Research in physiological chemistry and since 1976 in medicine and gastroenetrology. Focus on digestion, absorption and transport of polar lipids, a field that has strong connections to the role of lipid signalling in the development of inflammatory bowel diisease. Clinically, treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and more recently of short bowel syndrome are main interests. Of particular interest is the finding that the enzyme alkaline sphingomyelinase, which was discovered, purified and cloned in our group, has antiinflammatory and anticancer effects, that counteract colon cancer. This effect has been confirmed both in clinical studies and recently in gene knoclout mice (together with prof Rui-Dong Duan)