The LEO Foundation has awarded a total of DKK 48 million to four emerging research leaders, including two from DTU. Each will receive DKK 12 million over a five-year period to establish their own research groups and tackle complex challenges in wound healing and skin diseases. In addition to the grants, the recipients will participate in a dedicated leadership development program.
Tijana Miseljic, Assistant Professor at DTU Health Tech, will lead the project 'Micromotor Technology to Overcome Biofilm Barriers in Hidradenitis Suppurativa'. The project investigates how light-activated particles can break down the bacterial biofilm that forms in the chronic skin condition hidradenitis suppurativa, thereby enabling treatment to penetrate more effectively.
Konstantinos Kalogeropoulos, Assistant Professor at DTU Bioengineering, heads the project 'PROTECT: AI-driven Precision Protease Binders as Therapeutics for Chronic Wound Healing'. The project examines chronic wounds, which often arise when the body's immune response overreacts, breaking down tissue rather than healing it. Using artificial intelligence, the project aims to tailor molecules that can dampen overactive enzymes in the wound and assist the body in healing.
