Elite teams to carry out research in childhood asthma and cancer

The research academy Copenhagen Health Science Partners (CHSP) was set up in June 2017 as a partnership between the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) and the Capital Region of Denmark administrative region to ensure that research results can quickly benefit patients.

The Academy has paired up researchers and clinicians in a number of Clinical Academic Groups (CAG’s) working on developing new treatment methods and bringing them into use.

Now the research partnership has been extended with four new groups that are to conduct research in childhood asthma, cancer, osteoarthritis and child infections.

One in three Danes are at some point afflicted with cancer, while 900,000 Danes suffer from osteoarthritis. When it comes to children, 30 per cent of all Danish children are admitted to hospital with an infection during childhood, while 7-10 per cent get asthma.

Builds bridges between disciplines

An international panel has assessed that the four new CAGs each has the potential to achieve results within key areas of treatment and within patient groups.

The Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Ulla Wewer, is delighted with the expansion to include the four new groups.

“With the new CAGs we will be able to strengthen the building of bridges across disciplines, departments, sections and working methods. We are looking forward to seeing what comes out of the new groups.”

Closer contact

Each CAG has a chairman and a vice-chairman from the University of Copenhagen and the Capital Region respectively. According to CHSP director Per Jørgensen its first year has been spent on getting the different groups up and running.

“So far we have established a number of new partnerships that would otherwise never have arisen. It has resulted in a closer contact between basic researchers, clinical researchers and clinicians. This is one of the most important things with CHSP,” the director says.

To also cooperate with DTU and Region Zealand

The regional council in the Capital Region has supported the extension of Copenhagen Health Science Partners with the four new CAGs.

If you look five years into the future, the CHSP can help foster health-scientific results that will benefit patients, the director Per Jørgensen hopes.

In five years time we should have some specific results that can be used in practice

Per Jørgensen, director of CHSP

“The aim is that UCPH can help clinicians with solutions – in diagnostics and in treatment – that can help patients and their relatives. In five years we should have some specific results that can be used in practice.”

The intention is that in the longer term, CHSP will extend its cooperation to include the Technical University of Denmark DTU and Region Zealand.

“It makes sense to extend our partnership to include Region Zealand and DTU. In this way all the hospitals that are linked to UCPH can be a part of it, and we will also be affiliated to DTU’s health technology expertise,” says Per Jørgensen.