Grant recipients
In accordance with the grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Danish Diabetes Academy is allocating co-financed PhD scholarships of each 550.000 DKK, Post Doc fellowships of each 600.000 DKK per year, and a number of Visiting Scientist grants.
The list below features the Danish Diabetes Academy funded PhD and Post Doc fellows, who have received a grant in 2015-2016 and a complete list of Visiting Scientist 2013-2016. Additionally, recipients of exchange travel grants 2016 are featured.
Inactivity and ageing are associated with loss of skeletal muscle mass and metabolic health, and exercise is effective to counteract these phenotypic changes.Mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is a key regulator of muscle size, autophagy, and metabolism but the molecular regulation of mTORC1 remains incompletely understood, particularly in the context of muscle and exercise.
Proper function of β-cells is essential for maintaining glucose homeostasis. A significant reduction in both β-cell mass and function is observed in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Recently, it has been questioned whether β-cells actually are lost in type 2 diabetes or rather are dedifferentiating into less mature cells resulting in reduced functional β-cell mass.
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) complications currently put a tremendous burden on health care systems. In order to improve survival and care of patients with T2D and hinder chronic complications, we must improve our understanding of the pathways and predictors of these complications. Mannan-binding lectin (MBL) is a multifunctional protein involved in innate immunity that may have a dual role in affecting both susceptibility of infections and micro- and macrovascular complications in T2D.
This PhD project aims at elucidating endocrine functions of the colon since the colonic epithelium harbors a high number of the endocrine GLP-1 and PYY secreting cells. These are of great interest because of their highly attractive anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects. We anticipate that several of the colonic mechanisms for secretion are related to those observed in the small intestine.
Background: Type 2 diabetic patients have a significantly reduced life expectancy compared to non-diabetics, primarily due to a markedly increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events. New effective preventive treatment strategies are highly needed. The arteries in diabetic patients are significantly stiffer than in non-diabetics, and there is evidence that this significantly contributes to the increased CV risk.
Fractures are a serious complication to type 2 diabetes (T2D) and may give rise to pain, need of care, reduced quality of life, and increased mortality. Bone is remodelled throughout life through bone resorption by the osteoclasts and bone formation by the osteoblasts. The remodelling activity and the balance between resorption and subsequent formation are influenced by many factors including food consumption.
It is known that the three microvascular complications of diabetes, affecting the retina, kidney and peripheral nervous system, are determined to a large degree by how well glucose levels are managed and by the duration of diabetes. However, even at a similar level of glycaemic control and diabetes duration, some patients develop complications earlier and experience a more aggressive progression of these complications than others.