SUND researcher receives prestigious prize for research into the prevention of heart disease
Professor and doctor Tor Biering-Sørensen receives the 2023 Lundbeck Foundation Young Investigator Prize for his research into the prevention of heart disease. The prize is a recognition of his research and scientific contribution to the field.
Professor Tor Biering-Sørensen from the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen receives this year’s Lundbeck Foundation Young Investigator Prize for his research into heart disease and prevention.
“It is a huge honour and recognition of me and my research group. The Lundbeck Foundation Young Investigator Prize is one of most prestigious prizes you can get as a young researcher, so it really means a lot to me. Research is a team discipline, and the only way to do ground-breaking research is through teamwork. Therefore, the prize is just as much a testament to my team as it is to me. One of my PhD students, Kristoffer Skaarup, has received the Lundbeck Foundation Talent Prize; he is my fourth PhD student to receive this honour, and this again underlines the importance of a well-functioning research team if you want to do high-quality research,” says Tor Biering-Sørensen.
He focusses on identifying early signs of heart disease using ultrasound of the heart. This makes it possible to initiate treatment at an early stage of the disease and prevent serious heart problems later in life.
“The money that comes with the prize will enable me to expand our research in pragmatic randomised controlled trials – an area that we have contributed to revolutionizing these past years using Danish health registers. These registers make Denmark the best country in the world for clinical research.”
The prize is a recognition not only of Tor Biering-Sørensen’s research, but also of his efforts within research communication, research centre management and training of young researchers.
It is a huge honour and recognition of me and my research group. The Lundbeck Foundation Young Investigator Prize is one of most prestigious prizes you can get as a young researcher
He collaborates closely with several hospitals and focusses on using Danish health data to conduct comprehensive studies of various treatments and measures, including vaccination of senior citizens. The aim here is to identify the effects of high-dose influenza vaccines and their potential impact on cardiovascular disease.
“In Denmark, we have a unique opportunity to lead the way in clinical research. This requires that we continue to allow researchers easy access to the Danish health registers, as this enables us to do critical clinical trials swiftly and subsequently implement the results in society of benefit to the entire population.”
Contact
Professor Tor Biering-Sørensen
tobs@sund.ku.dk
+45 28 93 35 90
Journalist and Press Consultant Sascha Kael Rasmussen
sascha.kael.rasmussen@sund.ku.dk
+45 93 56 61 68