New division manager aims to give health researchers an edge in the funding competition

The ambition at Health is clear: More researchers should receive funding to realize their ideas. With the establishment of Health Research Support, the faculty aims to ensure that researchers have the best possible resources in the competition for research funding.

To lead the new unit, the faculty has appointed Anne Cathrine Thorup, who comes from a position as Head of Department at SEGES Innovation.

Here, she has led fundraising projects that have secured funding for research and development. But after eight years focusing on innovation in agriculture and food, it is time for a new challenge for Anne Cathrine Thorup.

"It's an exciting challenge to have the opportunity to build a brand new unit from the ground up, where we can create the framework for successful applications that will make a difference for both researchers and society," says Anne Cathrine Thorup about her motivation for applying for the job.

She knows Aarhus University well, as she completed her master's degree in Molecular Biology at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and a PhD at Health.

The first task for Anne Cathrine Thorup will be to build the unit and hire employees with the right combination of skills.

"We need to assemble a team that can benefit from each other's strengths. This requires different competencies. Some need to understand research administration, others the scientific aspects. It’s in the combination that we create value, and we must be a united team that can lift together," she says.

Anne Cathrine Thorup starts her position on November 1st, and she hopes to have the first employees in place within the first couple of months.

Overall, Anne Cathrine Thorup hopes that Health Research Support will contribute to a general skills uplift among researchers, so they feel better equipped to apply for research funding in the future.

"The goal is to better prepare researchers to write applications, so they feel confident in the process and stand stronger in the competition for funding—thus enabling more of the exciting projects at the faculty to come to life," she says.

Player-Coach

The future employees at Health Research Support can look forward to an engaged leader. Anne Cathrine Thorup considers herself a "player-coach," unafraid to take part in daily tasks.

"I am here to set the framework, but I am also willing to be on the floor and take an active part in the work; for example, by helping draft applications or running workshops," she says.

"Player-coach" isn’t the only football term that comes from the mouth of Health’s new head of function. When she’s not working with research support, she often spends time on the football field in Hinnerup, where she plays on a team with both young and experienced players.

"Football is a fantastic way for me to unwind and be fully present. When I play, all thoughts of work disappear—I am completely absorbed in the game," she says, seeing a clear parallel between football and her work.

"It's about community and teamwork. We achieve the most when we lift together."