Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology, National Hospital, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen
Education summary
• 1986-89: Research fellow at the Department of Medical Physiology, University of Copenhagen and Department of internal medicine, Southwestern Medical Center, University of Texas, Dallas, USA
• 1989-91: 20 months internal medicine and 6 months urology internship
• 1991-now: Positions in neurology (+ psychiatry, neurosurgery and neurophysiology, 6 months each)
• Consultant neurologist and Director of the Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center since 2000
• Lecturer and associate professor of neurology at the University of Copenhagen 2001-2007
• Professor of Neuromuscular diseases at University of Copenhagen since 2007
Career summary
My career as a young MD started with a great interest in sports physiology. While conducting research in this field, I came across patients with muscle diseases and instantly got hooked, and then knew I would become a neuromuscular specialist. I was fortunate to get a position at my present hospital with the support to build a neuromuscular centre there. I have been privileged to succeed in founding a separate Neuromuscular clinic, which now has 50 dedicated staff members working exclusively on neuromuscular diseases. We have become a national referral centre for patients and now have a large clinical trial unit conducting 30-plus trials in many neuromuscular conditions. While doing this I have also held many administrative positions such as being the chairman of the research committee of the National Hospital and on the board of many international organisations, including the WMS, NMSG, ENMC and EAN. Our centre is also very active in research, and personally I have close to 600 peer-reviewed neuromuscular, scientific papers published.
What is the personal or professional achievement you’re most proud of?
What I am most proud of is clearly to have contributed to the build-up of the Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center from scratch and to be part of the journey towards better diagnoses and finding treatment options for people affected by neuromuscular diseases.
Why did you first join the WMS?
I joined the WMS in 2004, because it fits very well my professional field of interest, but in joining it also opened up a wonderful social interaction with many wonderful people/colleagues, many of whom I count now as some of my best friends. It is a great source for professional inspiration and really connects people in their research, clinical interests and socially. I really love the WMS and think this is by far my first and foremost Congress of the year. I hosted the WMS meeting in Copenhagen in 2019. I have been on the Executive Board since 2018 and I was Chair of the Programme Committee from 2021-2023.
What is your goal in joining the Executive Board?
My goal of putting myself up for election to the board is to participate in and continue the great transition that the WMS has experienced over the last six years. To further enhance transparency, promoting younger people for research presentations and administrative positions in the many committees we now have and making sure we stay socially and economically healthy and diverse. I believe some experience, which I have, is needed on the executive board to ensure transition, hopefully with a lot of new faces joining.
