12 Health researchers receive grants from Independent Research Fund Denmark

The projects span a wide range - from new biomarkers for prostate cancer and cancer immunotherapy to studies on type 1 diabetes during exercise, kidney and infectious diseases, and the brain's circulation in relation to depression, PTSD, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Here are Health’s grant recipients under the theme “DFF-Forskningsprojekt1”:

Professor Karina Dalsgaard Sørensen from the Department of Clinical Medicine and the Department of Molecular Medicine (MOMA) receives DKK 3,168,000 for the project “The role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in prostate cancer aggressiveness.”

She is searching for new biological markers in prostate cancer that can help distinguish between indolent and aggressive disease courses, potentially enabling doctors to provide more precise and individualised treatment for each patient.

Clinical Associate Professor Esben Søndergaard from the Department of Clinical Medicine and Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus receives DKK 3,167,826 for the project “Galactose – a glucose-stabilising fuel for skeletal muscle during exercise in individuals with type 1 diabetes.”

The researcher investigates whether the sugar galactose—found in milk, among other sources—can act as a stable fuel for muscles during physical activity in people with type 1 diabetes, thereby reducing fluctuations in blood glucose levels.

Professor Peter Nejsum from the Department of Clinical Medicine and the Department of Infectious Diseases at Aarhus University Hospital receives DKK 3,168,000 for the project “TLR9 adjuvant as a strategy to overcome helminth-induced vaccine suppression.”

The research group, led by Peter Nejsum, will examine whether vaccines can be made more effective in individuals with parasitic worm infections by adding a specific substance that activates the immune system—a strategy that could particularly enhance the use of low-cost vaccines in low-income countries.

Professor Martin Roelsgaard Jakobsen from the Department of Biomedicine receives DKK 3,160,800 for the project “TIER-T cells – Transcription factor Induced Exhaustion-Resistant T cells.”

The aim is to design cancer-fighting T cells that resist exhaustion in a tumour’s immunosuppressive environment, thereby enhancing the long-term effectiveness of personalised cancer immunotherapy.

Associate Professor Anna Mathia Klawonn from the Department of Biomedicine and DANDRITE receives DKK 3,167,349 for the project “Lateral Septum – a Key Regulator of Mood.”

The researcher is mapping how the often-overlooked brain region, the lateral septum, regulates mood and may hold the key to new treatments for depression and addiction.

Professor Rikke Nørregaard Nielsen from the Department of Clinical Medicine receives DKK 3,078,280 for the project “Klotho peptides: The future of kidney disease treatment.”

The goal is to develop small, Klotho-inspired molecules (a naturally occurring protein important for kidney health and ageing) that can slow scar tissue formation in diseased kidneys and protect kidney function in chronic kidney disease.

External Associate Professor Kirstine Kobberøe Søgaard from the Department of Clinical Medicine and the Department of Clinical Epidemiology (KEA) receives DKK 3,156,768 for the project “Clinical and molecular insights into E. coli and its role in kidney cancer.”

The researcher is investigating whether certain types of E. coli bacteria may increase the risk of kidney cancer, while also developing a clinical model to identify patients who should be screened for kidney cancer.

Professor Steffen Thiel from the Department of Biomedicine receives DKK 3,097,152 for the project “Therapy for Lupus Nephritis: Complement Inhibition Targeting Deposited C1q.”

The professor is developing a "smart" and targeted drug (CATCH) that suppresses inflammation in the kidneys exactly where the disease manifests, without weakening the rest of the immune system.

Professor Helle Prætorius Øhrwald from the Department of Biomedicine receives DKK 3,158,483 for the project “Proteinuria – a Risk Factor for Urinary Tract Infection.”

In the project, Helle Prætorius examines whether proteins in the urine of kidney patients promote bacterial growth—and how infections might be prevented without antibiotics.

Associate Professor Lasse Sommer Kristensen from the Department of Biomedicine receives DKK 3,168,000 for the project “Enhanced CAR-T cell cancer therapy based on prodrug-producing circular RNAs.”

The researcher aims to enable a dual attack on cancer cells: both by immune cells and a specific type of medication released directly in the tumour to reduce side effects. The hope is that this dual approach will lead to more gentle and effective treatment.

Professor Gregers Wegener from the Department of Clinical Medicine and the Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit (TNU) receives DKK 3,168,000 for the project “REMIND: Rewiring Maladaptive Neural Circuits: Mechanisms of Psychedelics in Fear Memory and Depression.”

The researcher investigates how psychedelic substances like DMT may "reset" the brain's fear circuitry, offering new insights into the treatment of PTSD and depression.

Associate Professor Dong Won Kim from the Department of Biomedicine and DANDRITE receives DKK 3,166,006 for the project “Lipids at the Front Line: Microglial Lipid Droplet Dysregulation as an Early Driver of Alzheimer’s Neuropathology.”

The project examines whether the brain’s immune cells (microglia) play an early role in Alzheimer’s disease, and how damage might be prevented before the disease progresses.

Dong Won Kim also receives DKK 3,166,006 for the project “Epigenetic and Transcriptomic Drivers of Microglial Ontogeny in Early Brain Development.”

The project follows the same immune cells (microglia) during foetal development to understand how early conditions influence their development and lifelong roles in the brain.

This article is based on press material from the Independent Research Fund Denmark.