Research interestsMy research activity has been related to cardiac metabolism in relation to the development of heart failure, focusing on metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance, obesity, and diabetes. We have used different mouse models of obesity/diabetes to study the effect of pharmacological treatments, exercise training (intensity-controlled treadmill running), and nutrient supplementation on the development of obesity/diabetes-induced cardiometabolic changes, and have extensive experience using the isolated perfused hearts for assessment of myocardial substrate utilization, oxygen consumption, mechanical function and efficiency/mechanoenergetics. In addition, we have experience measuring mitochondrial respiration using high-resolution respirometry (in cardiomyocytes, tissue homogenate, or isolated mitochondria).
Teaching
I have been teaching physiology to medical, odontology, psychology, and biomedicine students since 1997 (including topics like electrophysiology, cardiovascular physiology, respiratory physiology, endocrinology, and muscle physiology). I have served as a member/leader of the committee for the first-year exam since 2003. In addition, I have been responsible for the curriculum and coordination of all teaching in Physiology at the Department of Medical Biology since 2008. I have given lectures for PhD students at international workshops and at courses arranged by the NORHEART (Norwegian PhD School of Heart Research) at UiT (2015, 2017) and UiO (2015-2023).
Mentorship: (* as main supervisor)
Post Docs: Anne Hafstad (2008-2012)* and Neoma T Boardman (2016-2019)* , Wei Li (2022-current)*
PhD students: Ole Jakob How (2006), Anne D Hafstad (2007)*, Ahmed M Khalid (2009), Neoma T Boardman (2011)*, Anje Hoper (2014), Wahida Salma (2015), Jim Lund (2015)*, Tina M Pedersen (2019)*, Kirsten Janssen (2021), Synne Hansen (2022), Pauke C Schots (2023)
Medical research students: Rune Sundset (2000), Martin Hagve (2012), Line Rossvoll (2017)*
About 30 master's and undergraduate medicine and biomedicine students
Opponent for doctoral defenses:
2004 (South Africa; Univ. Cape Town), 2006 (Katholieke Univ. Leuven), 2009 (Denmark; Univ. Aarhus), 2012 (South Africa; Univ. Stellenbosch), 2012 (The Netheland; Univ. Maastricht), 2014 (UK; Univ. Oxford), 2015 (Norway; Univ. Bergen), 2015 (Sweden; Univ. Goteborg), 2018 (UK; Univ. Oxford), 2020 (Norway; Univ. Oslo), 2022 (Norway; Univ. Oslo), 2023 (Norway, NTNU); 2024 (UK, Univ. Oxford); 2024 (Denmark; Univ. Aarhus)
Currently lecturing at the following courses at UiT:
MED-1501 Medical school (Delemne 1.2 ) - Topics: electrophysiology, laboratory exercises in nerve conductance
MED-1501 Medical school (Course leader Delemne 1.4). Topics: respiratory physiology, cardiac physiology, laboratory exercises: cardiac electrophysiology (ECG), lung function and blood pressure
MED-2501 Medical school UiT (Delemne 2.6) - Topics: Synaptic transmission
MED-2510 Medical school UiT (Delemne 3.2, 3.3) - Topics: respiratory (pato)physiology, cardiac electrophysiology
MBI-3012 Master BioMedisin- Advanced methods in experimental biomedicine - Topics: Respirometry
MBI-3016 Master BioMedisin - Medical Physiology (Course leader) - Topic: advanced respiratory physiology
ODO-2008 Odontology - Topics: Synaptic transmission
ODO-2009 Odontology - Topic: respiratory (pato)physiology
