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
09.10.2026
Researchers aim to turn marine data into better decisions for the Baltic Sea
Sensors, water samples and artificial intelligence will help researchers build a clearer picture of the Baltic Sea’s condition. At an international workshop at SDU in Sønderborg, the RECOVER project brought together researchers and technology specialists to discuss how marine data can be turned into useful knowledge.
08.10.2026
New projects to strengthen engineering students’ maths skills and responsible use of AI
Two projects supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation will develop teaching at the University of Southern Denmark’s Faculty of Engineering. One will help new engineering students build their maths skills through exercises tailored to their level. The other will strengthen software engineering students’ ability to understand, check and take responsibility for code written with artificial intelligence.
01.10.2026
Faculty of Engineering appoints its first Innovation Pilot
Righteous Ogieva will spend the coming year developing his technical expertise in a piezoelectric technology created at the University of Southern Denmark. The new Innovation Pilot programme aims to strengthen the pool of potential technical co-founders for future research-based spinouts.
01.10.2026
Four researchers from the Faculty of Engineering receive DKK 9.7 million for bold experiments
Four researchers from the Faculty of Engineering have received a combined total of almost DKK 9.7 million from Villum Experiment for projects exploring shape-changing materials, automated software repair, new catalysts and quantum-inspired computer hardware.
30.09.2026
SDU students send robots into the battle arena
In just one year, a group of students at SDU have built a battle-ready robot, founded what is currently Denmark’s only BattleBots club and taken part in their first international competition. Along the way, they have discovered that lessons in materials, simulation and cooling become very tangible when a robot has to withstand a beating.
27.09.2026
When teaching and research strengthen each other
Three robotics engineering students turned a bachelor’s project into a peer-reviewed journal article. Their subsequent work has generated further research on assistive and underwater robots. For Associate Professor Saravana Prashanth Murali Babu, the projects show how teaching and research can advance together.
24.09.2026
New sensor could help greenhouses tailor fertiliser to plants’ needs and reduce nutrient discharge
Greenhouses sometimes discard water that still contains valuable nutrients. In a new €1.8 million Danish–German project, researchers at the University of Southern Denmark will develop technology to show exactly what the plants need.
Teaching Award
22.09.2026
SDU Associate Professor receives the 2026 Teaching Award
Associate Professor Bjarne Schmidt from the University of Southern Denmark has been awarded the 2026 Teaching Award for his dedicated and practical teaching in physics and mathematics.
09.09.2026
AI can make takeaway deliveries more efficient
An AI-based model can combine more takeaway orders on the same trip and reduce the number of couriers required without increasing waiting times. Developed with contributions from SDU researcher Yihua Wang, the model has been tested on more than 650,000 real-world deliveries.
03.09.2026
SDU researcher honoured for making supermarket waste heat more valuable
Milad Morid Zadeh has received an international award for research that could help supermarkets use heat from their refrigeration systems more efficiently – even as the equipment deteriorates.
News from SDU
Climate ambassador
12.10.2026
Become a climate ambassador at SDU
– and put the climate on the agenda where you work.
Equality
05.10.2026
Equality work gains stronger cross-organisational anchoring
Equality is a cross-organisational task that matters for SDU’s research, education, working environment and development as an organisation. The Executive Board has therefore decided that cross-organisational support for equality work will in future be anchored in SDU HR. Staff and resources in the Gender & Equality Team (GET) will transfer to SDU HR on 31 December 2026.
Parental leave
05.10.2026
New and improved maternity leave entitlements in the civil service
New maternity leave entitlements have been introduced, offering further benefits to civil servants taking maternity leave.
EPICUR
02.10.2026
Keynote on teaching that creates value
How can teaching create value beyond the classroom? On 20 October, Martin Lackéus from Chalmers University of Technology will give a keynote at SDU on value creation pedagogy.
Webinar
30.09.2026
Webinar on competence development in a changing world of work
How can you develop your competences and prepare for new demands in working life? An EPICUR webinar on 1 October will explore this question.
Ranking
30.09.2026
New internal website on international rankings at SDU
A new internal rankings page makes it easier to gain an insight into SDU’s work on international rankings. Here, staff can read about the significance of the rankings for the university and see how they themselves can contribute to SDU’s international visibility and rankings.
Friday Cafe
28.09.2026
The last Friday Café of the year: 2 October, 2.30 pm–6.00 pm
Pop into the restaurant at SDU Odense and wish your colleagues a lovely weekend.
60th anniversary
24.09.2026
It all began with medicine – 60 years of medical education at SDU
The University of Southern Denmark is celebrating its 60th anniversary. To mark the occasion, throughout 2026 we will be focusing on some of the key themes that have their roots in 1966 and which still characterise the university today. This time, the focus is on medicine. In fact, it was the need for more doctors that sparked the establishment of the university. 60 years on, medicine and health continue to play a central role – now with new opportunities for research and innovation at the intersection of medicine and technology.
Movement Day
23.09.2026
Would you like to help set a new exercise record?
Movement Day 2026 is just around the corner, and this year you can once again look forward to an afternoon packed with movement, community and fun activities.
Analysis Portal
22.09.2026
New and improved version of SDU’s Analysis Portal on the way
The overview page containing all relevant data on SDU’s research, students and impact on society is now being enhanced by becoming freely accessible to all staff and featuring an improved platform.