Novo Nordisk A/S divests the enzyme part of the business into a separate company, Novozymes A/S, with Novo Nordisk A/S continuing the pharmaceutical part of the business. The Novo Nordisk Foundation has a controlling interest in both companies.

Ulrik V. Lassen retires as Director of the Novo Nordisk Foundation and is succeeded by Professor Gert Almind (pictured).

The Committee on Humanities Research (established in 1980) is renamed the Committee on Art History Research. The original Committee awarded grants for classical archaeology and art history research, but the Foundation now decides to give priority to supporting art history research. Mikkel Bogh chairs the committee.

Vagn Andersen retires as Chair of the Board of the Novo Nordisk Foundation on 31 December 1999 and is succeeded by Palle Marcus, CEO of Danisco.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation Senior Research Scholarships are five-year scholarships that are awarded to make it attractive for highly qualified Danish researchers based abroad to return to Denmark. The scholarship programme ceases in 2009.

The Committee awards fellowships in general practice and family medicine in Denmark. The fellowships focus on treatment, disease prevention, basic research in general practice and family medicine and the administrative organisation of this field.

Professor Peter Arner is selected to present the 25th Novo Nordisk Foundation Lecture to coincide with the annual conference of the Scandinavian Society for the Study of Diabetes in Trondheim, Norway. The prize is awarded to an active scientist from a Nordic country for an outstanding contribution within research or treatment.

Palle Marcus retires as Chair of the Board of the Novo Nordisk Foundation and is succeeded by Ulf J. Johansson, dr.techn.

The Nordic network for research and the education of researchers in endocrinology is established as a 5-year pilot project. The aim is to improve the expertise of Nordic researchers and to strengthen their opportunities to succeed in an increasingly competitive global environment within biomedical research. The initiative includes awarding a total of 14 PhD and postdoctoral fellowships, an annual research course for fellows and their mentors in Gothenburg and grants for study visits. Following the 5-year pilot, the Foundation replaces the initiative with the Novo Nordisk Foundation Excellence Projects (see 2008).

Mads Øvlisen retires both from the Board of the Novo Nordisk Foundation and as Chair of the Board of Novo Nordisk A/S.

The Foundation gives DKK 600 million (€80.7 million) to establish the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research at the University of Copenhagen. The Center focuses on identifying the molecular causes of a wide range of diseases by performing high-technology studies of human proteins in diseased and healthy cells and aims at contributing to developing new and more effective treatment. The Center is inaugurated in 2009 and is part of the Foundation’s cluster of five research centres in Greater Copenhagen.

Pre-seed and seed programme established

The Novo Nordisk Foundation and Novo A/S establish the pre-seed and seed programme. Pre-seed grants are awarded to promising life-science projects that are still at the idea stage. The funding provides opportunities to test and develop projects. The seed programme steps in and funds investment in recent start-up companies or initiatives when projects reach the next stage.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation launches Excellence Projects for young researchers within endocrinology and experimental physiology, with a framework grant of DKK 5 million over 5 years.

Gert Almind retires as Director of Novo Nordisk Foundation and is succeeded as CEO by Professor Birgitte Nauntofte, dr.odont.

Danish National Biobank

In 2009–2010, the Foundation awards DKK 118 million (€15.9 million) to establish the Danish National Biobank at Statens Serum Institut. The Biobank will become one of the world’s largest and for the first time provides scientists an overview of and access to about 15 million biological samples in Denmark’s health care system. The Biobank thus increases the opportunities for research into the causes, prevention and treatment of diseases. The Biobank opens on 21 March 2012 and is part of the Foundation’s cluster of research centres.