During my career, I was always fascinated by the aggregation of protein and peptides and links to diverse physiological and pathological processes. My current research is focused on the aggregation as a novel host defense mechanism, of relevance for skin inflammation and wound healing. In particular, I study host defense roles of blood proteins belonging to the apolipoprotein group, such as apolipoprotein E (abbreviated ApoE). Our findings demonstrate a previously undisclosed role of ApoE, involving aggregation of endotoxins and bacteria, enabling clearance of bacterial toxins and microbial killing. The link between host defense and aggregation also suggests that persisting inflammation may lead to dysfunctional activation of such protein-based host defense pathways, and therefore, our research also raises interesting perspectives on the relationship between antimicrobial and amyloidogenic peptides. Taken together, the project supported by Hudfonden will disclose new physiologically relevant roles for apolipoproteins in skin inflammation. It will also increase our understanding of different amyloid diseases involving the skin, but also other organs such as the brain. 1. Petrlova J, Petruk G, Huber RG, McBurnie EW, van der Plas MJA, Bond PJ et al. Thrombin-derived C-terminal fragments aggregate and scavenge bacteria and their proinflammatory products. J Biol Che. Published 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32034093 2) Petrlova J, Hasen FC, van der Plas MJA, Huberb RG, Mörgelin M, Malmsten M et al. JAggregation of thrombin-derived C-terminal fragments as a previously undisclosed host defense mechanism. Proc Nat Acad Sci. Published 2017.  http://www.pnas.org/content/early/recent