News from the department
Brain research
25.01.2021
DKK 35 million for new type of research in neuro diseases
Professor Martin Røssel Larsen has received DKK 35 million from the Lundbeck Foundation to cultivate and research mini-brains.
Cancer
14.01.2021
Why does breast cancer often spread in obese women?
Every year, approx. 5,000 Danish women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Obesity makes the cancer cells more aggressive, so they spread to other parts of the body. This is the focus of Rasmus Siersbæk’s research and he hopes to be able to find better treatment methods for this disease.
Small revolutions
15.10.2020
Researcher uses mini-brains for disease research
Professor Martin Røssel Larsen researches brain diseases. In order to better understand them, he makes mini-brains from stem cells in his laboratory.
Cannabis
24.03.2020
New study: Cannabis helps fight resistant bacteria
Bacteria are increasingly becoming resistant to antibiotics. By combining antibiotics with the cannabis compound, cannabidiol, researchers have found a way to enhance the antibiotic effect.
New research
10.03.2020
SDU intensifies its research in artificial skin
Researchers want to develop and 3D print skin for humans. The Novo Nordisk Foundation provides DKK 15 million for a new research project.
09.03.2020
Closing in on liver fibrosis: Detailing the fibrosis process at unprecedented resolution
Today, there is no effective way to treat liver fibrosis. In a new study, researchers from the University of Southern Denmark, SDU, present a new technology to investigate the cellular processes as they change during fibrosis development. Key findings are being validated in studies of human patients, paving the way for possible novel diagnostics and treatments.
Grants
23.01.2020
Phantom genes keep diabetes at bay
Until now, the purpose of a ‘phantom gene’ was largely unknown. New research suggests that it helps to ensure a healthy metabolism and could be involved in the development of lifestyle diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D).
News from the faculty
09.02.2026
New LEGO® Chair to Lead Software Technology in Vejle
Professor Mikkel Baun Kjærgaard has been appointed LEGO® Chair at the SDU Centre for Software Technology. With this appointment, the new campus in Vejle gains a prominent profile dedicated to bridging the gap between world-class international research and the local business community in the Triangle Region.
MedTech
05.02.2026
New technology aims to reveal whether hospital blood bags contaminate patients with microplastics
Only a few years have passed since science conclusively established that microplastics circulate in the human bloodstream. But just how extensive is this contamination? With a new grant, researchers from the University of Southern Denmark, Odense University Hospital and Rigshospitalet, aim to automate the search for answers and investigate whether the healthcare system’s own blood banks could be part of the problem.
05.02.2026
Hospital beds to learn from electric cars and feed power back into the battery
A new Danish research project aims to transfer technology from electric vehicles to height-adjustable desks and hospital beds. By designing the motor and electronics as a single integrated system, researchers and industry partners will reduce energy losses and enable batteries to recharge whenever the equipment moves downward.
Green technology
27.01.2026
Young researcher from SDU will help ensure sufficient critical resources for the green transition
The green transition depends heavily on access to critical raw materials, which are currently subject to vulnerable supply chains in an uncertain world. Associate professor Wu Chen from the Department of Green Technology at SDU now aims to map out how Denmark and Europe can secure the supply of the critical materials. The project is supported by the Villum Foundation’s Young Investigator grant.
FUNDING
15.01.2026
SDU uses its own supercomputer to build virtual teaching labs with full ownership
The University of Southern Denmark (SDU) is now leveraging its existing supercomputer infrastructure to create virtual teaching laboratories for IT education. The initiative gives students access to high-end server environments and distributed systems while enabling SDU to keep full ownership of the teaching platform and ensure predictable, transparent use of resources.
Electrolysis
14.01.2026
Research project at SDU aims to make green hydrogen production PFAS-free and competitive
In collaboration with European partners, researchers from SDU’s Department of Green Technology will develop a new type of electrolyser that can produce green hydrogen more cheaply, sustainably, more efficiently, and without the use of PFAS, which is currently used.
