Seven Health researchers receive grants for psychiatric research
Researchers from Health have been awarded grants from the Independent Research Fund Denmark under the theme of Psychiatric Research. The grants aim to strengthen research into mental disorders from improved treatment of depression and type 2 diabetes in people with mental illness to new insights into schizophrenia, eating disorders, and autism/ADHD.
Seven researchers from Health are receiving a total of nearly DKK 38 million for research projects that contribute in various ways to a better understanding, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders.
Here are the grant recipients from Health:
Professor Søren Dinesen Østergaard from the Department of Clinical Medicine and the Department of Affective Disorders at Aarhus University Hospital receives DKK 3,092,256 for the project “Repurposing Drugs for Depression via Gene Regulatory Network Analysis and Target Trial Emulation.”
In the project, the researchers investigate whether existing drugs developed for other diseases can be repurposed as effective treatments for depression. By combining genetic analyses with advanced register-based studies, the project may identify new candidates for future antidepressant medications.
Senior Researcher Xiao Qin Liu from the Department of Public Health – The National Centre for Register-based Research receives DKK 5,858,496 for the project “Antipsychotic treatment for borderline personality disorder in three Nordic countries (AP-BP study).”
The project maps the effects and usage of antipsychotic medication in people with borderline personality disorder in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. By linking large register data and genetic information, the researchers generate new knowledge that can support more targeted use of antipsychotics in clinical practice.
Associate Professor Pernille Kølbæk from the Department of Clinical Medicine and the Department of Affective Disorders at Aarhus University Hospital receives DKK 7,113,408 for the project “Improving Diabetes Management in Severe Mental Illness.”
People with severe mental illness have significantly shorter lifespans – partly due to inadequate treatment of physical illness. The project tests three treatment models for type 2 diabetes in patients with mental disorders to identify the most effective approaches.
Associate Professor Karl Ole Köhler-Forsberg from the Department of Clinical Medicine and the Psychosis Research Unit at Aarhus University Hospital receives DKK 4,709,989 for the project “Keto-Brain: Cerebral Energy Metabolism in First-Episode Schizophrenia.”
Using advanced PET scans, the researchers are conducting the world’s first clinical study of whole-brain metabolism in people newly diagnosed with schizophrenia. The aim is to identify biological mechanisms that could open up new treatment possibilities for the condition.
PhD and research statistician Kazi Ishtiak-Ahmed from the Department of Clinical Medicine and the Department of Affective Disorders at Aarhus University Hospital receives DKK 5,029,920 for the project “Improving Cardiometabolic Safety in Psychiatric Care.”
In this project, the researchers examine how medications for individuals with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression affect the risk of physical diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. By combining Danish health data with a large German population study, the researchers will generate new knowledge to help doctors choose the most appropriate treatment.
Professor Julie Werenberg Dreier from the Department of Public Health – The National Centre for Register-based Research receives DKK 7,194,157 for the project “Educational trajectories and outcomes in individuals with ASD and ADHD.”
The researchers investigate how factors such as gender, comorbidity, genetic aspects, and timing of diagnosis influence educational pathways for young people with autism and ADHD from primary school through adolescence and into adulthood.
Associate Professor Katherine Musliner from the Department of Clinical Medicine and the Department of Affective Disorders at Aarhus University Hospital receives DKK 5,682,140 for the project “Epidemiology and Shared Genetics of Eating Disorders and Personality (EpiGen-EP).”
In this project, the researchers identify genetic and environmental risk factors for the co-occurrence of eating disorders and personality disorders. By combining register data and genetic analyses, the researchers can identify factors that may improve treatment and prognosis for this patient group.
This coverage is based on press material from the Independent Research Fund Denmark.