65 million DKK for a new basic research center at SDU

Professor Susanne Mandrup, University of Southern Denmark (SDU) and member of Danish Diabetes Academy's Research Committee, receives 65 million DKK from the Danish National Research Foundation to build a new basic research center that will be addressing obesity at the cellular level. 

The new center, named Center for Functional Genomics and Tissue Plasticity (ATLAS), will be conducting research that has potential to create a larger understanding of the basic mechanisms that underly obesity related disorders and thereby be taking part in improving the way diseases related to obesity is diagnosed as well as treated.

A HUGE RECOGNITION

Professor Susanne Mandrup from Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biolgy, SDU, will be at the head of the new research center. She is both excited and hopeful. "I consider the grant as a huge recognition. At the same time it gives us a great opportunity to solve major basic scientific questions in the field. It is going to be so exiting. We will, among other things, investigate how specific types of cells are acting in their organisms - something that is little known today", says Susanne Mandrup in a press release.

A LOT OF PRESTIGE

The new basic research center - also known as Center of Excellence - is one out of 10 centers that the Danish National Research Foundation will support in the next few years. As of now, the grants will cover a period of 6 years. In the research landscape there is a lot of prestige involved with the Center of Excellence grants, which are allocated to excellent basic research with international significance. The 10 centers have been selected among 173 declarations of interest.

"The grant emphasizes that SDU is in the absolute lead as regards to international research, and I am very happy on my own behalf and on behalf of the faculty and SDU. But most important is Susanne Mandrup's research. It will become important for so many people because we will be one step closer to understanding the basic mechanisms of obesity related disorders", states Martin Zachariassen, dean of the Faculty of Science, according to the press release.

The new center involves both science and health science researchers from SDU and Odense University Hospital.

Source: SDU news