Four Health researchers receive million-kroner grants for endocrinology research

Altogether, the grant recipients from Health have received scholarships totalling more than DKK 4 million from the Danish Diabetes and Endocrine Academy.

Here are Health’s grant recipients:

Medical doctor Josephine Therkildsen from the Department of Clinical Medicine and the Department of Cardiology at Gødstrup Regional Hospital has received a Postdoctoral Fellowship in classical endocrinology of DKK 1,200,000 for the project “Opportunistic Screening of Osteoporosis and the Prognostic Impact in Patients Referred for Routine CT”.
Principal investigator: Clinical Associate Professor Simon Winther.

In this project, Josephine Therkildsen investigates how artificial intelligence can be used to exploit routine cardiac CT scans to simultaneously assess bone density. The aim is to develop and validate an AI-based method that can identify patients with undiagnosed osteoporosis - without any additional radiation exposure, cost or time consumption. The project will also examine how accurately AI-based measurements can predict the risk of future fractures.

Medical doctor Laura Løftgaard Knudsen from the Department of Clinical Medicine, Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School has received a Strategic Partnership PhD Scholarship of DKK 1,100,000 for the project “Lipid insulin sensitivity in pregnant women with GDM and consequences for their offspring”.
Main supervisor: Clinical Associate Professor Ulla Kampmann Opstrup.

An increasing number of women develop gestational diabetes, and even with well-regulated blood glucose there remains an elevated risk of newborns with high birth weight and metabolic complications. In this project, the researcher will investigate the role of insulin resistance in pregnant women with normal weight, overweight and gestational diabetes, and its association with fat deposition in the child. The aim is to improve understanding of the mechanisms underlying gestational diabetes and, in the longer term, to develop new, more targeted treatment strategies.

MSc Mariam Nakabuye from the Department of Public Health has received a PhD Scholarship in classical endocrinology of DKK 1,100,000 for the project “Modeling pesticide exposure and its risk for endocrine, glycaemic, and kidney dysfunctions”.
Main supervisor: Professor Vivi Schlünssen.

In this project, Mariam Nakabuye uses machine learning and extensive biomarker data from Ugandan smallholder farmers to investigate how exposure to pesticides affects thyroid function, kidney health and glycaemic regulation. Through repeated measurements and detailed exposure data, the researcher can more precisely identify health risks and the mechanisms linking pesticides to hormonal and metabolic disorders.

Medical doctor Sofie Riise Stampe from the Department of Clinical Medicine, Comparative Medicine Lab, has received an Industrial PhD Scholarship of DKK 1,100,000 for the project “Exploring Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Gestational Diabetes: The Role of Whey Protein in Glycaemic Control and Gastric Emptying”.
Main supervisor: Clinical Professor Per Glud Ovesen.

In this project, the researcher investigates whether whey protein consumed before meals could be an effective non-pharmacological alternative to insulin treatment for women with gestational diabetes. Through two clinical trials, Sofie Riise Stampe will assess both glycaemic control and gastric emptying rate, with the overall aim of reducing the need for insulin and improving treatment for pregnant women with gestational diabetes. The project is carried out in collaboration with Arla Food Ingredients.

In addition, PhD student Stine Smedegaard from the Department of Clinical Medicine has received DKK 600,000 through an Industrial Postdoctoral Fellowship, and Associate Professor Lynne Chepulis from the Waikato Medical Research Centre in New Zealand has received a Visiting Researcher grant of DKK 302,800 for a collaboration with Health.

In total, the foundation is awarding DKK 36.8 million to 39 new projects within diabetes, metabolism and hormonal health, including 17 PhD scholarships and 15 postdoctoral fellowships.

This coverage is based on press material from the Danish Diabetes and Endocrine Academy.