Lars Henrik Frich

My research activities have always been focused on critical, clinical issues requiring investigations to understand the underlying mechanisms of a given problematic and to improve detailed knowledge on a certain area, but always with the overall aim to improve patient outcome. To achieve this goal, I have combined a number of research methodologies, including observational clinical studies, randomized clinical trials, medical technology assessments, biomedical studies, as well as animal experiments, depending on the nature of the question, the availability of patients and applicability of methods. When possible, I have always aimed to answer clinical, scientific questions in a translational way. During the past six years, my research has focused on improving the treatment of rotator cuff disorder and the problems related to healing of rotator cuff tendon and muscle. Recent data from my lab has demonstrated chronic that changes such as fatty infiltration, muscle atrophy, and fibrosis in the RC musculature in tear conditions can be circumvented by stem cell therapy to enhance muscle regeneration, and reduce the changes in the intra muscular connective tissue. Our latest research is in collaboration with researchers from other institutes of SDU to develop new techniques to enhance tendon healing and to validate a technique based on speckle-tracking ultrasonography to quantify changes in rotator cuff muscle dynamics.