Anja Groth

Anja Groth, 43 years old, is a full professor at the Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC) under the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Health Sciences. Her research centers on molecular cell biology, epigenetics, DNA repair, and genome stability, with significant contributions to understanding how cells maintain functional memory during division—a critical process for both human development and cancer progression.

• Education:
• MSc in Biochemistry, University of Copenhagen
• PhD in Cancer Biology, University of Copenhagen (2004)
• Postdoc at Institut Curie, Paris (3 years)

Her groundbreaking work on DNA repair mechanisms revealed a protein critical for cancer cell survival through error-free DNA repair. This discovery is paving the way for novel cancer therapies that block this protein. Using advanced molecular biology and interdisciplinary collaboration, she has published in top journals like Nature and secured two major ERC grants.

• Key Research Themes:
• Epigenetic memory and chromatin replication
• DNA damage repair pathways
• Histone dynamics and inheritance
• Replication fork stability
• Protein networks in genome maintenance

Articles show a consistent focus on histone chaperones, ubiquitination pathways, and chromatin assembly factors. Her 2016 discovery of H4K20me0 marks and the TONSL–MMS22L complex has had lasting impacts on DNA repair research.

• Awards & Grants:
• EliteForsk Award (2018)
• EMBO Investigator
• Heirloom Award for Women Scientist Leaders
• ERC Starting Grant
• ERC Consolidator Grant

As leader of a diverse research group of 15 international scientists (primarily women), Groth emphasizes collaborative innovation and trust-building in scientific environments. She advocates for sustainable lab practices and flexible research strategies that allow unexpected discoveries.