Astra Activities 2026-2028
Grantee: Mikkel Bohm, Astra
Amount: DKK 15,000,000
Grant category: Standalone grants
Year: 2026
Geography: Denmark
SIC Skin Immunology and Barrier Research in Sub-Saharan Africa
Grantee: Jonathan Coquet, University of Copenhagen, LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center
Amount: DKK 13,504,945
Grant category: Standalone grants
Year: 2026
Geography: Denmark
Børnenes forskerboks
Grantee: Jakob Lund Pedersen, Børnebogsforlaget
Amount: DKK 1,506,000
Grant category: Education and Awareness Grants
Year: 2026
Geography: Denmark
A box of eight illustrated children’s books on the life and research of well-known Danish scientists is distributed to Danish kindergartens. The goal is to spark early scientific curiosity among the 4-6-year-olds and provide pedagogues with age-appropriate tools that are aligned with the STEM curriculum for kindergartens. The researchers are selected to balance concrete and abstract science, historic and modern-day scientists, and diversity in gender and ethnicity. The books are supplemented with educational material introducing preschoolers to hands-on experiments and playful activities related to the presented research fields. More than 3000 Danish kindergartens have already committed to receiving a box, and the municipality of Roskilde serves as a development and test partner.
Let’s Get Personal: Individual (Skin) Health in the World of Precision Medicine
Grantee: Ken Arnold, Medicinsk Museion
Amount: DKK 1,700,000
Grant category: Education and Awareness Grants
Year: 2026
Geography: Denmark
Innovation District Copenhagen
Grantee: Innovation District Copenhagen
Amount: DKK 10,000,000
Grant category: Standalone grants
Year: 2025
Geography: Denmark
Innovation District Copenhagen (IDC) is a newly established association aimed at building a strong international innovation environment in Copenhagen. The initiative brings together research, education, and industry with a shared focus on translating knowledge into solutions that create societal value.
CRISPR-based Microneedle Patch for the Wearable Diagnostics and Treatment Monitoring of Psoriasis (CRISPatch)
Grantee: Santanu Patra, Technical University of Denmark
Amount: DKK 740,653
Grant category: LEO Foundation Visiting Researchers
Year: 2025
Geography: Denmark
This project proposes to develop an all-in-one wearable patch consisting of microneedles, microfluidics, and CRISPR assays with an electrochemical readout for diagnosis and treatment monitoring of psoriasis. The microneedles will be used for ISF sampling to access nucleic acids, which are driven through the microfluidic channels to the CRISPR-system, and their quick, on-body detection without any target amplification. During the research visit, Santanu Patra will build microneedles and an electrochemical readout at DTU, then combine them with the microfluidics and CRISPR assays at MIBE/TUM with Prof. Can Dincer and then work with Prof. Alexander Zink at TUM Dermatology on patient sample analysis in the next phase. The grant will support collaboration between DTU and TUM, which will foster technology exchange and knowledge sharing to develop a working prototype with patient data demonstrating the real-time applicability of the patch for personalized psoriasis monitoring, and potential extension to other inflammatory skin diseases.
LEO Foundation Fellows Coaching Program
Grantee: For Dr Abildgaard Fellows Ann-Marie Schoos, Xiang Zheng, Sigrun Schmidt and Hans Christian Ring
Amount: DKK 352,000
Grant category: LEO Foundation Dr Abildgaard Fellowships
Year: 2025
Geography: Denmark
The LEO Foundation Dr Abildgaard Fellows received a two-year leadership coaching program as an add-on grant to their existing fellowship.
The LEO Foundation Fellows Leadership Coaching Program (LCP) will help identifying the fellow’s key strengths as well as their potential key leadership obstacles and situations they find most challenging within leadership – and how to handle these situations. During the coaching sessions they will identify and train new leadership skills going forward which can help them perform even better.
Potential themes for the leadership coaching sessions could be elements from the following sections:
- Learn more about your leadership style and get the best out of it
- Setting up – and leading the team
- Stakeholder Management
- Mentoring
BiokataLYST
Grantee: Adam Roigart, BY RUM SKOLE
Amount: DKK 993,851
Grant category: Education and Awareness Grants
Year: 2025
Geography: Denmark
The educational project will create a model for a biodiversity learning facility through a prototype, a 100 m2 gravel habitat for local plants and insects, and associated educational material developed with five schools in Glostrup. Combining landscape design and STEM methodology, it offers children aged 6-10 and their teachers an outdoor classroom to explore ecosystems through play, observation, and experiments. The goals are to strengthen biodiversity knowledge, curiosity, and scientific skills in early education. The project expects to reach 500 children and 30 teachers in Glostrup, with an overall aim of establishing a concept that can be replicated in other schools.
Your Amazing Skin (Din fantastiske hud)
Grantee: Anne Kathrine B. Nielsen, Caretoons ApS
Amount: DKK 989,207
Grant category: Education and Awareness Grants
Year: 2025
Geography: Denmark
This is an educational project for children aged 7-12, focused on the skin and its role as the body’s largest organ, its health, and common conditions. The cross-media initiative will create an illustrated tactile book which is developed into an e-book and audiobook, as well as podcasts, animations, and a small game, which are all interconnected and offer different ways of exploring and learning. The goal is to build children’s health literacy and stimulate their curiosity for science and understanding of skin biology. Target groups include children, parents, teachers, and venues such as libraries, science centers, and museums.
UNF Science Camps 2026
Grantee: Carina Molsen Villadsen, Ungdommens Naturvidenskabelige Forening
Amount: DKK 500,000
Grant category: Education and Awareness Grants
Year: 2025
Geography: Denmark
Ungdommens Naturvidenskabelige Forening organizes six summer camps where high school students explore science, health, and technology through hands-on experiments, lab work, and real-world problem-solving. The camps are run by volunteering university students who act as teachers and role models, fostering both learning and community. With around 300 expected participants, the project aims to strengthen young people’s interest and confidence in STEM fields and inspire future studies and careers in science. The camps are carried out in different regions across Denmark, at DTU, SDU, and AAU, and travel and accommodation are covered to promote equal access for students.