Annual Report from the Board and Management 2010
2010 has been an eventful and active year for the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The Foundation has received and processed a total of 978 applications, of which 227 were awarded grants from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. A total of DKK 2,179 million has been granted to, among other things, short-term project activities and scholarships as well as long-term thematic investments.
The grants were distributed as follows:
- DKK 163.4 million awarded in free competition, including by the Foundation's committees in the form of project grants, small thematic grants, scholarships and honorary awards
- DKK 885 million to the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research at the University of Copenhagen
- DKK 700 million to the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
- DKK 350 million to the Novo Nordisk Foundation Section for Basic Stem Cell Biology (DanStem) at the University of Copenhagen
- DKK 32.9 million to the Danish National Biobank at the Danish State Serum Institute, whereby the Foundation's support for this initiative now amounts to DKK 118 million.
- DKK 35.6 million to the Steno Diabetes Center, of which DKK 28.1 was in the form of grants for development work and hospital operations and DKK 7.5 million went to the new Steno Health Promotion Centre
- DKK 10.3 million to the Foundation's education project under Steno Diabetes Center to improve diabetes treatment
- DKK 2 million went to humanitarian and social causes
Research
Health sciences research in Denmark
Committee on Medical and Natural Sciences Research
The Committee awards annual project funding upon application for medical and scientific research in Denmark. In 2010, 404 applications were received for a total amount of DKK 282.3 million. A total of DKK 28.5 million was available in 2010. To this should be added DKK 5 million from the VP Scholarship, as cooperation with the Fabrikant Vilhelm Pedersens og Hustrus Mindelegat (scholarship) has continued. Thus, the Foundation could, after expert assessment, forward a number of highly qualified applications to the Scholarship. This meant that in 2010, the Committee could award a total of DKK 33.5 million, distributed among 99 grants, of which 9 came under the VP Scholarship.
In 2010, the Committee on Medical and Natural Science Research awarded two Hallas-Møller scholarships of DKK 11 million each as well as four clinical research scholarships of DKK 2.5 million each.
Committee on general practice/family medicine research
In 2010, the Committee on General Practice/Family Medicine Research received five applications for postdoctoral scholarships. There was a total of DKK 2 million available for grants, which the Committee distributed as three postdoctoral scholarships.
Committee on Nursing Research
The Committee received a total of 43 applications for project funding in 2010, totalling DKK 14.5 million. There was DKK 1.5 million available, which was distributed among 12 grants.
Nordic Research Committee (endocrinology)
The Novo Nordisk Foundation has supported endocrinology research in the Nordic countries since its establishment. In recent years, these efforts have been expanded considerably through increased project grants as well as funding of a number of PhD, postdoctoral and travel grants.
Nordic Research Committee
The Committee awards project funding upon application for basic scientific and clinical research in the area of endocrinology in the Nordic countries.
I 2010, the Foundation received 225 applications for a total of DKK 289.4 million. At the committee meeting on 27 August, all applications were processed and 72 grants were awarded. DKK 24.6 million was awarded in project grants and DKK 400,000 in funding for symposia (Novo Nordisk Foundation Research Meetings, see below under symposia).
Symposia
The Nordic Research Committee is also responsible for awarding grants for the hosting of various symposia in the Nordic countries - Novo Nordisk Foundation Research Meetings - which must have themes within the areas of endocrinology or experimental physiology.
At the Nordic Research Committee meeting in August, ten applications for a total of DKK 1.8 million were processed. Grants were awarded totalling DKK 400,000 distributed among four symposia.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Excellence Project
The Foundation received a total of 30 expressions of interest. After the application process, the Committee awarded the two grants of DKK 5 million each to two applicants, each with a five-year Excellence Project within clinical and/or translational endocrinology research and/or basic endocrinology research, respectively.
Art history research
The Committee on Art History Research
The Committee supports projects in the field of art history as well as projects that can contribute to improving research in art history. The Committee received 41 applications totalling DKK 7.8 million. Fourteen projects were granted in all DKK 1 million in funding.
Mads Øvlisen Scholarships
The Foundation called for applications for two Mads Øvlisen scholarships in research in art history and received a total of 33 applications. At the grant meeting in March 2010, the Mads Øvlisen Scholarship - Art History Research assessment committee granted funding to two applications, which each received a three-year scholarship of DKK 1.5 million.
Classical archaeology research
In June 2009, Rubina Raja received a supplementary grant of DKK 190,000 to host a conference - Continuity and Change: Religious Identities in the Levant from Alexander to Muhammad - which took place on 25-27 March 2010 at the Danish Institute in Damascus, Syria. A number of leading researchers within the field as well as many young researchers participated in the conference.
