The Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Danish Association for the Study of Obesity (DASO) have awarded the first Flemming Quaade Prize for Outstanding Obesity Research to Zachary Gerhart-Hines and the first Early Career Obesity Research Award to Malte Palm Suppli. Their pioneering discoveries span from molecular research that can improve treatment of obesity to better understanding of the impact of diet on metabolic health.
Obesity is one of the defining health challenges of our time, contributing to rising rates of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer. To highlight and strengthen research in this critical field, the two new prizes were established in 2025 to honour excellence across career stages and provide resources to accelerate the next generation of scientific breakthroughs in Denmark.
The first recipients will be honoured in November at DASO’s Annual Meeting, a gathering of Denmark’s leading voices in obesity science.
“We are proud to have this opportunity to recognise two outstanding researchers within obesity science, which is made possible through a new collaboration with the Novo Nordisk Foundation,” says Lise Bjerregaard, Chair of DASO Board. “We hope these prizes encourage the winners to continue their excellent work and inspire others to pursue innovation in obesity science in Denmark in the coming years. We congratulate both winners and very much look forward to celebrating them at our annual meeting in November and to follow their research in the coming years.”
Breakthroughs in how fat tissue controls energy expenditure
Recognised for pioneering research on how fat tissue regulates energy balance, Zachary Gerhart-Hines, Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen, becomes the first recipient of the Flemming Quaade Prize for Outstanding Obesity Research.
His discoveries have reshaped the understanding of how fat tissue influences insulin sensitivity, energy expenditure, and appetite control. These insights have opened new avenues to improve the quality of weight loss (i.e. how healthy, tolerable, and sustainable it is) and several of his findings are already being translated into potential treatments for obesity.
With support from the prize, Gerhart-Hines will launch a project testing a novel therapeutic combination aimed at overcoming some of the limitations of current obesity treatments by increasing muscle preservation, energy expenditure, and long-term weight maintenance.
“Receiving the Flemming Quaade Prize is an incredible honour that marks a deeply meaningful personal and career milestone,” says Gerhart-Hines. “This recognition affirms the collective impact of our team’s efforts and serves as inspiration to continue advancing therapies that can make a lasting difference for those living with obesity.”
Uncovering how diet and the microbiome shape metabolic health
The first Early Career Obesity Research Award is presented to Malte Palm Suppli, Senior Specialist Registrar in Endocrinology at Nordsjællands Hospital, for his clinically grounded and experimental research into the metabolic complications of obesity.
Suppli has advanced the understanding of how obesity and related metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and MASLD (Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease) develop and progress. Through human intervention studies, his work has explored how diet, the liver, and the gut microbiome interact to influence metabolic health.
His upcoming project will examine how consuming a substantial amount of ultra-processed foods affects the gut’s protective barrier and whether this drives inflammation and long-term problems with the body’s metabolism. The award will provide Suppli with dedicated funding to pursue this research.
“I’m deeply honoured to receive this award,” says Malte Suppli. “It’s a great encouragement to continue exploring how diet and metabolism interact, and how we can translate these insights into better care for people living with obesity.”
About the prizes
The Flemming Quaade Prize for Outstanding Obesity Research was launched in 2025 to honour the legacy of Professor Flemming Quaade (1923–2007), a Danish pioneer within prevention and management of overweight and obesity. The prize is accompanied by DKK 1 million, of which DKK 900,000 is for new research and DKK 100,000 is a personal award. The Novo Nordisk Foundation Early Career Obesity Research Award is accompanied by DKK 500,000 for new research activities within a two-year period. Together, the prizes aim to strengthen obesity science in Denmark by recognising both established leaders and promising early-career researchers. An independent, international assessment committee selects the award recipients.
The recipients will be honoured at DASO’s Annual Meeting on 14 November 2025 in Nyborg, where they will present their research. They are also invited to return in two years to share the outcomes of their prize-funded projects.
About DASO
The Danish Association for the Study of Obesity was established in 1984. The purpose of the Association is to promote research, teaching and an understanding of obesity. The society represents Danish obesity research internationally and contributes to preventing and addressing the consequences of obesity in the Danish population.
