A dinner with a heartwarming purpose

The purpose of the dinner is to celebrate the DCAcademy grant recipients, their important contribution to prevent cardiovascular disease and their role as 'Science Ambassadors'. The term Science Ambassador implies that all DCAcademy Grant Recipients are appointed as Science Ambassadors during the Introduction Course each August for the DCAcademy and the Danish Heart Foundation. As ambassador the Grant Recipient is expected to actively promote own research as well as assist the DCAcademy and The Danish Heart Foundation in promoting their activities and create awareness of the importance of cardiovascular research.

Lots of entertainment

65 guests came, and among these were representatives from the 4 calls, collaborators, and colleagues.

The evening contained a taste of the DCAcademy cocktail, a festive lecture about humour in scientific dissemination given by the mediator, Sebastian Dorset, an award ceremony with happy prize winners, a musical jazz-treat and speeches from Rasmus Borgquist (Senior Medical Lead, Novo Nordisk Foundation) and Tanja Xenia Pedersen (Vice President, Head of Biomedicine, Novo Nordisk Foundation), and Gunnar Gíslason (Head of Research, The Danish Heart Foundation).

Awards were given

In relation to the Ambassador Dinner, the DCAcademy has instituted two prizes, and the winners are:

DCAcademy Contributor of the Year 2024 – Assoc. Prof. Lasse Bach Steffensen from Southern University of Denmark. For his remarkable contribution in organizing the course: “Molecular Mechanisms, Genomic Modifiers and Therapeutic Strategies”, and his commitment to the DCAcademy.

DCAcademy Grant Recipients of the Year 2024 – Josephine Maria Kanta, PhD & Katrine Aagaard Myhr, PhD. For their successful, collaborative and interdisciplinary Midterm Symposium: “MRI in the study of myocardial metabolism and tissue characterization”.

A thank you from the director of DCAcademy

“Thank you to everyone who contributed to making the evening wonderful! It is truly a pleasure to bring so many people together to celebrate our grant recipients and their invaluable work.” – Christian Aalkjær, Managing Director.

Photos: Elena Bouzinova.