The conference was the first of two dealing with the development of religion in the Near East from the perspective of ancient history and archaeology. The second conference took place in December 2010 in Münster, Germany, and was attended by some of the leading researchers in the field. The conference also emphasised the participation of young researchers to integrate the growth layer within the field in the exchange of research. The conference contributions were accepted for publication by the Brepols Publishers in a newly created series on sacred architecture and holy texts.
Honorary awards
Marie and August Krogh Prize
The Marie and August Krogh Prize was established by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and is awarded under the auspices of the Organization of Danish Medical Societies (formerly the Danish Medical Society). The honorary award was originally established in 1969 as the August Krogh Prize. In spring 2009, the award was renamed by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, and as of the 2010 award it is now the Marie and August Krogh Prize to give Marie Krogh the credit she deserves for her contribution to the history of insulin in Denmark and as a researcher in general.
The prize of DKK 250,000 is distributed as a personal award of DKK 100,000 and an award for research of DKK 150,000 and is conferred at the annual conference of the Organization of Danish Medical Societies.
In January 2011, the prize was awarded to Professor Jens D. Lundgren, MD, DMSc and chief physician at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, for his work in the field of infectious diseases, especially his research in HIV/AIDS. The prize was conferred in connection with the annual conference of the Organization of Danish Medical Societies on 28 January 2011.
The Hagedorn Prize
The Hagedorn Prize was established in 1966 by the Danish Society of Internal Medicine in connection with the society's 50th anniversary in recognition of Dr Hans Christian Hagedorn's contributions to medical science. The prize was originally anchored in its own foundation with funding from Nordisk Insulinlaboratorium and with the board of the Danish Society of Internal Medicine as the foundation board.
Because the foundation's funding was no longer sufficient for a worthy prize, it was transferred in 2008 to the Novo Nordisk Foundation which has subsequently made the prize available for distribution by the Danish Society of Internal Medicine. The Society Board selects the prize recipient every year.
The prize is conferred at the Society's annual conference in recognition of excellent research or development efforts within the field of Danish internal medicine. The prize of DKK 250,000 is distributed as a personal award of DKK 100,000 and an award for research or development work of DKK 150,000. The prize also comes with the Hagedorn Medal.
This year's recipient of the 2011 Hagedorn Prize was Professor Ulla Feldt-Rasmussen, DMSc and chief physician, and was conferred at the annual conference of the Danish Society of Internal Medicine and the specialisation societies. The title of the prize recipient's lecture was: "Ændring af spektret for endokrinologiske sygdomme har stillet større krav til de diagnostiske analysemetoder" (The changing spectrum for endocrinology diseases places significant demands on diagnostic analysis methods).
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Lecture
The prize recipient is selected each year by the Nordic Research Committee. The 2010 recipient was Professor Pål R. Njølstad, Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway. He gave his lecture - "Monogenic diabetes: An example of translational medicine" - on 6 May 2010 in connection with the annual meeting of the Scandinavian Society for the Study of Diabetes (SSSD) in Malmö. Professor Mette Rosenkilde from the Nordic Research Committee introduced the lecture and conferred the prize of DKK 50,000.
The H.C. Jacobæus' Lectures Foundation
The 2010 Jacobæus Lecture was organised by the two Danish members of the Nordic Research Committee; Professors Mette Rosenkilde and Moustapha Kassem, who selected Professor Gerard Karsenty from Columbia University, New York, as this year's lecturer. The lecture entitled "The Novel Endocrinology of Bone" was held on 24 January 2011 as part of a symposium on "Bone and Energy Metabolism", which took place in the Panum Institute at the University of Copenhagen. The Jacobæus prize is for DKK 100,000.
The Novo Nordisk Prize
The prize is for DKK 1.5 million and was awarded in 2010 to Professor of Biochemistry Henrik Clausen, DDS, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, for his ground-breaking studies of carbohydrates on cell surfaces, their structure, genetics, formation and function, as well as their importance for disease and treatment. The prize was conferred on 8 May 2010 at an award ceremony followed by lunch.
On 6 December 2010, the Novo Nordisk Prize Symposium 2010 was held in honour of the prize recipient. The symposium entitled "The Glycophenotype of Cancer" featured presentations by top international experts and local young researchers on the characteristic changes in the sugar molecules on the surface of cancer cells. The symposium was hosted by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
The Novo Nordisk Prize for 2011 was awarded to Adjunct Professor Peter Lawætz Andersen, DMSc, for groundbreaking studies of the immunology of tuberculosis, which has led to his development of vaccines and improved diagnostics. The prize was conferred on 7 May, and this autumn, the Novo Nordisk Foundation will host an international symposium on tuberculosis.
