Six researchers from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital have just received scholarships from the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

2014.05.01 | Helle Horskjær Hansen

April 10 2014: The six researchers were awarded the scholarships and gave a brief introduction to their research projects.

Cancer research, cardiovascular diseases and the treatment of diabetes in general practice. These are some of the topics of the research projects that the Novo Nordisk Foundation has chosen to support financially in the form of scholarships.

All the recipients have been found on the basis of applications and selected by the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s scientific committees, whose members are themselves researchers and experts within their respective areas. 

Among the scholarships, the “Novo Nordisk Foundation Postdoc Fellowships for Research Abroad” were also awarded for the first time. The four-year fellowship of up to DKK four million makes it possible for a Danish researcher to be employed for a three-year period at a research institution abroad and then return home to continue the research project.

One of the recipients was Anders Etzerodt from Aarhus University. He will be investigating a certain type of cell in the immune system that appears to be a contributory factor for the development of cancer. He now has the opportunity to spend three years at the Center d’Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy in France.

Scholarships were awarded to a total of 16 researchers, of which six are from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital.

Consultant, Professor, DMSc Steen Dalby Kristensen.
Project title: Prevention of Thrombosis in Coronary Artery Disease: Novel Mechanisms of Aspirin Treatment
Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine and Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Cardiology.
Size of grant: DKK 5 million over five years.

Consultant, PhD, DMSc Lars Rejnmark.
Project title: The influence of the vitamin D-parathyroid axis on health and disease.
Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine and Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Medical Endocrinology.
Size of grant: DKK 5 million over five years.

PhD Karen-Lise Twine Spindler.
Project title: Clinical utility of cell free DNA analysis in colorectal cancer.
Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine and Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Oncology.
Size of grant: DKK 5 million over five years.

PhD Anders Etzerodt.
Project title: Investigation into the role and use of CD163 as a therapeutic target in tumour-associated macrophages.
Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine
Research environment abroad: Centre d’Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, France.
Size of grant: DKK 4 million over four years.

General practitioner, PhD Jette Møller Ahrensberg.
Project title: Seriously ill children in general practice – a study focusing on childhood cancer. Aarhus University, Department of Public Health, The Research Centre for Cancer Diagnosis in Primary Care, the Research Unit for General Medical Practice.
Size of grant: DKK 500,000 over two years.

PhD Morten Charles.
Project title: Type 2 diabetes treatment in Danish Primary Care – Are we reaching the Triple Aim?
Aarhus University, Department of Public Health, General Practice.
Size of grant: DKK 1 million over four years.

About the scholarships:

The scholarships are awarded with the aim of supporting research of the very highest quality. The Novo Nordisk Foundation focuses on finding the best research projects and wishes to provide the researchers with the best possible conditions for carrying out visionary research. The common feature of the projects is that they can contribute to the creation of better treatment of diseases, as the Novo Nordisk Foundation places high priority on contributing to improve people’s health.

Source: Novo Nordisk Foundation