Inauguration of PREDICT – Center for Molecular Prediction of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Friday, August 27, 2021, was the day of the official opening of the DNRF center PREDICT, led by Professor Tine Jess at Aalborg University. The center will focus on chronic progressive and disabling intestinal disorders that occur in early adulthood and affects millions of people worldwide.
Aalborg University in Copenhagen provided the setting on Friday, August 27, 2021, for the official inauguration of the DNRF’s Center for Molecular Prediction of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (PREDICT). The center’s vision is to get a better understanding of the inflammatory bowel diseases that affect millions of people worldwide and in the long run, to create the basis for personal medicine and individualized treatment for each patient.
The guests were welcomed by the rector of Aalborg University, Per Michael Johansen, who was the first speaker of the day:
“Today is a big day for Aalborg University. The Center of Excellence PREDICT is possible because we in Denmark lead the world in health data. In Denmark, we have a number of administrative data that don’t exist any other place in the world. The center wouldn’t have been possible without the Danish National Research Foundation’s support. You have helped us to create a strong team at PREDICT, where the best and most competent researchers in this area can meet.”
Afterward, the new Minister of Science, Jesper Petersen, took the stage and congratulated Professor Tine Jess and the whole team behind PREDICT:
“Congratulations to the new Center of Excellence. Research makes a huge impact on ordinary people, people who, for example, have a chronic intestinal disorder. Every year, we invest in research because it is important to do so. We can potentially improve the quality of life for a lot of people. As the Minister for Education and Research, I am incredibly proud when we are able to do something special, and we do that in this area. Congratulations again and good luck with the upcoming work!”
The third speaker was the DNRF’s board chair, Professor Jens Kehlet Nørskov, who also started out by congratulating Professor Tine Jess and the rest of the team behind the center. He then went on to talk about the value of letting research run its natural course:
“It is a privilege and my pleasure to congratulate you on the new DNRF center. It is a major achievement to land this grant from the Danish National Research Foundation, as it is a highly competitive process. We look forward to following your development and help you where we can. Now, it is about not creating rigid plans years ahead of the research. Instead, simply follow where the research takes you. This is exactly what research is about.”
Last but not the least the head of center, Professor Tine Jess, took her place among the speakers:
“Dear minister, dear foundation, dear rector, and dear guests. Many thanks for the fine words. Thank you to the foundation for betting on our center and thank you to Aalborg University for creating such a unique setting for the center. The idea for PREDICT came to me when, in 2011, we opened the Danish National Biobank. The idea is to bring together several special resources and competencies that we have in Denmark, and then use them in a combination that hasn’t been seen before worldwide.”
Towards the end of her speech, Professor Jess made room for the rest of the team from PREDICT, as they would step out from the guests one after one and speak about how the center’s research will work in practice, and how it will impact this field in the future.