2 November 2026
The LEO Foundation has awarded DKK 48 million (EUR 6.4 million) to four emerging research leaders. The 2026 Dr Abildgaard Fellows will establish or consolidate their own research groups to pursue original research projects addressing challenges related to skin diseases and wound healing.
Four researchers from Danish research institutions have been selected as the 2026 LEO Foundation Dr Abildgaard Fellows. Each will receive DKK 12 million over five years to establish an independent research group and pursue an ambitious research project.
This year’s fellows share a focus on some of the most persistent challenges in wound healing, from chronic wounds to skin diseases that cause painful and recurring wounds.
Silas Boye Nissen (University of Copenhagen) will study the behaviour and movement of skin cells in the process of wound healing, exploring how a particular protein complex may be redirected to support and accelerate healing in slow healing or chronic wounds.
David Thein Heinemann (Bispebjerg Hospital) will use multiple data sources, including data from comprehensive Danish registers, to improve our understanding of pyoderma gangrenosum, a disease characterized by deep and very painful wounds. The disease is currently difficult both to diagnose and treat.
Tijana Miseljic (Technical University of Denmark) will explore how the emerging technology of ligth-activated particles, called micromotors can improve treatment delivery for patients with hidradenitis suppurativa. Lesions associated with the disease often recur because bacteria remain deep within the skin, even when the surface appears to have healed.
Konstantinos Kalogeropoulos (Technical University of Denmark) will investigate whether a a lab-made preicsion wound enzyme inhibitor can aid the healing of chronic wounds in for example diabetic patients.
“These four researchers are taking on complex challenges that have long been difficult to address. Their different approaches reflect the breadth of expertise and innovative thinking needed to make progress in this field. We congratulate them on receiving the LEO Foundation Dr Abildgaard Fellowships and look forward to seeing the new knowledge and opportunities their research may bring,” says Anne-Marie Engel, Chief Scientific Officer at the LEO Foundation.
Supporting the next generation of research leaders
The LEO Foundation Dr Abildgaard Fellowships support promising researchers at a pivotal stage in their careers, enabling them to establish independent research groups and develop as scientific leaders. In addition to five years of research funding, the fellows participate in a dedicated leadership coaching program.
“The four fellows have demonstrated their scientific potential through strong track records and original research ideas. With these fellowships, they have the opportunity to pursue ambitious projects, build their own teams and develop as independent research leaders,” says Anne-Marie Engel.
Meet the 2026 Dr Abildgaard Fellows
Read more about the four fellows and their research projects: