Tomorrows researchers are found on the Festival of Research
Today's Drug Hunter Finale is taking place at Lundbeck's headquarters in Valby. For the scientists of the future this is the culmination of several months of intensive search for new treatments of brain diseases. Since January, more than 1000 students from high schools across Denmark have worked to crack the code of brain diseases and take on the role as research scientists working to develop new drugs. The pharmaceutical company Lundbeck organizes the competition. It is designed to stimulate the high school students’ interest of natural sciences and innovation and inspire them to choose a scientific education.
On the day of the Finale the students will meet, among others the Minister for Research, Innovation and Higher Education Morten Østergaard. A couple of Lundbeck’s own scientists will take the students on a journey into the marvellous world of the brain.
To win the Drug Hunter Competition, students must combine their knowledge of chemistry, biology and biotechnology with creative and innovative thinking in relation to the development of new and better drugs to treat brain diseases such as depression and Alzheimer's disease. The aim is to integrate the students’ scientific understanding in a broader societal context.
With the sharpest scientific minds gathered from the country's high schools, the bar is set high and not only the students will learn something today.
“As researchers we can learn a lot from the students’ curiosity and creativity in solving these biological and chemical problems. The sooner we can give them insight into the scientific world and awaken their interest in the role of the researcher, the better. In order for Denmark to maintain its strong position within research and health, we have to educate the brightest young minds,” explains Anders Gersel Pedersen, Executive Vice President, Research and Development, at Lundbeck.
Societal perspective
The competition was kicked off in the beginning of January 2013 and the students have had three months to prepare scientific posters where they have had to use their knowledge of brain disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases to find answers to questions and issues related to modern pharmaceutical research.
A jury consisting of Lundbeck researchers will evaluate the many posters, and will select the winners of this year's Drug Hunter Competition.
"It is when you take the students out of the class rooms and into the real world of science that their interest in the field can be truly awakened. By taking on the role as researcher and solve concrete problems the students have their knowledge put into a larger societal perspective. That brings an understanding of how devastating brain diseases are and why it is important that new and better medicines are developed in the future,” says Anders Gersel Pedersen.
See more facts about Drug Hunter Competition below and on the contest website www.drughunters.dk.
For further information, please contact
Mads Kronborg, Media Relations Manager
Phone (direct): +45 36 43 28 51
About Lundbeck
Lundbeck is a global pharmaceutical company highly committed to improving the quality of life of people living with brain diseases. For this purpose, Lundbeck is engaged in the entire value chain throughout research, development, production, marketing and sales of pharmaceuticals across the world. The company’s products are targeted at disorders such as depression and anxiety, psychotic disorders, epilepsy, Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Lundbeck’s pipeline consists of several mid- to late- stage development programs.
Lundbeck employs more than 5,800 people worldwide, 2,000 of whom are based in Denmark. We have employees in 57 countries, and our products are registered in more than 100 countries. We have research centres in Denmark, China and the United States and production facilities in Italy, France, Mexico, China and Denmark. Lundbeck generated revenue of approximately DKK 15 billion in 2012. For additional information, we encourage you to visit our corporate site www.lundbeck.com
Facts about the Drug Hunter Competition
- The Drug Hunter Competition is a science competition for upper secondary school students, primarily from Danish Science Gymnasiums. Lundbeck has organized the competition, which began on January 1, 2013.
- The competition takes its starting point in drug development as it is practiced today. Students have the opportunity to work with projects related to the central nervous system, and to choose between projects that have a chemical, biological or biotechnical approach.
- The Drug Hunter Competition combines classroom learning within biology, chemistry and biotechnology (at the Danish A and B levels) with practical insight into research and development at Lundbeck. During the competition, students have the opportunity to meet Lundbeck researchers through lectures at participating secondary schools; they gain insight into the working methods of a researcher; and they gain insight into how academic subjects can be applied to solve real issues related to the development of new drugs.
- The competition tasks are designed to target curriculum competency goals, and are thus suitable for use as part of the biology, chemistry and biotechnology curricula. Lundbeck has developed classroom materials for the competition for upper secondary schools in collaboration with the Biotech Academy, a student organization at The Technical University of Denmark.
- Students were handed their assignments on January 1, 2013 and have worked to solve them during the months of winter and spring. Along the way the high schools have had the opportunity to receive visits and presentations from Lundbeck researchers.
- Posters entered by the students qualify for the Finale held at Lundbeck headquarters in Valby on May 3, 2013, the day of the Danish Festival of Research.
- Students present their scientific posters on the day of the Finale. At the end of the day, the winners of this year’s Drug Hunter Competition are announced.