Associate professor and PhD Simon Glerup from Aarhus University, Health receives the faculty's talent award named after Nobel Prize winner Jens Christian Skou. In addition to the award itself, Simon Glerup will also receive DKK 100,000 towards research activities and the unofficial title of 'the faculty's brightest research talent'.

2017.10.11 | Sabina Bjerre Hansen

Associate professor and PhD Simon Glerup is the Faculty's greatest research talent and recipient of the Jens Christian Skou award 2017. Photo: Lars Kruse / AU.

Simon Glerup is employed as a researcher and lecturer at the Department of Biomedicine at Aarhus University. Here he conducts research into membrane receptors and has, among other things, contributed with fundamental discoveries of how cholesterol conversion is regulated in the body. These discoveries have been patented by the research group and may lead to new and more effective cholesterol medicine.

Following in Jens Christian Skou’s footsteps
"My field of research contributes with fundamental insight into how we human beings function on the molecular level. My research can help to explain what goes wrong when we become ill. It can also uncover the underlying mechanics in our minds as well as in our metabolism," says Simon Glerup.

Simon Glerup and his research group conduct basic scientific research – just as Jens Christian Skou did in his time. They generate knowledge which forms the basis for the development of new medicine against, among other things, neurological disorders and cardiovascular diseases, both of which affect millions of people all over the world and are a huge economic burden on society.

An award in the name of Jens Christian Skou motivates and carries responsibility
This year is the twentieth anniversary of Jens Christian Skou receiving the Nobel Prize. Simon Glerup clearly remembers one of his greatest role models receiving the prestigious prize in 1997. He also recalls the pride he felt on Skou's behalf and for the university in Aarhus.

"It is an honour to receive an award founded in his name. At the same time, the award is also a huge personal recognition and represents a significant pat on the back from the faculty. There are many talented junior researchers here and I feel both honoured and humbled to be chosen. There is something very special about receiving an award like this, and I am motivated to live up to its name," says Simon Glerup, who has now himself become a role model for junior researchers.

When Simon Glerup receives the Jens Christian Skou award, he will also receive DKK 100,000 towards research.

"The DKK 100,000 that follows with the award gives us a specific opportunity to take a chance and get involved in new and exciting project, which we actually did immediately after I got the news about the Skou award from my department head. We are now ready to begin a new adventure that can have a significant scientific and medical impact, and which would not have been possible without the Skou award," says Simon Glerup.

At the same time, Simon Glerup hopes that the award will draw attention to the research group, the research field and biomedical research in general.

See the video (in danish only) where Simon Glerup talks about what the prize means for him and for the research group that has made a major contribution to his research success. You can also read the short photo report from the award ceremony: "Curious and nerdy talent receives prestigious faculty prize"

The Jens Christian Skou Award is given to the brightest talents 
The Jens Christian Skou award is awarded annually to a particularly promising junior researcher who has delivered excellent research within one or more of the Faculty of Health’s research areas.

The award is given to a junior researcher who is among the international elite. This researcher must be extraordinarily talented within his or her field of research and has to have already documented exceptional research creativity and productivity.

Want to find out more?
Read more about the Jens Christian Skou award in the article "Junior research talents to be honoured with new award at Health".  

Read more about the last year's prize winner Trine Hyrup Mogensen in the portrait article "Award winner discovered her career path at the age of 15" and "Exceptionally talented researcher receives the Jens Christian Skou award".

Contact
Associate Professor, PhD Simon Glerup
Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine
Mobile: (+45) 5122 1727
Email: glerup@biomed.au.dk