Information

The Thorsten and Elsa Segerfalk Foundation awards grants and stipends for neuroscience research at Lund University in Sweden.

The Foundation have two main tasks: to supports basic neuroscience research as well as applied and clinical research on neurological and psychiatric diseases, and to, together with the Medical Faculty at Lund University, arrange the yearly "Neuroscience Day" in Lund. The Foundation started in 1965 and has since then granted more than 64 million Swedish crowns for research projects and stipends between 1 and 3 million crowns have been distributed yearly.

All grant proposals are evaluated according to scientific merit by an independent group of neuroscientists at Lund University. Applicants are also rated according to the “Segerfalk factor”, which promotes young researchers who are in the process of establishing their own independent and innovative research group at Lund University, in addition to presenting a proposal of high scientific quality.

Each year the Foundation, in collaboration with the Medical Faculty at Lund University, arranges the Segerfalk Neuroscience Day, featuring a series of scientific lectures and poster presentations. A particularly prominent and internationally acclaimed scientist is invited to give the Segerfalk lecture, the highlight of Neuroscience Day, which attracts around a hundred Swedish and international scientists and doctoral students.

The Foundation have also supported a number of more specialized international symposia, such as "Principles of spinal cord function and plasticity and repair” held in Ystad, Sweden, in September 2001, and "The Neuroscience of Empathy and Compassion Conference" held in Lund May 2022.

To reach a wider audience and increase the interest in neuroscience, the Segerfalk Foundation has, since 2022, arranged a half day symposium for students at the level of upper secondary education. At this popular science symposia, the Segerfalk grantees from the same year present their research.

Thorsten Segerfalk’s accomplishments were summarized by the former vice-chancellor of Lund University, Professor Håkan Westling: "Thorsten was a visionary benefactor of medical research". We continue these efforts in Thorsten Segerfalk’s spirit and the Foundation therefore welcomes presumptive donors who wish to join in the support of the scientific research on the brain and the nervous system and its functions, which is essential for better knowledge and improved treatment of neurological and psychiatric diseases.