Thematic grants
The Bandim Health Project
In 2010, the Foundation extended its funding of Peter Aaby, Statens Serum Institut (SSI), with a final four-year professorship grant totalling DKK 5 million.
Research training
In the period 2008-2010, the PhD School of Molecular Metabolism & Endocrinology has received DKK 13.5 million for co-financing of PhD scholarships. In 2010, seven PhD fellows commenced studies at the PhD school.
A total of 27 scholarships have been granted during the period.
In 2010, the Foundation decided on an expansion and a three-year extension of the Foundation's support for the PhD School for Molecular Metabolism. A total of DKK 25 million has been granted to partially cover the expenses (1/3 of the salary) of 45 new PhD scholarships as well as expenses for study stays in connection with the research efforts of the PhD fellows.
New centre for research and cancer rehabilitation
The Foundation and the Danish Cancer Society have joined forces on a grant of DKK 30 million (DKK 15 million from each contributor) to the "Back to normal life - optimised rehabilitation of cancer patients" project. The grant, which is administered by the Foundation, enables the establishment of the Centre for Integrated Rehabilitation of Cancer Patients. The Centre will be headed by University of Copenhagen Professor Lis Adamsen, Head of Research at University Centre for Nursing and Care Research (UCSF). The Centre is expected to commence activities on 1 May 2011.
Bioinformatics Centre
The Foundation contributed to the establishment of the Bioinformatics Centre at the University of Copenhagen in 2005. After an international evaluation and recommendation by the Committee on Medical and Natural Science Research, the Foundation has granted an additional DKK 15 million to the project for the period 1 May 2010 to 30 April 2015. The Centre is headed by Professor Anders Krogh.
Nordic Pre-seed Programme
Since 2007, the Foundation has, in collaboration with Novo A/S (Novo Seeds), supported the development of life science research discoveries with commercial potential. The grants are awarded according to the same conditions as the Foundation's other project grants. The pre-seed programme also offers grants for management and strategy development on the selected projects. In 2010 two pre-seed grants have been awarded, one to NovVac ApS for the amount of DKK 0.85 million and one to Nanovi ApS for the amount of DKK 1.695 million. The foundation has also awarded two 'exploratory pre-seed' grants: DKK 0.625 million to Galectin-3 Inhibitors and DKK 0.3 million to PregMalVac.
On 20 January 2011, the Foundation and Novo Seeds hosted a 'New Year's reception' for students and staff at the universities and research institutions. The focus of the reception was commercialisation of research discoveries. The participants were informed of, among other things, how the Foundation and Novo Seeds work to give a good start to the best and most promising life science research discoveries with commercial potential. The event attracted more than 120 participants.
Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research
In 2007, the Foundation granted the Centre DKK 600 million in funding over a ten-year period. Since then, the Centre has managed to attract external grants corresponding to approx. 40% of the funding amount paid out by the Foundation since its establishment. A total of 110 employees have been recruited and the Centre's researchers publish in the best international journals. On 8 November 2010, the Centre held its annual symposium in the Panum Institute at the University of Copenhagen with 185 participants from the Centre and the international research community. The 2010 Annual Report is available upon request from the Centre.
Danish National Biobank
In 2008/2009, the Foundation granted DKK 85 million for the establishment of the Danish National Biobank at SSI and to support development projects. In 2010, the Foundation has granted an additional DKK 33 million for the establishment of the Biobank. Construction of the Biobank is well underway and completion is scheduled for the end of December 2011.
Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research
On 22 March 2010, the Foundation granted the University of Copenhagen Denmark's largest-ever research donation of DKK 885 million over ten years for the establishment and operation of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research. The Center will carry out basic research within lifestyle and metabolic diseases with focus on obesity-related illnesses, including type 2 diabetes - diseases that are affecting more and more people all over the world.
The establishment of the Center was officially announced in a sold-out Lundsgaard auditorium at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen. The event featured speeches by Foundation Chairman Ulf J. Johansson, Dean Ulla Wewer, Rector Ralf Hemmingsen and Danish Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Charlotte Sahl-Madsen. The research focus of the Center was presented in a short film, while the Center's leading researchers presented the future research activities.
The official opening of the Center on 15 November 2010 was marked by an exhibition by Professor Thomas Söderquist at the Panum Institute entitled "The Chemistry of Life". The opening was a very festive and popular event attracting more than 150 participants.
Novo Nordisk Foundation Section for Basic Stem Cell Biology (DanStem)
In November 2010, the Foundation granted DKK 350 million over ten years for the establishment of a basic research section at the new stem cell research centre, DanStem, at the University of Copenhagen. DKK 30 million has been earmarked for support of national collaboration with a view to ensuring synergies with stem cell research at other Danish universities.
