Børge Nordestgaard began his research career by carrying out experiments on animal models to understand how lipoproteins affect arteriosclerosis. After 10 years of research on animal models, he switched to studying people, first in the Copenhagen City Heart Study (Østerbroundersøgelsen) that began in 1976 and later as head of the Copenhagen General Population Study (Herlev/Østerbroundersøgelsen) from 2003.
The results obtained by Børge Nordestgaard from both studies have especially helped to shake up common perceptions about how cholesterol and blood lipids affect our health.
Børge Nordestgaard is receiving the 2020 Marie and August Krogh Prize for his research efforts over many years. The Prize is awarded annually to an outstanding health researcher in Denmark. The Foundation and the Organization of Danish Medical Societies award the Prize, which is accompanied by DKK 1.5 million.
“I am incredibly pleased and proud to receive the Prize on behalf of the whole research group. This is incredibly positive for my work. Researchers experience many rejections, whether in applying for funding or submitting articles to journals, so receiving a prize such as this one really means a lot,” says Børge Nordestgaard on receiving the 2020 Marie and August Krogh Prize.
Has nuanced our view on cardiovascular diseases and blood lipids
Børge Nordestgaard’s tireless efforts to make us aware of the effects of blood lipids have been converted over the years into more than 700 scientific articles in scientific journals in Denmark and internationally.
“As head of the Copenhagen General Population Study, one of Denmark’s largest population studies, Børge Nordestgaard has given us many results that have helped to nuance our view on cardiovascular diseases and blood lipids, which play a key role in these diseases. In addition, he is one of Denmark’s most frequently cited researchers internationally. This makes him a very worthy recipient of the 2020 Marie and August Krogh Prize,” says Henrik Ullum, Chair of the Organization of Danish Medical Societies.
During his research career, Børge Nordestgaard has experienced regular development in how people in the healthcare system talk about and deal with cholesterol – a trend to which his research has contributed.
“When I started out as a researcher, we just said that cholesterol was generally bad. Suddenly we noticed a major focus on HDL cholesterol, which was called the good cholesterol. Now that is changing again, so doctors not only focus on cholesterol but have also started looking at the quantity of blood lipids and are trying to treat this,” explains Børge Nordestgaard.
Børge Nordestgaard will officially receive the 2020 Prize at the annual general meeting of the Organization of Danish Medical Societies on 24 January.
About Børge Nordestgaard
Med.Sc.D. Børge Grønne Nordestgaard is Professor and Chief Physician at Klinisk Biokemisk Afdeling, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital and Professor in Genetic Epidemiology at University of Copenhagen.
About the Marie and August Krogh Prize
The Marie and August Krogh Prize was established in 1969 and is awarded annually to an outstanding health researcher in Denmark. The Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Organization of Danish Medical Societies award the Prize, including a personal award of DKK 250,000 and a research grant of DKK 1.25 million. The Board of the Organization acts as the Prize committee, and the Foundation provides the accompanying funds. Affiliated members of the Organization of Danish Medical Societies may nominate candidates for the Prize.
About the Organization of Danish Medical Sciences
The Organization of Danish Medical Societies represents nearly 25,000 members and is an umbrella organization for Denmark’s medical societies. The objective of the Organization is to promote medical science in Denmark and to manage the overall interests of its constituent societies in relation to Denmark’s health authorities and national health policies. The Organization also promotes an understanding of Danish medical science and medical research in the public sector. The Organization was founded in 1919 as the Danish Medical Society.
Further information
Christian Mostrup Scheel, Senior Press Officer, phone: +45 3067 4805, [email protected]
