Department of Endocrinology, Morbid Obesity and Preventive Medicine
Head of research
The Department of Endocrinology, Morbid Obesity and Preventive Medicine (ESF) performs research in diabetes, metabolism, inherited and acquired lipid diseases, thyroid function, bone and calcium diseases, gonadal, pituitary and adrenal diseases, overweight and obesity and related conditions. We participate in research after whole organ and islet cell transplantation and in hormonal treatment for gender incongruence. We have decades of experience with self-initiated research, linked to a close collaboration with a number of clinical OUH Departments, the Hormone Laboratory, radiology units, the University of Oslo and other external partners.
Aims:
Maintain high quality and output of publications and participation in contract and self-initiated studies.
We treat chronic conditions, so we aim to explore pathophysiology and improve treatment through clinical studies as well as translational projects, where maintenance and expansion of disease related registries and biobanks are of great importance, - especially for projects in –omics, genetics and epigenetics. We will continue to work with existing national and international partners and prioritize researcher mobility and establishment of new collaborations.
Chronic conditions have challenges meeting treatment goals, especially in high risk groups. Hence our research must also address benchmarking, communication and compliance, health literacy and minority issues. Furthermore we aim to increase research contributions in nursing sciences, innovation and on quality of life and continue to implement user participation in our research.
All of our units have registries and most also have research biobanks. During the last decade the department has developed expertise in genetics and epigenetics resulting in expanded networks and consortium participations.
Recently, technological developments have influenced especially diabetes care, we collaborate with the Department of Medical Technology, currently on innovation on a screening device with multiple sensor modalities, for diabetes neuropathy. We have expanded our research in nursing sciences with qualitative methodology.
We collaborate with other local, Norwegian and international laboratories and on translational projects, as well as national and international registries (Norwegian Institute of Public Health) or with registries and projects such as Norwegian Diabetes Registry for Adults, the National Addison registry (ROAS), and population studies such as HUNT and MOBA. Furthermore, our research supports national guideline updates as a result of close collaborations with the NIPH and the Norwegian Health Directorate.
We have extensive experience in carrying out clinical trials on new drugs and have passed audits from various authorities such as the FDA. At present, we conduct around 20 international clinical trials of new drugs in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, antidiabetics, weight-reducing drugs and smoking cessation agents with responsibility as principal national investigator in many studies.