Fredrik Bäckhed has been awarded the Göran Gustafsson Prize in medicine for 2014. The prize is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and is the largest prize in the natural sciences in Sweden.
“This is a marvellous recognition for the whole group and the work we have done in recent years. It also means that we will be able to carry out new and bold experiments that we otherwise would not have been able to,” says Fredrik Bäckhed
Fredrik Bäckhed is Professor of Molecular Medicine, and his research focuses on the role that intestinal bacteria play in metabolism. He is also Director of the translational research center, The Wallenberg Laboratory for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research. His research group is studying how the normal population of intestinal bacteria interacts with the food we eat and how this interaction influences physiology and metabolism.
“We are particularly interested in investigating whether a change in the population of intestinal bacteria contributes to diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. We hope eventually to be able to develop strategies for prevention and treatment in these diseases, based on the intestinal bacteria,” says Fredrik Bäckhed.
For younger scientists
The Göran Gustafsson Prize is awarded to younger scientists. Five prize-winners within mathematics, physics, chemistry, molecular biology and medicine share nearly SEK 24 million, corresponding to research grants for several years.
“The grant will be used to develop new lines of research within the group. One example is an investigation into whether the change in intestinal bacteria that occurs after weight-loss surgery can lead to new treatment strategies for metabolic diseases,” says Fredrik Bäckhed, who receives also a personal award of SEK 250,000.
“We’ve just bought a new house, so some of the money will certainly be used for that.”
Patrik Rorsman also to receive an award
The prizes were presented on Monday 31 March at a ceremony held at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. At the same ceremony, Patrik Rorsman, Professor in Cellular Endocrinology at the Sahlgrenska Academy, received the Hilda and Alfred Eriksson Prize in Medicine, 2014. The prize (SEK 180,000) has been awarded for his research, with the following citation: “For significant contributions to our understanding of the regulation of the secretion of insulin and glucagon in the islets of Langerhans. His studies have shown, among other things, how sulfonylurea, which is a component of many of the most common medications for type 2 diabetes, acts at the molecular level.”