HRH crown princess Mary and Søren Pind, Minister for Higher Education and Science head the procession. Photo: Ditte Valente

Head of department receives EliteForsk award

Nanomedicine Health and diseases
Professor Thomas Lars Andresen, Head of DTU Nanotech, receives one out of five EliteForsk awards. At the same time, four PhD students from DTU are awarded EliteForsk travel grants.

The EliteForsk award is a prize of DKK 1.2 million (EUR 160,000) given in appreciation of the recipient’s work in the service of research. Of this, DKK 200,000 (EUR 27,000) is a personal honorary award, and DKK 1,000,000 is earmarked for their research activities.

The prize is awarded by Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary and the Minister for Higher Education and Science, Søren Pind, at an event at Glyptoteket in Copenhagen. Søren Pind on the award:

“There’s every reason to recognize the smartest people in this country. And with the EliteForsk awards, we’re celebrating those who thanks to their talent and hard work have generated pioneering knowledge. They make our society richer, and therefore we must celebrate them.”

The five new EliteForsk winners. Professor Thomas Lars Andresen is second from the left. Photo: Ditte Valente

Internationally leading researcher

Professor Thomas Andresen’s expertise lies within drug delivery, in other words systems for bringing immunostimulatory molecules up to the cancer patient’s own immune cells and programming them to recognize cancer cells.

The Danish Council for Independent Research, which is behind the EilteForsk award, writes in its reasoning for nominating Thomas Andresen:

“Thomas Lars Andresen’s research has contributed with significant results within the design, production, and use of nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery and therapy,” and continues “He has broad expert knowledge of medical-chemical use of structurally advanced nanoparticles, where he is internationally recognized as a leading researcher."

CV

After completing his Master's in Chemical Engineering at DTU and doing a PhD at the University of Auckland, Thomas Andresen was employed as head of a research department at LiPlasome Pharma in Hørsholm, where he was appointed director of R&D after three years. In 2007, he was employed as a senior researcher at the then Risø National Laboratory, and the following year moved to DTU Nanotech as a senior researcher.

In 2012 he was appointed a full professor, and he is also cofounder of two companies: Nanovi and Torque Therapeutics. After serving as director and acting head of department, he was appointed Head of DTU Nanotech in December 2016.

Throughout his career, he has received several awards for his research, including a prestigious Sapere Aude DFF-Advanced Grant in 2015 from the Danish Council for Independent Research.

Travel grants

Recipients of the travel grants.

In addition to the EliteForsk award, 20 PhD students are receiving EliteForsk travel grants of DKK 200,000. The grants help to ensure that the students can travel abroad and improve their skills in some of the world’s best research environments.

“It’s important that the most talented researchers also have an international outlook and absorb the knowledge found outside our own borders. I’m therefore pleased that talented young PhD students can now gain knowledge and inspiration among leading researchers at the best educational institutions in the world,” says Søren Pind.

The following DTU researchers are among the recipients:

Aikaterina Spiliotopoulou from DTU Environment, who is working with the control and optimization of ozone treatment in recirculating aquaculture.

Dominik Franjo Dominković from DTU Energy, who is working with the analysis and development of models for energy supply for the Smart Cities of tomorrow.

Rie Beck Hansen from DTU Electrical Engineering, who is working with the development of time-effective imaging methods for MRI scans using hyperpolarized contrast agent.

Tine Maja Frederiksen from DTU Chemistry, who is working with an interaction and stability study of acylated peptides in connection with the design and development of pharmaceuticals.