The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology, DanStem

New center to position Danish stem cell research in the international elite

With two donations - one from the Novo Nordisk Foundation and one from the Danish Council for Strategic Research, a new Danish center for stem cell research, Danish Stem Cell Center - DanStem, will be established.

The stem cell center will focus on two of the most widespread diseases in the western world, namely cancer and diabetes. DanStem will consist of two sections - one for basic stem cell research and one for translational stem cell research and thereby offer a unique possibility for transferring basic research generated in the laboratory to the benefit of the patient.

BRIC researchers, director Kristian Helin and associate professor Bo Porse, will be responsible for the basic and translational research on cancer stem cells together with professor Ole William Petersen, Faculty of Health Sciences and Dr. Kirsten Grønbæk, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital of Copenhagen.

The director of DanStem will be Professor Henrik Semb, who currently heads The Stem Cell Center at Lund University. The stem cell center will be established at the University of Copenhagen, in joint cooperation with Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital and other Danish and International research institutions and companies. Work in the center is expected to start January 1st, 2011. When fully developed, approximately 100 researchers will be employed at the center.

The donation from the Novo Nordisk Foundation is 350 million Danish kroner, which will support the section for basic stem cell research. The Danish Council for Strategic Research, DSF, has donated 65 million kroner to support the section for translational research.

To read more, please visit the DanStem homepage.