Lundbeck Foundation awards grants worth DKK 65 million to biomedical science researchers

The Lundbeck Foundation has decided to give funding to the tune of DKK 65.3 million to 32 postdoc projects.

Many of the projects relate to brain research; the research field at the heart of the Lundbeck Foundation’s funding. However, there are also projects from other fields of biomedical science among the 32 grant recipients, including projects dealing with childhood asthma, eye disease and cancer.

The following projects have received funding:

Amalie Kai Bentzen, postdoc at the Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, has received a research grant of DKK 400,000 from the Lundbeck Foundation to study the role of T cells in the development of autoimmune diseases.

Casper-Emil Tingskov Pedersen, postdoc, Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, has received a research grant of DKK 1,424,921 from the Lundbeck Foundation. The project seeks to map genetic markers for development of childhood asthma.

Lau Møller Andersen, postdoc, MINDLab, Aarhus University Hospital, has received a grant of DKK 1,588,804 from the Lundbeck Foundation to research the role of the cerebellum in Parkinson’s disease.

Marija Nisavic, postdoc at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, has received a grant of DKK 1,495,944 from the Lundbeck Foundation. Her project seeks to map characteristic conformations of alpha-synuclein protein misfolding, which among other things occurs in Parkinson’s disease.

Laura Cesa, assistant professor, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, has received a research grant of DKK 1,584,748 from the Lundbeck Foundation. Her project focuses on the interaction between proteins and ion channels in the brain in connection with stroke.

Anne Zebitz Eriksen, postdoc at the Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, has received a research grant of DKK 1,675,000 from the Lundbeck Foundation. The focus of her project is to develop a new technique for transplanting stem cells in connection with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Line Lund Kårhus, MD, Frederiksberg Hospital, has received a research grant of DKK 1,600,000 from the Lundbeck Foundation. Her project centres on developing new guidelines for testing patients for gluten intolerance (coeliac disease).

Anders Husby, PhD student, Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut (SSI), has received a research grant of DKK 1,500,000 from the Lundbeck Foundation. His project will compare anonymised data on 500,000 Danish children and their mothers. The aim is to see whether there is a correlation between how well the children do in their school-leaving exams and the types of medicine their mothers took during pregnancy.

Frederik Seersholm, PhD student, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, has received a research grant of DKK 1,863,869 from the Lundbeck Foundation. His project focuses on describing the factors underlying the evolution and spread of a range of pathogenic microorganisms, including the malaria parasite. The project involves extensive analyses of ancient human DNA.

Melissa Larsen, postdoc, MRI Department, Hvidovre Hospital, has received a research grant of DKK 1,953,000 from the Lundbeck Foundation. Her project seeks to identify patterns in the changes underlying brain functions and brain structures linked to a risk of developing psychosis. The studies involve sophisticated scanning methods.

Mikkel Petersen, postdoc, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, has received a research grant of DKK 2,085,000 from the Lundbeck Foundation. This project focuses on developing an interactive hologram, among other things for use in detailed planning of sophisticated brain surgery.

Katrine Louise Jensen, postdoc, Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, has received a research grant of DKK 2,238,925 from the Lundbeck Foundation. One of the aims of her project is to acquire new knowledge about the drug addiction many people suffer when they take opioids for severe pain. Knowledge of this kind may also have potential for the design of novel, non-addictive painkillers.

Andrea Sorrentino, postdoc, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, has received a research grant of DKK 2,285,900 from the Lundbeck Foundation. His project aims to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of action behind drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists in relation to the cardiac function of diabetics.

Maryam Ardalan, postdoc, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, has received a research grant of DKK 2,331,820 from the Lundbeck Foundation to seek to identify biomarkers for autism in premature babies.

Lasse Christiansen, postdoc, MRI Department, Hvidovre Hospital, has received a research grant of DKK 2,329,276 from the Lundbeck Foundation. His study focuses on the sensorimotor function underlying sophisticated hand movement.

Martin Dietz, postdoc, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, has received a grant of DKK 2,261,899 from the Lundbeck Foundation. His study focuses on patterns of brain activity which may be linked to a risk of developing schizophrenia.

Carmen Klein Herenbrink, postdoc, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, has received a research grant of DKK 2,379,815 from the Lundbeck Foundation. The project aims to improve our understanding of dysregulation of the brain’s neurotransmitters.

Elena Burlacu, postdoc, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, has received a research grant of DKK 2,361,072 from the Lundbeck Foundation to study the consequences of defects in protein complexes.

Narcis Adrian Petriman, postdoc, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, has received a research grant of DKK 2,361,072 from the Lundbeck Foundation.

Nathalie Beschorner, PhD student, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, has received a grant of DKK 2,351,046 from the Lundbeck Foundation for research into Alzheimer’s disease.

Eshan Ghosh, postdoc, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, has received a research grant of DKK 2,348,371 from the Lundbeck Foundation.

Bauke de Boer, PhD student, Biotech and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, has received a research grant of DKK 2,340,000 from the Lundbeck Foundation. This project targets aspects of AML – acute myeloid leukaemia – which is a serious type of cancer of the blood.

Fabian Finger, postdoc, NNF Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, has received a research grant of DKK 2,346,466 from the Lundbeck Foundation.

Viktoria Bågenholm, postdoc, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, has received a research grant of DKK 2,400,000 from the Lundbeck Foundation to map protein structures.

Luke Gamon, postdoc, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, has received a research grant of DKK 2,325,000 from the Lundbeck Foundation. The project seeks to identify whether iodides could be a potential therapeutic for prevention of atherosclerosis.

Christoffer Goth, postdoc, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, has received a research grant of DKK 2,343,442 from the Lundbeck Foundation. His project seeks to identify protein modifications in order to acquire new knowledge for the benefit of drug design.

Jan Heiner Driller, postdoc, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, has received a research grant of DKK 2,381,181 from the Lundbeck Foundation. The aim of his project is to map molecular mechanisms linked to choline, an essential nutrient involved in intraneuronal signalling.

Panagiotis Galanos, postdoc, Centre for Cancer Research, Danish Cancer Society, has received a grant of DKK 2,004,000 from the Lundbeck Foundation. His study will seek to identify any convergences in underlying biological factors that cause development of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

Elisabeth McClymont, PhD student, Centre for Cancer Research, Danish Cancer Society, has received a grant of DKK 2,280,000 from the Lundbeck Foundation. The project will seek to identify whether HPV vaccination to prevent cervical cancer also reduces women’s risk of giving birth prematurely.

Lisbeth Liliendal Valbjørn Møller, PhD student, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, has received a research grant of DKK 2,362,000 from the Lundbeck Foundation. The project will seek to map a molecule that is assumed to play a key role in muscle mass regulation in humans.

Jesper Falkesgaard Højen, PhD, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, has received a research grant of DKK 2,465,400 from the Lundbeck Foundation. The aim of the project is to investigate parts of the human immune system that are assumed to play an anonymous yet significant role in our health.

Carin Lunenburg, postdoc, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, has received a grant of DKK 1,599,950 from the Lundbeck Foundation. This project seeks to improve our understanding of how patients’ genetics may affect the impact of psychopharmaceuticals.