Fifteen new Ascending Investigators set out to strengthen Danish neuroscience
15 research talents each receive between DKK 4.5-7 million for new projects that focus on the brain. Meet the Lundbeck Foundation Ascending Investigators 2025.
Fifteen talented researchers are now embarking on ambitious projects within neuroscience with funding from the Lundbeck Foundation鈥檚 Ascending Investigator programme 鈥 support that often arrives at a crucial point in their careers.
The programme is designed for mid-career researchers who are now ready to establish or expand their own research groups or pursue new directions related to the brain and nervous system. At this stage, many researchers find themselves in a so-called 鈥渕id-career gap鈥, where they can face difficulties securing funding 鈥 often overshadowed by both early-career talents and large, well-established research groups.
Their research projects are quality-assessed by the Lundbeck Foundation鈥檚 Talent Panel, which consists of leading international researchers.
They each receive a grant between 4.5-7 million DKK, paid out over four years.
Two of the recipients are women, 13 are men.
There were a total of 15 female applicants and 29 male applicants.
鈥淲ith the Ascending Investigator grants, we aim to counter this imbalance by giving skilled neuroscientists the opportunity to accelerate their careers, strengthen their research environments and initiate new projects at Danish universities and hospitals,鈥 says Peter Thostrup, Scientific Programme Director at the Lundbeck Foundation.
The Ascending Investigator programme is a central part of the Foundation鈥檚 cohesive effort to support Danish neuroscience. All projects are assessed according to international standards by an expert panel of leading foreign researchers.
鈥淲e are very pleased that the majority of this year鈥檚 grant recipients include international collaboration in their projects. There is strong evidence that cross-border cooperation enhances both the quality and impact of research 鈥 and we believe it also makes the research journey more inspiring,鈥 says Anette H酶ye, Senior Scientific Project Manager at the Lundbeck Foundation.
The 15 projects funded this year span the broad field of neuroscience, neurology and psychiatry, and are all expected to make significant contributions to our understanding of the brain and diseases of the nervous system.
