An extra 60 million Danish kroner for ambitious brain research in Aarhus
A DKK 60 million grant from the Lundbeck Foundation will enable scientists at Aarhus University’s DANDRITE research centre to continue their work up to 2022. The aim is to create ground-breaking results and to be one of the world’s leading brain research centres.
When a healthy brain falls ill, intercellular communication changes. However, we still know far too little about what exactly happens at molecular and genetic levels. For this reason, the Lundbeck Foundation is now granting a further DKK 60 million to the DANDRITE research centre at Aarhus University.
The centre’s research team is headed by Professor Poul Nissen and conducts both basic and translational research into the brain and nervous system. Among other things, the scientists are investigating the molecular biology underlying brain disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, depression and ADHD. They are also studying the basic mechanisms of the sensory system, initiative, memory and muscle control.
“DANDRITE is an extremely ambitious project which could prove hugely significant for our understanding of the processes in both healthy and diseased brains – right down to molecular level. The scientists have already made great progress, and they may very well be on the verge of further significant breakthroughs,” says Anne-Marie Engel, Director of Research at the Lundbeck Foundation.
New original research
The research team received the first DKK 60 million from the Lundbeck Foundation in 2013 to set up DANDRITE. Since then, the centre has produced such excellent results and has succeeded in recruiting so many talented young scientists that the Foundation is now granting a further DKK 60 million to continue operations from 2018 to 2022.
“We’re looking forward tremendously to the coming years’ research, which will be funded by this generous grant. The structure of DANDRITE is unique in Danish research circles, based on international recruitment of young team leaders who introduce original, novel fields of research and methods and who already participate in strong, interdisciplinary partnerships, both locally and internationally,” says Poul Nissen.
For further details please contact:
Anne-Marie Engel, Director of Research at the Lundbeck Foundation, tel. +45 3912 8000 or email ame@lundbeckfonden.com
