This year’s finalists for the Fogh-Nielsen Competition
Three PhD students will compete in the Fogh-Nielsen Competition when Health hosts the PhD Day 2026. Watch the short video clips in which the finalists present their research and offer a preview of what to expect on stage.
PhD Day is just around the corner, bringing with it a full day of new research and buzzing lecture halls. On Friday, 16 January, PhD students, research-year students, supervisors, and colleagues from across Health will gather in the Lakeside Lecture Theatres for PhD Day 2026.
One of the day’s recurring highlights is the Fogh-Nielsen Competition, where three specially selected PhD students are each given exactly ten minutes to explain their research in a way that everyone can follow.
The judging committee evaluates both the quality of the research and the participants’ communication skills, with a total prize pool of DKK 125,000 at stake.
The competition takes place in the Per Kirkeby Auditorium at 9:50 a.m. Seats usually fill up quickly, so arrive early if you want to attend.
Asbjørn Kjær Attermann
Asbjørn Kjær Attermann, PhD student, Department of Clinical Medicine, Molecular Medicine Department (MOMA).
Asbjørn’s research challenges the idea that the thymus is irrelevant in adults. Using AI and clinical data, he shows that the organ still plays an important role in the immune system — particularly in determining the effectiveness of immunotherapy in cancer treatment.
Ibrahim Alzaim
Ibrahim Alzaim, PhD student, Department of Biomedicine.
Ibrahim investigates what happens to the blood vessels of human adipose tissue in obesity and type 2 diabetes. His research provides new insights into the links between fat tissue inflammation and vascular dysfunction - two hallmarks of cardiometabolic diseases.
Simon Horsholt Thomsen
Simon Horsholt Thomsen, PhD student, Department of Clinical Medicine, Center for Fetal Diagnostics - Department of Clinical Genetics.
Simon works with prenatal diagnostics and genetic changes (also known as mosaicism) in the placenta—an area marked by uncertainty for both expectant parents and the clinicians advising them. His research contributes to more precise risk assessments, providing a stronger basis for counselling pregnant women.
Much more than the Fogh-Nielsen Competition
While the Fogh-Nielsen Competition is a highlight for many, PhD Day offers much more. The programme includes two keynote lectures and more than 30 different academic sessions featuring pitches, flash talks, and longer oral presentations. There are also ample opportunities for networking across institutes and disciplines as hundreds of the faculty’s research talents gather under one roof.
During the day, the JCD Award for PhD Supervisor of the Year will also be presented, and the evening concludes with a festive dinner and award ceremony at DGI-Huset.
See the full programme for PhD Day 2026
Read more about PhD Day, the Fogh-Nielsen Prize, and the JCD Award at the Graduate School of Health website.
Contact
PhD administrator Helene Hallas
Aarhus University, Health Administration Centre – PhD Administration
Phone: +45 93 50 82 09
Mail: heha@au.dk