Engineering 3D bio-printed physiologically accurate human skin for basic and clinical research

Grantee: Jonathan Brewer, Associate professor, University of Southern Denmark

Amount: DKK 3,972,150

Grant category: Research Grants in open competition

Year: 2019

Geography: Denmark

This project focuses on development of 3D bio-printed physiologically accurate human skin, which has important applications both clinically and for research.

3D printed human skin can be used in pharmacological and cosmetic testing, disease modelling, basic skin biology research, but also it can potentially save lives by providing skin grafts for burn or accident victims.

However, the current 3D printed skin is frail and prone to rupturing and does not recapitulate the native tissue. By combining quantitative imaging of intracellular junctions and cytoskeletal components at the sub-cellular, cellular and tissue levels in a rapid in vivo model and human 3D skin cell culture with direct measurements of tissue stiffness, we will deliver the most detailed description yet of the mechanical regulation and barrier properties of the skin.

Next, we will determine how the mechanical properties of skin change upon application of physical stimuli and if we could imitate the mechanical response by molecular perturbations.

Finally, we will identify and verify novel molecular players that set the mechanical properties of skin by unbiased single-cell sequencing of fragile and elastic tissues.

These results will be used to develop artificial 3D skin which more accurately represent human skin than current models. This interdisciplinary proposal is a crucial step forward in entering an era where animal experiments and transplants are replaced by synthetic organs printed for patients on demand.

Bloom Festival 2020-2021

Grantee: Svante Lindeburg, Golden Days

Amount: DKK 1,000,000

Grant category: Education and Awareness Grants

Year: 2019

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.

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.

Big Bang 2020-2021 – support for Denmark’s largest science conference

Grantee: Mikkel Bohm, Astra*, the national Centre for Learning in Science, Technology and Health in Denmark

Amount: DKK 2,000,000

Grant category: Education and Awareness Grants

Year: 2019

Geography: Denmark

Denmark’s largest science conference, the Big Bang Conference, has received DKK 2,000,000 for the period 2020-2021 from the LEO Foundation.

Big Bang is the largest Danish science conference and exhibition targeted all who teaches, facilitates or researches in the science and science fields – in primary and secondary schools and higher education.

The conference, held once a year, gathers more than 1,000 people for two involving and inspiring days with relevant keynote speakers, a humming exhibition atmosphere, involving workshops and novel ideas for the continued renewal of science education.

www.bigbangkonferencen.dk