HRH Crown Prince Frederik presents the world’s largest brain research prize in Copenhagen
The Crown Prince presents the prize, awarded for pioneering research into how the nervous system controls movement. It is only the second time in the history of The Brain Prize that it has been awarded to a Danish scientist.
Three top international researchers – Ole Kiehn from Denmark, Silvia Arber from Switzerland and New Zealand’s Martyn Goulding – have received the prestigious Danish brain research award, The Brain Prize.
The Brain Prize is the world’s biggest prize for neuroscientists – and it’s Danish. It has now been awarded for the twelfth time in its history.
The Crown Prince gave a speech and presented the award at a ceremony honouring the winners at VILLA Copenhagen on 24 May. The event was attended by the world’s leading brain scientists, new and former award winners, key contributors, guests from the worlds of industry and health research, and the Danish Minister of Higher Education and Science, Jesper Petersen (S).
The prize is of great importance to Denmark and to brain research in general, said Lene Skole, CEO of the Lundbeck Foundation:
“The Brain Prize is something very special for the Lundbeck Foundation, and for anyone interested in the brain and in science. It is also an award of which we all can be proud in Denmark. The high profile and international attention it attracts testify to Denmark’s strong and growing position as a brain research nation – including in the global arena. My hope is that the award will help to boost research both internationally and in Denmark, and inspire more researchers to choose the brain as a research path.”
THE BRAIN PRIZE 2022: CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH INTO MOVEMENT
Professor Ole Kiehn, Silvia Arber and Martyn Goulding have revolutionised our understanding of how the nervous system controls movement:
“The research conducted by this year’s winners has provided us with fundamental insight into the mechanisms in the nervous system that give humans and mammals control over body movements. Their discoveries offer hope that science can eventually make breakthroughs in the treatment of life-threatening and debilitating diseases such as ALS,
Parkinson’s disease and spinal cord injury,” said Jan Egebjerg, Senior Vice President, Grants & Prizes, Lundbeck Foundation.
Pioneering work on how the nervous system controls movement awarded world’s top brain research prize
An international group of three neuroscientists from Switzerland, Denmark and USA/New Zealand have revealed the nervous system’s inner...
Commenting on this year’s winners and the importance of The Brain Prize, Minister of Higher Education and Science Jesper Petersen (S), said:
“The fact that our small country has a winner of the world’s biggest brain research prize for the second year in a row is impressive, and once again underlines the fact that Denmark is among the front runners in life science. This year’s award honours three scientists who have dedicated their working lives to the amazing system that allows us to move our bodies freely: run until we’re out of breath, or hug our friends and family members. Diseases like Parkinson’s and ALS arise when the brain no longer has full control over the body. That means that the understanding of the brain and body furthered by the prize winners will be crucial to curing these diseases.”
The world’s largest prize for brain research is Danish. It is called The Brain Prize and is awarded once a year to one or more researchers who have made an unprecedented contribution to our knowledge about the brain. This includes research into health and diseases of all aspects of the brain, and in all disciplines – from basic neuroscience to applied clinical research.
The organisation behind prize is the Lundbeck Foundation: Denmark's largest private funder of brain research. It is the Foundation’s ambition to enhance Denmark's global position in the field of brain research, and this was the reason for establishing the prize in 2010. The prize is accompanied by a monetary award of DKK 10 million (approximately EUR 1.34 million).
The Brain Prize is a tribute to individuals from all corners of the world who devote their brains to helping ours. However, it’s aim is also to raise awareness of a research field as infinite as the universe itself – and no less fundamentally important to explore. Because the brain’s complexity is matched only by its potential.
The Lundbeck Foundation is a commercial foundation encompassing a comprehensive range of commercial and philanthropic activities – all united by its strong purpose; Bringing Discoveries to Lives. The Foundation is the long-term and engaged owner of several international healthcare companies – Lundbeck, Falck and ALK – and an active investor in business, science and people through its commercial investments in the financial markets; in biotech companies based on Danish research and through philanthropic grants to science talents and programmes in Danish universities. The Foundation’s philanthropic grants amount to more than DKK 500m annually primarily focusing on the brain – including the world’s largest personal prize for neuroscience, The Brain Prize.
