This year, UrbNet's asisstant professor Luise Ørsted Brandt is awarded the prize for her interdisciplinary work on proteins and DNA in archaeological skin and textiles.

Luise Ørsted Brandt's prize of 110,000 DKK will be spent investigating ancient proteinaceous paint binders, which have been used to bind colour pigments to ancient sculptures and architectural elements.

Her project will contribute to the understanding of ancient paint technologies and the original appearance of ancient art and architecture, which was very far from the pure white we usually see in museum exhibitions, but rather vibrant with colour.

Her work will be carried out in collaboration with the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, DNRF Center for GeoGenetics, and Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Protein Research. Read more about the research project at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, of which Luise Brandt's study is a sub-project.

The award ceremony will take place at the Carlsberg Academy 31 May 2016.

The three award winners will present their reseach at the Royal Danish Academy 1 June 2016.

About the award

Created in 1998, the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards program identifies and supports eminent women in science throughout the world with Fellowships to help further their research. Since the programme was founded in 1998, more than 2,000 women in over 110 countries have been recognised for their research and received funding to further their careers. Of these, two women have received the Nobel Prize.