Cancer research prize to BRIC researcher Anja Groth

Anja Groth started up her group at BRIC in 2009 and is now leading a group of 13 employees. The Groth group works in the field of epigenetics, a field which address how our genes are regulated. All cells in our body have the same genes, but not all genes are active in all cell types. Small chemical groups can be added to our genetic structure and thereby regulate the gene activity. This “epigenetic” regulation is crucial for the development and function of the more than 200 specialized cell types of the body.

The focus of Anja Groth’s research is how this epigenetic information is copied and transferred to the daughter cells at cell division and how faults in the copy process can lead to epigenetic changes. This knowledge is important in the perspective of cancer, as epigenetic changes may act together with mutations in the genetic code and lead to cancer. The Junior Research Prize from the Danish Cancer Society is awarded every year to a researcher under the age of 40, who have contributed significantly to cancer research.