DANDRITE Group Leader Taro Kitazawa awarded Villum Experiment grant for pioneering multi-omics research
DANDRITE Group Leader Taro Kitazawa has been awarded a Villum Experiment grant of DKK 2,499,967 (€335,000) for a project that aims to develop a new experimental framework to investigate dynamic gene regulation and cell–cell interactions during fundamental neurobiological processes.
“Multi-omics technologies have transformed our understanding of how molecular programs define cell identity and function. However, conventional approaches provide only static snapshots, making it difficult to reconstruct how these programs evolve over time and are coordinated among interacting cells,” says Taro Kitazawa.
The Villum Experiment grant will support Taro Kitazawa’s project New multi-omics approach with molecular recording to reveal cellular interaction dynamics, which aims to develop a new multi-omics framework that combines whole-genome molecular recording with single-cell profiling while preserving compatibility to infer cellular interactions.
“This approach will enable us to investigate dynamic gene regulation and cell–cell interactions during fundamental neurobiological processes,” Taro Kitazawa explains.
Turning ambitious ideas into new discoveries
The Villum Experiment programme supports bold and unconventional research ideas at an early stage. According to the Villum Foundation, the programme is designed to create space for ambitious ideas that challenge established ways of thinking and have the potential to open entirely new research directions.
This year, 53 researchers were awarded Villum Experiment grants, sharing a total of DKK 129 million (€17,3 million). The projects were selected from 280 applications.
“This grant is a great opportunity to further develop our original technology and address even broader neurobiological questions, including development, learning, and aging,” says Taro Kitazawa.
For DANDRITE, the award recognises both the promise of Taro Kitazawa’s technology development and the importance of advancing our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying brain function.
Read more about the Kitazawa Group’s research
Quick facts: Villum Experiment
- The Villum Experiment focuses on unorthodox research ideas in their early phase.
- Anonymous evaluation ensures that the focus is on the potential of the idea rather than the researcher’s track record.
- Villum Experiment grants are awarded by the Villum Foundation, one of Denmark’s largest contributors to technical and scientific research.