Dean: Courageous and visionary Novo gift

Dean says Novo Nordisk Foundation’s new lifestyle centre will be and integrated part of Faculty of Health Sciences

by Claus Baggersgaard, English version by Mike Young

The new DKK 885 million donation from the Novo Nordisk Foundation will mean that half of the faculty’s income streams will come from external sources such as research councils and funds.

This is according to the Dean of Health Sciences Ulla Wewer, after the announcement was made that the University of Copenhagen would be the host of the new funded Center for Basic Metabolic Research.

Ulla Wewer adds that universities must learn to live with the fact that universities have to go out and get funding themselves.

Copenhagen a magnet

»I think that it is courageous and visionary to donate this huge amount. It shows that the Novo Nordisk foundation understands that basic research is necessary and that they trust that we can lift the burden. The only string attached is that we deliver world class research,« says Ulla Wewer.

The centre is to research lifestyle illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and obesity related diseases. According to Ulla Wewer, the massive donation will make Copenhagen a magnet for metabolism research.

The Faculty has already hired five research heads from abroad, and according to the Dean, more top scientists will follow. The centre is to have between 150 and 200 staff.
Ulla Wewer emphasises that the new centre will be integrated with the rest of the faculty with joint teaching initiatives and with researchers contributing to teaching.

Will be placed in new Panum

The donation does not include funding for overhead, rent and other administrative costs, but according to Ulla Wewer this has been budgeted for.

The centre opens 1 October, and is in the long term to be placed in a new building planned for the Panum Institute.

clba@adm.ku.dk

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