National Research Centre in Clinical Psychiatry

The Lundbeck Foundation is collaborating with the Capital Region of Denmark to establish a new national research centre in clinical psychiatry. As part of the collaboration, the Lundbeck foundation is providing a long-term grant of up to DKK 1 billion, to be distributed over the next 10 years.

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The new center is expected to be fully established within a few years and aims to give Danish research in psychiatry an historic boost. The goal is to achieve breakthroughs in understanding why and how mental illness arises, and to develop new methods for early detection, prevention, and more effective treatments – for the benefit of both patients and society.

With the new center, a nationally anchored research environment will be created, with its epicenter at Bispebjerg Hospital in Copenhagen and with satellites in all regions of the country. The establishment of the centre takes place as part of the government’s 10-year plan for psychiatry, where strengthening research efforts is one of the key priorities.

In its daily work, the center will be closely linked to clinical practice, so that new findings can be translated into better treatment and thereby benefit people with mental illness. The national research center is intended to serve as a beacon for knowledge and collaboration, both nationally and internationally.

Key goals and ambitions:

To strengthen Danish psychiatric research at an international top level
To identify the causes of mental illness and strengthen prevention and early detection
To develop new and more effective treatments for the benefit of patients with mental illnesses
To create a national and international beacon for knowledge and collaboration

Next steps

During 2025/2026, a director will be recruited for the center, expected to be an internationally recognized expert in the field. The incoming director will be tasked with formulating a research strategy that will define the focus areas for the new center’s research activities. The grant for the research center will be finally approved by the Board of Lundbeck Foundation along with the approval of the research strategy.

The research center will be governed by a board composed of representatives from all regions and a representative from the Danish universities. The Lundbeck Foundation will have a seat on the board, but without voting rights. The Capital Region of Denmark will hold the position of board chair.