The stem cell researchers in the centre's basic research section will produce vital new knowledge about how stem cells can be developed into specialised cells. The centre will focus on research in pancreatic beta cells and selected cancer types in an effort to produce fruitful knowledge sharing and technology transfer between the two fields of research. It is hoped that the knowledge achieved in the long term can lead to new stem cell-based treatments or prevention methods for diabetics and cancer patients.
Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability
On 16 December 2010, the Foundation granted DKK 700 million for the establishment of a new research Center for Biosustainability at the DTU. The Center was announced at a specialist seminar by, among others, Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Henrik Høegh and Charles Nielsen, Director R&D, DONG Energy, followed by a ceremony attended by, among others Danish Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Charlotte Sahl-Madsen, Rector Lars Pallesen and an audience of several hundred.
The Center, which opened on 1 January 2011, will focus on producing new knowledge about how bacteria and fungi can be used as cell factories for the production of useful substances from pharmaceuticals to biofuels, to reduce our dependence on petrochemicals. This research integrates molecular biology, mathematical modelling, bioinformatics and fermentation technology.
The Center will have two technological platform satellites in Sweden located at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg and KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.
Research hospital activities
Steno Diabetes Center
The Steno Diabetes Center (SDC) continues to be a hospital for treatment, prevention, research and education within diabetes. SDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Novo Nordisk A/S with its own Board of Directors. On 1 January 2011, Dr John Nolan took office as CEO and Head of SDC. As regards patient treatment, SDC has entered into an operations agreement with the Capital Region of Denmark, according to which SDC will function as a regional diabetes department. A total of 5,500 patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are associated with the Center.
Treatment is almost entirely on an outpatient basis. In addition, SDC has a five-day daytime bed ward with 14 beds. The treatment offered to patients is extended compared to basic treatment to include an ophthalmology clinic, a chiropodist's clinic, clinical dieticians and clinical physiology. Patient treatment is also handled at the Diabetes Unit at Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet.
The Foundation has supported SDC with DKK 28.3 million in 2010.
The STAR Project
The education unit, Steno Education Center, propagates knowledge about the treatment of diabetic patients, including training of diabetes teams and development of quality programmes in middle and low-income countries. The STAR Project is headed by Ebbe Eldrup, Head of Education.
The STAR project has focused for years on India and China, however in 2010 the project has sought to shift its focus to also include countries in, among other places, North Africa. In 2010, two courses have been held in Turkey, two in Tunisia, three in India, while two courses and a symposium have been held in China.
The Foundation has supported the STAR Project with DKK 10.3 million in 2010.
Steno Health Promotion Center
Professor Bjarne Bruun Jensen is head of the Steno Health Promotion Center, which has three focus areas: patient education, prevention and health promotion.
The Foundation supported the Center with DKK 3.5 million in 2010 for research projects within the three focus areas.
Support for humanitarian and social purposes
In 2010, the Foundation has awarded grants totalling DKK 2 million to the following humanitarian organisations:
CARE Denmark, Danner - Crisis Centre and Shelter for Women, Danish Refugee Council, Danish Red Cross, Immigrant Women's Centre, Médecins Sans Frontières, Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT), Save the Children Denmark, SISU basketball club and Soldaterlegatet (The Soldiers' Grant).
Organizational news
The members of the Foundation's committees are appointed for limited periods, so there is a regular flow of incoming and outgoing members. In 2010, the following changes were made:
Nordic Research Committee
As of 1 June 2010, Professor Lea Sistonen, Åbo Akademi University, Finland, has been elected to the Committee after the death of Professor Leena Peltonen in March 2010.
Committee on Nursing Research
Head of Research Charlotte Delmar, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University resigned from the Committee at the end of 2010. As of 1 January 2011, Research Professor Lis Wagner, Research Unit of Nursing, University of Southern Denmark, has been elected a new member of the Committee. Associate Professor Hanne Kronborg has been reelected for an additional three-year term.
Committee on General Practice/Family Medicine Research
Professor Irene Hetlevik, NTNU - Trondheim, Norway, has chosen to resign after three years of membership. Gert Almind, Consultant for the Foundation therefore filled in as acting committee member at the grant meeting in March 2011.
The Foundation would like to thank all the committee members for their excellent and valuable work on evaluating the nearly 1,000 applications the Foundation receives each year.
Secretariat
As of 1 January 2011, the Foundation staff has been expanded to include Jesper Laursen, MA in Communication, who will be responsible, among other things, for strengthening the Foundation's communication activities.
Ulf J. Johanson
Chairman of the Novo Nordisk Foundation
Birgitte Nauntofte
Director of the Novo Nordisk Foundation