Autoimmune Diseases: What Do We Know About Gender Differences

Autoimmune diseases represent a major health burden for women, who make up the clear majority of patients across many conditions. While the higher prevalence among women is well established, the underlying biological, hormonal and immunological mechanisms are still not fully understood. This meeting will explore current knowledge on autoimmune diseases as they affect women, with attention to factors that shape disease risk, symptom development and treatment outcomes.

The programme brings together perspectives from several autoimmune disease areas to highlight how women experience these conditions differently—both in diseases where women are disproportionately affected and in diseases where prevalence is similar but the disease manifests differently. Type 1 diabetes is one such example, where women are not more frequently affected, yet show distinct clinical patterns and outcomes compared to men.

Speakers will share recent insights into immune regulation, hormonal influences and genetic pathways that may help explain these sex-specific differences, as well as emerging research across the field. Discussions throughout the meeting will focus on how to strengthen knowledge, build collaboration and ensure that women’s health considerations are better integrated into research, clinical practice and innovation. The goal is to support earlier recognition, more tailored treatment strategies and improved outcomes for women living with autoimmune diseases.

Date: Tuesday, 17th March 2026
Time: 14:00 – 18:30
Venue: Malmö University, Orkanen, Nordenskiöldsgatan 10, Malmö – Hörsal D222
(Only 7 min. walk from Malmö C station)

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Program

Speakers​​​​​​

	Helle Hvilsted Nielsen is Head of the MS Clinic at Odense University Hospital and Clinical Professor of Neurology. Her work centers on the interaction between the immune system and the nervous system, aiming to better understand disease mechanisms in autoimmune diseases and multiple sclerosis.
	Tanja Thybo, PhD, is Head of Research at the Danish Diabetes Association, leading translational diabetes research to improve the lives of people with diabetes across all life stages. She is engaged in advancing sex-specific and precision approaches in diabetes technology and care, including better integration of female physiology and hormonal transitions in type 1 diabetes management. Tanja is also dedicated to communicating research findings to health care professionals, decision-makers, and people living with diabetes.
	Jesper Lexner is a medical doctor at Skane university hospital in Malmö and PhD student at Lund University. In his research he focuses on risk factors for celiac disease.
	Julie Davey Lund holds an MSc in Medicinal Chemistry and is the Head of the Board of the Danish Thyroid Patients’ Association. She was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s at the age of 23.
	Maria Holmqvist Tångefjord is Medical Director Scandinavia at AbbVie, with over 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical and medical affairs. She leads a cross-Scandinavian team across Oncology/Hematology, Immunology, Specialty Care, Research & Operations, and Pharmacovigilance. She previously held medical and commercial roles at AbbVie, Amgen, and Eli Lilly, and holds a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Science from Uppsala University.
	Bente Appel Esbensen is professor in rheumatology nursing and self-management at Copenhagen Center for Arthritis Res​earch (COPECARE), Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Her clinical work and research focus on self-management in people with inflammatory arthritis which includes areas such as rehabilitation, symptom management (particularly fatigue and sleep), lifestyle factors, patient-reported outcomes, patient involvement, mental health, and the organization of consultations in rheumatology clinics.
	Moderator: Angela Ibler joined BioInnovation Institute, Copenhagen, in 2024. As a Senior Associate in the Venture Creation team, she has driven dedicated funding calls for e.g. Women’s Health and Brain Health, and hosted an academic symposium on Women’s Health with topics spanning from autoimmune diseases to endometriosis. She is engaged in the entire venture creation lifecycle, from scouting new projects towards a viable business within the area of therapeutics development. During her PhD at Cambridge University she studied pathogen-induced DNA damage response and chronic infections, followed by her postdoctoral studies in Sheffield University on immunomodulation. Prior to BII, she worked at Novo Nordisk in Early Research and Development on chronic fibrotic diseases.

The deadline for registration is 13th March 2026

The MVA Women’s Health network
Joining the MVA Women’s Health Network is free of charge but is limited to Medicon Valley Alliance members. Non-member organizations and companies are welcome to attend one network event to evaluate the relevance of joining the network. For more information, please contact Katrine Brems Olsen at kbo@mva.org

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