The 2019 Gordon Research Conference on Epithelial Differentiation and Keratinization (GRC-EDK)

Grantee: Valentina Greco, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

Amount: DKK 146,536

Grant category: Education and Awareness Grants

Year: 2018

Geography: USA

The 2019 Gordon Research Conference on Epithelial Differentiation and Keratinization (GRC-EDK) is the premier international meeting in epithelial biology since 1979. It showcases the latest conceptual and technological advances in epithelial biology bridging basic and translational research.

This 2019 meeting entitled “Innovations in basic and translational epithelial biology” aims to bring together preeminent speakers at the forefront of epithelia development, stem cell biology, cell biology, pathology and therapy.

The main objective is to discuss latest developments and generate synergistic approaches towards future discoveries and therapeutic prospects. To ensure this, over 30% of speakers are from outside the immediate field, 50% did not speak in the 2017 meeting, and over 30% will be selected from submitted abstracts. Finally, a power hour will open a debate on ways to recognize and tackle discriminations in science.

Trainee mentorship will be promoted through the 4th Gordon Research Seminar on Epithelial Differentiation and Keratinization (GRS-EDK), immediately preceding the GRC-EDK. GRS meetings are organized and featured by trainee scientists providing a unique opportunity to discuss their research and develop life-long collaborations.

The GRS-EDK will also feature a career mentoring panel discussion with emphases on transitioning to independence, careers in academia versus industry, and the importance of gender and racial diversity within science. Collectively, this GRC/GRS will move forward cutting-edge research in the area of skin biology, promote translation of key research findings to clinical practice, and further the careers of early stage investigators to maintain the highest level of innovation of this field in the future.

Skin Proteomic Atlas – a spatially and cell-type resolved landscape of protein expression in the human skin

Grantee: Matthias Mann and Beatrice Dyring-Andersen, University of Copenhagen

Amount: DKK 100,000

Grant category: Education and Awareness Grants

Year: 2018

Geography: Denmark

The skin is an amazing and complex organ that comprises multiple layers and cell types that are functionally distinct.

The aim of this study is to characterize the molecular composition of the healthy human skin by creating an atlas of all the proteins expressed in healthy skin as a function of their spatial location as well as its major cell types.

This atlas, comprising the identification of a global proteomic composition of human skin, will provide an important resource to the community studying the physiology and cell biology of the skin and serve as a basis for future studies comparing the proteomes of inflammatory and oncologic skin diseases.

Publication of the skin atlas will be accompanied by a freely accessible and well-advertised web page portal where information on proteins of interest and their protein profiles in the layers of the skin will be easily available.

Bloom Festival 2019

Grantee: Svante Lindeburg, Golden Days

Amount: DKK 500,000

Grant category: Education and Awareness Grants

Year: 2018

Geography: Denmark

Bloom – at the core:

Bloom is an innovative festival about science and nature, which enlighten us on the Universe, the World and Ourselves. Framed in the lush Søndermarken at Frederiksberg in the heart of the capital city of Denmark, where some of the World’s greatest scientists, poets and philosophers have found inspiration through history, Bloom emerges each Spring as a sensual, experimental and thought-provoking festival version of natural sciences.

Prepared and communicated by some of the brightest scientists, thinkers, and artists of our time from here and abroad. By uniting the best from the world of festivals with the best from the scientific world, Bloom arm wrestles with Life’s greatest questions and over two days invite the audience to debates, talks, laboratories, conversations and nature walks under open skies.