The Brain Battle Finale

Evaluation & Finale

Candidates will be evaluated by the Lundbeck Brain Battle selection committee as follows:

A compelling written letter of motivation including scientific interests and skills, CV, grade transcripts and letters of recommendation. 

In 2025, we have several exciting PhD project opportunities using a wide array of methods including in vitro and in vivo techniques as well as omics and bioinformatics in multiple CNS disease areas such as headache disorders and neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases. In addition, we also have more technology focused projects on drug delivery to the brain. These projects are focused around delivering therapeutic antibodies or oligonucleotides to the brain, for example, advancing blood-brain barrier shuttle design and CNS selective activation of drugs.

The letter of motivation should clearly indicate in which area you wish to continue your PhD education. Don’t forget to highlight your academic achievements, both inside and outside the lab. Discuss your relevant research experience and share your long-term academic and career goals and how winning a PhD at Lundbeck will help you achieve this goal. Emphasize any unique qualities, skills or perspectives that you bring to the program that can further enrich the Lundbeck community. #EveryBrainInTheGame

Selected participants will be invited for an interview to further explain their scientific interests and to take a deep dive into their skills as well as their motivation to do an industrial PhD at Lundbeck.

Following the assessment of the letter of motivation, scientific background and interviews, three finalists will be selected to go through the scientific communication training and advance to the Brain Battle finale.

At the Brain Battle finale, participants will compete by presenting their MSc thesis in a simple, engaging and compelling way to an audience consisting of Lundbeck scientists and approximately 250 high school students participating in the annual Drughunters competition.

Presentation format: The presentation for the finale should be no more than seven minutes long and focused on conveying the ideas, hypothesis and potential impact of your MSc thesis work in a creative, inspiring and understandable way. The traditional use of slides/PowerPoint is banned, so we highly encourage the use of props to make your presentation inspiring and engaging. Remember, your target audience is approximately 250 talented science-oriented High School students and Lundbeck scientists! The winner of the industrial PhD scholarship will be announced at the end of the day based on an overall assessment of the written material, interview and presentation at the Brain Battle finale.

Further questions should be directed to brainbattle@lundbeck.com