Affiliates

Affilliated Partners

Since 2007, the Novo Nordisk Foundation has awarded a number of large strategic awards to establish six research centres and four infrastructures in the Greater Copenhagen region. The centres form organisationally independent entities, in which world-class researchers focus on a shared scientific vision in an important field of study. They also engage in collaborative efforts with universities, hospitals, biobanks and biotech/pharma industry. In this way, the centres are important players in creating innovation, knowledge sharing, and educating the next generation of research talent.

While individual Novo Nordisk Foundation research centres and infrastructures are autonomous entities in the regional science landscape, these strategic awards were the beginning of a journey with the aim to develop a Novo Nordisk Foundation Science Cluster.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Science Cluster entities have originally been established through 10-year grants, using a public-private partnership model in which the grant is awarded to a host institution representative (e.g. a university rector or dean) responsible for entity operation. Novo Nordisk Foundation Science Cluster entities’ housing and governance are thereby “outsourced” to the host institution. No obvious forerunner to this model can be found among the variety of setups among major European and American non-profit research institutes.

To fulfill the ambitious vision for the Novo Nordisk Foundation Science Cluster; For Denmark to be a world leading powerhouse for life science research and innovation, the strategy is to further build on the cluster by establishing additional physical entities such as new research centres and infrastructures as well as establishing cluster-wide programmes that support cohesion, collaboration and synergy between the entities.

Hence, with the ambition to increase the visibility of research and innovation in Denmark, the Novo Nordisk Foundation Science Cluster consists of the following initiatives:

Research centers. Flagship entities performing front-line research with long-term funding.

Research infrastructures. Entities comprising state-of-the-art technology and leading scientists conducting research and providing technology access and service to the cluster, region and internationally.

Innovation entity and programmes. Initiatives with the specific aim to facilitate the translation of research and innovations into applications and start-up companies.

Cluster networking activities. Activities to build networks, create cluster awareness, increase collaboration and improve cluster visibility. The cluster networking activities encompass interest groups, lectures, theme days, and conferences.