With the grant, Poul Nissen and his research group will set out to explore autoregulatory mechanisms of membrane proteins related to heart, metabolism, and brain disorders as an inspiration for new drug development strategies. Membrane proteins play a crucial role in transporting substances and conveying signals in and out of cells and are very attractive drug targets.

The goal is to find new compounds that can fine-tune the function of these proteins and initiate new activities in drug discovery.

Poul Nissen:

“Nature is a marvelous inspiration in biotechnology and drug discovery. From our basic research over the years we have discovered sophisticated mechanisms of how membrane transport is regulated in life. This is also unique knowledge and competitive opportunities we would like to pursue, and we will tap into these mechanisms as a potential, new way of identifying drug-like compounds that may affect e.g. heart and brain disorders."

The Distinguished Innovator program of the Novo Nordisk Foundation aims at the translation of basic research into actions and applications with a potential benefit to society and allows the researcher to translate basic findings into further exploration towards innovation or business development.

For further information, please contact

Professor Poul Nissen
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics/DANDRITE
Aarhus University
pn@mbg.au.dk - mobile 28992295