American university students visit Aarhus University
Twenty American biomedicine undergraduates recently visited the PUMPkin Centre to learn about its research and to see the centre’s facilities.
Students from different universities all over the USA recently visited PUMPkin – the Danish National Research Foundation’s Centre of Excellence. The visit was part of their studies at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS), where students spend one term studying a variety of topics ranging from European history to biomedicine and drug development in Northern Europe.
DIS chose to visit the PUMPkin Centre as it is the world leader in studies of ion pumps such as the sodium-potassium pump, which was discovered by Nobel Prize winner Jens Christian Skou at Aarhus University. DIS was also interested in hearing about how the PUMPkin researchers transfer their knowledge to applied research and spin-out activities.
“The purpose of the visit to Aarhus University was to broaden our students’ horizons regarding research into biomedical and biotechnological fields, and to learn from professionals involved in ‘the front lines’ in these areas,” says Science & Health Program Assistant Zoé Kilbourne, DIS. “And this was completely fulfilled – an experience like this, where researchers share their own first-hand impressions, is crucial for these young students when they have to choose which university to study at and which degree to pursue,” she concludes.
After Director Poul Nissen, PUMPkin Centre, had welcomed the students, four researchers at the centre gave short presentations of their research, and this was followed by a tour of the centre to see its many different facilities.
Further information
Professor Poul Nissen
Danish National Research Foundation’s Centre PUMPkin
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics
Aarhus University, Denmark
pn@mb.au.dk – + 45 2899 2295