Three new K.G. Jebsen Centres receive NOK 75 million for research on obesity, cancer and autoimmune diseases
Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen is awarding three new medical research centres NOK 25 million each. The funding – which will be matched by the host institutions – will strengthen research on some of the most pressing health challenges of our time: obesity, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. Two of the centres will be established at the University of Oslo and one at the University of Bergen.
The K.G. Jebsen Centres for Medical Research are among Norway’s most prestigious initiatives in translational medicine — research that spans the full pathway from laboratory discovery to clinical application. Since the programme began, it has supported 29 medical centres and awarded NOK 661 million.
The new medical centres:
Epimutations in Cancer – University of Bergen
Led by Professor Stian Knappskog, this centre builds on a groundbreaking core idea: examining whether gene alterations that arise in the earliest stages of fetal development may be an underlying cause of cancer later in life — and whether these alterations contribute far more to cancer development than previously believed. The aim is to lay the groundwork for more precise approaches to cancer prevention, surveillance, and early diagnostics.
Obesity Research – University of Oslo
Under the leadership of Professor Yvonne Böttcher, the centre will study why many people regain weight after successful weight loss — with a particular focus on a possible epigenetic “memory” in adipose tissue that may drive relapse. This knowledge could support the development of targeted interventions to prevent weight regain, within a precision‑medicine framework.
Autoimmune Diseases – University of Oslo
Led by Professor Ludvig M. Sollid, this centre will investigate how to develop technology for the targeted removal of disease‑driving B‑cells in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Through close collaboration between clinicians and laboratory researchers, the team aims to bring new therapeutic principles closer to clinical application.
“With these three new centres, we are taking an important step toward strengthening Norwegian medical research in areas where the need is great and the potential benefit for patients is substantial. The projects now being launched have undergone a rigorous evaluation process and represent both high scientific quality and a clear ambition to push the boundaries of what we know about disease development and treatment,” says Nicholas Knag Nunn, CEO of Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen.
Facts
- Since 2010, Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen has allocated NOK 661 million to establish 29 medical research centres in collaboration with the country’s leading medical faculties and university hospitals.
- Scientific excellence is the overarching criterion in the selection process. These centres are of top international quality and work to improve diagnostics, treatment, and understanding of disease.
- Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen was established to honour the memory of shipowner Kristian Gerhard Jebsen and his contributions to Norwegian and international shipping and business. The foundation was created by Aud Jebsen and family in 2009 and has awarded a total of NOK 992 million to date.
