“Interaction between multidisciplinary researchers creates an inspiring scientific environment. It stimulates creative discussions. Thus coordinating a large European research network is highly rewarding”, says Dr Steffensen. He is a group leader at the Department of Laboratory Medicine at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.

HUMAN studies the function of genetic risk factors for metabolic disorders such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Dr Steffensen explains: “We will generate mice with liver and pancreatic beta cells originating from human donor stem cells. This enables us to study the gene functions in human-derived organs.”