DKK 13 million for SDU researcher
18.12.2025
AI to make quantum physics more accessible and sustainable
Line Jelver, a newly appointed assistant professor at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), has received DKK 13.3 million from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. By integrating advanced language models with supercomputers, she aims not only to accelerate the development of materials with tailor-made quantum mechanical properties but also to address the research world’s enormous energy consumption.
Inge Lehmann grant
15.12.2025
SDU researcher Maria Ormhøj wants cancer cells to explode like bombs
Maria Ormhøj from the University of Southern Denmark has just received a prestigious Inge Lehmann grant. With the innovative advancement of immunotherapy, she aims to harness the body’s own cells. Hence, they function as “Trojan horses,” capable of alerting the immune system and triggering an attack on stubborn solid tumours.
11.12.2025
Professor Emad Ebeid receives Carlsberg Semper Ardens grant for development of self-charging drones
With the 'FreeFly' project, researchers at the University of Southern Denmark aim to streamline powerline inspection by mimicking avian flight. The new grant will elevate the technology from basic research to practical application.
EU millions for Professor Rafsanjani
09.12.2025
Snake robot will navigate Unknown terrain by listening
The European Research Council has awarded a highly prestigious Consolidator Grant of two million euros (approx. 15 million DKK) to Ahmad Rafsanjani, professor of soft robotics at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), for the project “Exploring the Unexplored with a Crawling Soft Robot (METABOA).” His project aims to develop soft crawling robots and teach them to navigate complex terrains using friction — a capability that could unlock opportunities in everything from collapsed buildings to distant planets.
News from SDU
YERUN
10.02.2026
YERUN as a strategic network for SDU
YERUN is a European network for young, research-intensive universities. The network was founded in 2015 and is coordinated from Brussels.
Nordic Centre
10.02.2026
Support for events and research stays at the Nordic Centre
The Nordic Centre at Fudan University has opened its spring 2026 call for proposals. Researchers and lecturers at SDU can apply for funding for activities that strengthen collaboration between Nordic and Chinese universities.
EPICUR
05.02.2026
Workshop on EPICUR and internationalisation in courses and programmes
Get concrete steps for internationalising courses and programmes with EPICUR.
Master’s Degree Reform
02.02.2026
1-year MSc in Health Economics – targeted prioritisation in the healthcare system
SDU is developing new master's degree programmes as a result of the Master's Degree Reform. The 1-year MSc in Health Economics brings together specialised analytical skills in a compressed format, enabling graduates to support prioritisation and decision support in a healthcare sector under pressure.
EPICUR
30.01.2026
Competence programme in Citizen Science via EPICUR
As part of EPICUR, a competence development programme in Citizen Science is offered for employees at SDU.
News
21.01.2026
Pro-rector moves to DTU
Helle Waagepetersen will take up the position as Director of DTU Health Tech on 1 March.
15.01.2026
Now you can drink the water in Esbjerg again
The drinking water in Jerne Nord - which includes SDU in Esbjerg - can once again be drunk without first having to be boiled. The authorities have cancelled the boiling recommendation on Thursday afternoon.
Master’s Degree Reform
15.01.2026
Six master's degree programmes will have industrial master's degree tracks from 2026
TEK will begin in 2026 with six industrial master's tracks and will expand from 2028. Director of Education Thomas Skjødeberg Toftegaard sees the format as a supplement to the classic 120 ECTS civil engineering master's degree, where relevant employment is linked more closely to the programme of study through a binding collaboration.
15.01.2026
New name for the Rector's Office
At the turn of the year, the Rector's Office has been renamed to SDU Rector's Staff. The tasks remain the same, so the contact to the SDU Rector's Staff for the rest of the organisation will be the same as before.
EPICUR
15.01.2026
New call for Applications: Funding for Collaboration with EPICUR Partners
We are pleased to announce a fourth SDU call to apply for funding to initiate, support and strengthen cooperation with EPICUR partners.