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Lundbeck Magazine 2009
41
s an active researcher, Anne-Marie
Engel was so successful at applying
for and obtaining financing for her
research that she taught her colleagues how
to write applications that get the desired
results. Now, she is on the other side of the
table. As Director of Research at the Lundbeck
Foundation and secretary of its selection
committee, Anne-Marie Engel is involved in
processing the approximately 600 applications
for funds for research purposes in the health
and natural sciences which the Foundation
receives annually.
The selection committee has eight members,
three of whom are on the board of the
Lundbeck Foundation, and three of whom are
scientific experts in Denmark’s neighbouring
countries. The eight members gather three
times a year to assess the individual
applications, in order to provide the best
possible basis for the Board of the Lundbeck
Foundation to distribute the large amounts
of money at its disposal. Between 2008 and
2010, the Foundation will distribute
approximately DKK 1 billion.
Many excellent researchers
The first requirement is that research must be
top quality, a criterion that applicants normally
have no difficulty in meeting.
“We see many good applications, and it is
my impression that we have many excellent
researchers in Denmark. Research projects
must be in either the health or natural
sciences. The foundation has a long tradition
of supporting neurological research, though we
also give money to many other fields within
the health sciences. In recent years, we have
given money for research in areas such as cell
biology and cell communication. We have also
donated to translation, which deals with
building bridges between basic and clinical
research that is done with a view to
discovering improved methods of treatment
based, among other things, on new knowledge
of the role of genes in development of certain
diseases. If scientists can map the significance
of genes in development of illnesses such as
asthma and various life-style diseases, it will
have major consequences for both treatment
and prevention,” Anne-Marie Engel says.
Focus on intervention
Intervention is another area of current interest
to researchers.
“In 2008 we supported the establishment of
three centres. At the first centre, research is
being done to optimize radiation treatment
of various types of cancer, and at the second
centre efforts are being made to discover a more
efficient and less traumatic method of replacing
knees and hips. The third centre focuses on
neurological research, namely schizophrenia.
Danish scientists have helped establish the
existence of a chromosomal error that causes
susceptibility to schizophrenia – a discovery that
may well change the perception of persons with
psychiatric disorders – the same as discovery of
the bacteria that causes stomach ulcer has done
for persons with that disorder. These persons
used to be considered ‘delicate’. We now know
that the illness has a physiological cause,” Anne-
Marie Engel continues.
A few years ago, the Board of the Lundbeck
Foundation also decided to earmark an amount
for research in physics and chemistry, and the
Foundation has also given money to projects
such as Danish scientists’ studies of the universe.
“It is very difficult to obtain financing for this
type of research in Denmark, while there are
many foundations that support research in the
health sciences. The Lundbeck Foundation
wishes to support Danish research on a broad
front. We believe it is important to have a
dynamic research environment in Denmark,”
states Anne-Marie Engel.
Too few young people
She is a medical doctor, and became
fascinated by research. She was employed as
a researcher at Statens Serum Institute when
she saw a job advert from the Lundbeck
Foundation. Much of the work consisted of
reading applications and writing an
introduction to them.
“It was the ideal job for me. I was always
reasonably lucky with writing applications to
foundations to finance my research. Later, I
taught others how to write successful
applications to foundations that had
previously turned them down,” Anne-Marie
Engel continues.
Her greatest concern for research is the fact
that too few young people are studying for
degrees in the natural sciences.
“It would be unfortunate if the falling
tendency continues. For this reason, the
Lundbeck Foundation is supporting a number
of initiatives that seek to influence students’
choice of field of study during their early years
at school. This must be done at a stage when
they are still asking spontaneous questions
about nature, and, among other things, the
initiatives involve strengthening instruction in
nature and technology for the youngest
children in primary schools. Teachers must
have more possibilities for making
experiments. Children love classes where they
are able to experiment, and they remember
them for a long time – perhaps for the rest of
their lives. Stimulating young people’s pleasure
in the natural sciences is very close to my
heart,” concludes Anne-Marie Engel.
The Lundbeck Foundation is a commercial foundation which was established in 1954 by Mrs Grete
Lundbeck, the widow of the founder of H. Lundbeck A/S. The primary aim of the Foundation is to
maintain and expand the activities of the Lundbeck Group, and to provide funding for research of the
highest quality in the health and natural sciences.
In 2007 and 2008, the Foundation supported the establishment of research centres whose aim is
to make the results of basic scientific research available for patients as quickly and efficiently as
possible. The theme for 2009 is nanomedicine.
In 2008, the Lundbeck Foundation donated DKK 328 million to research.
PHOTO: Joachim ladefoged