Research

After centuries of research on mental and neurological disorders, the fundamental causes are still largely unknown and most current treatment options are either deficient, full of side-effects or non-existent. Thus, mental and neurological disorders, often referred to as brain disorders, arguably remain the most serious health problem of our time, involving grave consequences for the affected and their families.

For individual patients, brain disorders are more often than not associated with suicide, poor physical health, social isolation, cognitive impairments, and a wide variety of serious life-lasting disabilities leading to poor life quality. On the societal level, brain disorders constitute the largest single burden on health care and welfare systems with expenses of astronomical proportions.

The European Union spends €800 billion annually, US $789 billion, and Denmark alone more than €7 billion each year as a result of direct or indirect costs of brain disorders. Alarmingly, these expenses are all expected to double by 2030.

The primary goal of our research is to explain the biological causes that contribute to the development of mental disorders, and thereby provide new tools for preventing the onset of mental disorders through early intervention, diagnosing patients earlier and more accurately, and developing new drugs with better results and fewer side effects for patients. Our efforts to accomplish these aims are structured around four different core units.


Center for Neurogenetics

Many mental disorders have a large genetic component causing neurobiological changes in the brain. Center for Neurogenetics focuses on uncovering the highly complex genetic architecture precipitating neurological disease mechanisms.

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Center for Precision Psychiatry

Precision psychiatry is an emerging approach taking into account individuals’ variability in genes, environment and lifestyle. Center for Precision Psychiatry works with a great variety of data, focusing on differences and similarities of diseases across disorders and groups of patients.

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Department for Clinical Biochemistry

Based on the biggest psychiatric hospital in Denmark, Mental Health Center Sct. Hans, our laboratory handles screenings, analyses, and testing of patients.

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Center for Translational Psychiatry

The most important measure of success is the extent to which patients benefit from our scientific discoveries. Center for Translational Psychiatry focuses on research that can be directly applied and implemented in clinical patient care.

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