news 2025

ANCIENT DNA A new study maps infectious diseases across millennia and offers new insight into how human-animal interactions permanently transformed our health landscape. A research team led by Eske Willerslev, professor at the University of Copenhagen and the University of Cambridge, has recovered ancient DNA from 214 known human pathogens in prehistoric humans from Eurasia.

ADHD Millions of adults around the world are diagnosed with ADHD every year, and there is a great need for research in the field. However, much clinical research on adult ADHD suffers from serious methodological shortcomings that make it difficult to use the results in practice, researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Sao Paulo show in a new study.

Mental health In mother groups, mental health challenges can spread among new parents. New research from the University of Copenhagen and VIVE shows that the risk of experiencing postnatal reactions, such as depression, increases if you interact with other parents who are affected. In Denmark, new parents are typically placed in a parent group with 5-7 other families.

Vaccine: A more effective vaccine technology may be on the horizon. In a new study in mice, researchers from the University of Copenhagen demonstrate that a simple addition to mRNA vaccines can significantly enhance their effectiveness. The innovation could become a powerful tool in the next pandemic.

Cancer: A new gene-editing method enables researchers to more easily determine whether a patient has inherited an increased risk of developing cancer-before any symptoms appear. Researchers at Rigshospitalet have tested the method and believe it has the potential to save lives worldwide. There may be hopeful news ahead for families with a history of breast and ovarian cancer.

DIABETES Unprecedented insights into insulin resistance could pave the way for better treatments and earlier detection of type 2 diabetes. Scientists have unearthed surprising details about how our bodies handle insulin - the hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar and developing diabetes.

A new study from SDU and OUH shows that cells in atherosclerotic blood vessels grow in a way that resembles tumour development. The discovery provides new biological insights and may pave the way for treatment strategies. Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital have studied tissue from patients with atherosclerosis.

New research from the University of Southern Denmark, the Centre for Suicide Research, and the Centre for Suicide Prevention shows that suicide prevention training for nursing assistant students enhances their ability to support people at risk of suicide. Suicide prevention training is now being tested in residential facilities.

A new study from the University of Southern Denmark shows that women with gynaecological disorders are more likely to experience depression-both before and after receiving a diagnosis. The findings highlight the need for earlier detection and a more integrated approach to physical and mental healthcare.

New research from the University of Southern Denmark shows that healthcare costs are higher for people with fractures if they have type 1 diabetes. Greater focus on prevention could help bring these costs down. It is well established that people with type 1 diabetes are at higher risk of complications when they experience a bone fracture.

Good research is not just about what is discovered; it's equally about how the findings are reached and described. Three researchers from the University of Southern Denmark have assisted in updating the key reporting guidelines in health research. Reporting is describing what you do and why. To ensure the research is credible, it is necessary to account for what was done, the findings and how the experiment was conducted in practice.

Bacteria Scientists have discovered a new type of immune defense in E. coli bacteria that turns viral infection machinery against the virus itself. Named after the Chinese military strategist Kongming-who famously used enemy weapons to defeat them-the system reveals a novel immune signaling pathway.

STEM CELLS The 'super stem cells' perform better than regular stem cells, being able to develop into many different cell types, researchers from the University of Copenhagen find, with many potential applications, including improved IVF treatment. Imagine if reducing your caloric intake could make you younger? This is almost the case with stem cells.

An international team of researchers, including participants from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), has used advanced technology to uncover why only some patients with a hereditary liver disease go on to develop serious illness. The results have now been published in Nature. Although around 2,500 people in Denmark carry the same genetic mutation, only a small number go on to develop severe liver disease.

Proteomics A University of Copenhagen study uncovers intricate details about protein function at the molecular level. The discovery could transform disease diagnostics and treatment. Proteins play a central role in virtually every disease. They are the building blocks of life, serving as essential components in nearly all cellular processes.

HEALTHY AGING Researchers have examined the relationship between healthy aging and various diets. Particularly, a plant-based diet with a low to moderate intake of healthy animal proteins is associated with healthy aging. If you want to be healthy and vigorous at 70, it's worth considering what you eat much earlier.

Population genetics In the most extensive genetic study of the Greenlandic population to date, researchers from Denmark and Greenland have examined new parts of the genome that have never been studied before. The study sheds light on the genetic history and background for health conditions of Greenlanders and could help improve the diagnosis and treatment of genetic metabolic diseases in the future.

Diet New research from Denmark reveals that a mother's diet during pregnancy-characterised by a Western dietary pattern high in fat and sugar and low in fresh ingredients-may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and autism in children. Researchers see potential for targeted dietary interventions during pregnancy to reduce this risk.

A new study from the University of Southern Denmark shows that the disease costs Danish society 15 billion Danish kroner annually. Prevention could significantly reduce the economic burden. Osteoporosis, also known as brittle bone disease, affects up to 700,000 Danes, but it is often only diagnosed after patients experience severe fractures.

Cancer A new advanced form of treatment for one of the deadliest cancers worldwide, pancreatic cancer, may be on its way, research from the University of Copenhagen and Rigshospitalet shows. It has the potential to increase survival rates and quality of life for patients. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest of all cancers.