Joanna Kalucka and Christine Parsons each receive a Carlsberg Foundation Young Researcher Fellowship. This means a multi-million kroner grant for studies into the role of the spleen vasculature in the immune system and into the influence of sleep disruption on new parents, respectively.

2020.01.07 | Sabina Bjerre Hansen

Associate professor Christine Parsons (left) and assistant professor Joanna Kalucka both from Health, have received fellowships from the Carlsberg Foundation. Photo: AU.

The Carlsberg Foundation has awarded 28 Young Researcher Fellowships to younger newly-appointed associate professors with visionary research ideas and projects. Two of these researchers are from Health.

How do men and women respond to baby crying at night?

In her research project, Christine Parsons investigates how new parents, men and women, with different access to parental leave, tackle the challenge of disrupted night-time sleep. Her aim is to examine the notion that men are less perceptive to babies crying than women, and less involved in their caregiving. Her work will also examine whether there are differences across countries, where there are considerable differences in access to parental leave.

Why does an ill or missing spleen increase the risk of infection?

The spleen plays an important role in the body's immune system and homeostasis. An ill or surgically removed spleen increases the risk of infections, which may lead to serious consequences for those affected. Joanna Kalucka will hence use the molecular fingerprint to gain new insight into the spleen's vasculature and its function of maintaining tissue homeostasis.

Christine Parsons receives almost DKK 3.8 million, while Joanna Kalucka receives almost DKK 3 million from the Carlsberg Foundation.

Contact

Associate Professor, Psychologist, PhD Christine Parsons
Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine and
The Interacting Minds Center
Tel.: (+45) 8716 2127
Email: christine.parsons@clin.au.dk

Assistant Professor, Molecular Biologist, PhD Joanna Kalucka
Aarhus University, Department of Biomedicine and
Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS)
Email: joanna.kalucka@aias.au.dk

This news article is partly based on press material from the Carlsberg Foundation.