KP collaborates with leading diabetes researchers

Text: Helle Bo Henriksen / Photo: Asger Hunov

A grant from The Danish Diabetes Academy has made the visiting professorship possible. In Denmark Sam El-Osta will work on the development of new technologies that provide better opportunities to predict, treat and prevent diabetic kidney disease.

Students can participate in research at a high level

The Biomedical Laboratory Science programme profits immensely from being a part of this leading research environment. “It is some of the best diabetes researchers in the world and their groundbreaking studies are accelerating the path to cure diabetes. It’s fantastic, that our students will get the chance to be involved in research projects at this level”, senior lecturer and international coordinator from KP, Minna Lladó, says. It is her hope that the Biomedical Laboratory Science programme will receive more international recognition and better opportunities to attract grants.

“Some of our students have participated in research at Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen and afterwards worked with Sam El-Osta at Monash University in Australia doing epigenetic analyzes on DNA from Steno’s patients. This way we produce important research results and publications and at the same time the students have great professional experiences”, senior associate lecturer Leif Kofoed Nielsen says. The collaboration started in 2011 and the successful Biomedical Laboratory Science/Monash intern programme has so far given 12 talented students a life and career changing internship.

Just now it has been announced, that students working with Sam El-Osta’s research group in Australia can receive funding from the Erasmus+ programme. “Erasmus funding for a stay in Australia is remarkable. It underlines how significant Sam El-Osta’s research is”, Minna Lladó explains.