark, is clearly better than existing markers and can even predict mortality.

But the story doesn't stop there. Lise M. Lindahl and her colleagues discovered something surprising. Namely that the marker is not just a "marker" for disease – it is also a "maker". That is, it has an active role in the disease and makes cancer cells grow.

And that can be an important discovery that can form the basis for future treatment.

"The marker thus has significance for the disease in itself. In that way, it can also give us a point of attack for future treatment, so one can potentially more effectively slow down or postpone disease progression," Lise M. Lindahl explains.

Antibiotics became cancer medicine

Another example of Lise M. Lindahl's research breakthrough started with a single patient. A patient with advanced lymphatic cancer in the skin, who did not respond to established treatments, got a severe infection and was hospitalized for antibiotic treatment.

Suddenly, most of the cancer nodules in the skin disappeared.

"We became very surprised to see that antibiotics also seemed to help against the cancer itself," Lise M. Lindahl says.

This led to a series of studies, including a larger clinical study where patients with advanced disease were treated with antibiotics. The results were sensational.

"We actually found out that antibiotics, in addition to removing bacteria in the skin, simply slow down the development of the disease and inhibit the growth of cancer cells."

The discovery has already had impact and changed practice in the clinic, as some cancer patients today receive antibiotics as part of cancer treatment.

Balance between research and four children

Lise M. Lindahl has had four children during her career – including twins – and has been on maternity leave three times.

For many, this could have been a barrier to their career, but Lise M. Lindahl turned it into an advantage.

"It can be challenging to balance work life and private life. But instead of regarding the maternity leave periods as a barrier, I have used some of the periods to also contemplate on new research projects while being a mother. And that has actually worked well for both me and the family," says Lise M. Lindahl and continues:

"Having children has probably actually made me even more disciplined and efficient, so I have time for both research and family life. You obviously can't be in both places at the same time, but if you, in addition to being efficient, also utilize all the gaps and have an eye for well-being, then you can succeed with both at the same time."

Wants to make a difference for patients

With a large number of publications in prestigious journals behind her and research results that already influence the treatment of patients, Lise M. Lindahl could easily lean back and be satisfied.

But for her, research is fundamentally about something very simple and very big at the same time.

"I would of course like to solve cancer's puzzle, but that's probably not realistic. The most important thing for me is that I can make a difference for the patients."

It is thus precisely the same driving force that made the five-year-old girl write "doctor" in her blue book, and which today drives one of Denmark's most promising researchers in skin cancer.

With the Jens Christian Skou Prize comes 100,000 kroner for research and recognition of an extraordinary talent with very special creativity and productivity.

"I am honored to receive the prize. It is very motivating that one's work is recognized, and it will naturally give me another push," says Lise M. Lindahl.

Meet Lise M. Lindahl at the Steno Museum

Lise M. Lindahl will tell more about her research when she officially receives the Jens Christian Skou Prize 2025.

The prize ceremony takes place at the Steno Museum on October 7, and the event is open to all interested parties.

Read more and sign up – it's free to participate.

Clinical Associate Professor, Ph.D and MD Lise Maria Lindahl
Aarhus University, Health - Department of Clinical Medicine
Phone: +45 25396654
lise.lindahl@clin.au.dk