The Novo Nordisk Foundation has awarded two scientists from the University of Copenhagen a total of 120 million kroner for research of intestinal bacteria, reports the magazine Videnskab.

Fredrik Bäckhed and Torben Hansen will receive 60 million kroner each for projects that will run for six years.

Bäckhed’s research focuses on the bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract, how it relates to metabolic disorders and whether it is possible to develop medicine in this area.

Hansen studies the metabolites produced by colonic microbiota and aims to identify biomarkers for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases.