Tom Wilsgaard
Job description
Professor in Biostatistics and Epidemiology
Head of the research group Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases
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Research interests
Cardiovascular disease; Cardiometabolic disease
Cohort studies; Longitudinal analyses; clinical trials; Repeated measures; Generalized linear models; Mixed models; Analyses of survival data, Mediation
Teaching
Medical statistics; Linear and logistic regression; Analysis of survival data; Power calculations
Member of research group
Member of project
CV
Personal:
Name: Tom Wilsgaard.
Born: 29. May 1967.
Education and degrees
2002: PhD, University of Tromsø (UiT), Norway
1994: MSc in mathematical statistics, UiT
Positions held
2012 – present : Professor, Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
2013 – 2014 and
2018 – 2019 : Research Scholar, Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
2005 – 2012 : Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, UiT
2002 – 2005 : Post-doctoral research fellow (epidemiology and medical statistics), Department of Community Medicine, UiT
1999 – present : Statistical consultant at the Clinical Research Department, University Hospital Nothern-Norway, 20 % position
1998 – 2002 : Research fellow, Department of Community Medicine, UiT
1995 – 1997 : Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, UiT
1994 – 1995 : Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, UiT
1991 – 1994 : Research assistant, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, UiT
Posts and affiliations
2019 – present : Head of the research group “Epidemiology of chronic diseases”
2017 - 2018 : Head of the research group “Epidemiology of chronic diseases”
2005 – 2019 : Member of the working committee, the Tromsø Study.
2019 – present : Member of the leader group, the Tromsø Study.
2010 – 2015 : Member of the board at the Department of Community Medicine, UiT
2011 – 2014 : Member of the board for the master program in Public Health the Department of Community Medicine, UiT.
2014 – present : Chair of the data and publication committee, the Tromsø Study.
2007 – 2014 : Member of the data and publication committee, the Tromsø Study.
2006 – 2009 : Chair of the survey committee, the sixth survey of the Tromsø Study.
2005 – present : Member of the data committee, the Tromsø Study.
2004 – 2005 : Member of the WEB committee, Department of Community Medicine, UiT
2000 – present : Member of the end-point committee, the Tromsø Study
2002 – 2004 : Member of the IT-committee at the Department of Community Medicine, UiT
2000 : Member of the board at the Department of Community Medicine, UiT
Biographics:
Ph.D. ,thesis: Longitudinal analyses of cardiovascular risk factors. The Tromsø Study 1974 – 1995.
MSc, statistics.
Teaching
Medical statistics for various graduate study programs. Courses in linear mixed models, survival analyses, Cox regression, linear and logistic regression, and power calculations for researchers and PhD students.
Since 1998 I have been employed in a 20% position as research and statistics consultant at Clinical Research Department, University Hospital of North Norway. The tasks have stretched over a wide range that includes research design, protocol preparation, power calculations, applying for research grants, and selection of appropriate statistical analysis methods and use of statistical analysis tools.
PhD-candidates (main – or co-supervisor):
22 PhD students (9 are ongoing)
Main research activities
The Tromsø Study. Epidemiological and biostatistical papers on MI, stroke, diabetes, carotid atherosclerosis, VTE, and bone mineral density
Funding
HNF1636-22, grant from Northern Norway Regional Health Authority, 2022-2025
Investigation of a novel biomarker of vascular ageing based on AI analysis of electrocardiograms with potential applications in clinical decision making. Role: PI
Faculty research grant, UiT 2021-2024. Atrial fibrillation in the Tromsø Study. Hypothetical interventions, social inequality and association with myocardial infarction. Role: PI
Healthy Choices and the social gradient, from Norwegian Research Council (Bedre Helse) 2018-2025 (NOK 50 mill), Role: Leader of WP2 Research data management and availability
HST950-10, grant from Northern Norway Regional Health Authority, 2010-2019. Decentralization of orthopedic consultations using telemedicine
The goal of this RCT study is to investigate whether decentralization of orthopedic activities can provide a better or equal health care to the population in four municipalities. Three endpoints are assessed: professional quality, patient satisfaction and costs. Role: PI
Faculty research grant, UiT 2012-2015. Heart rate decline: Association with other variables and the role in cardiovascular disease
The goals were: 1. To describe the nature and extent of the heart rate decline that is observed in a large population based longitudinal survey. 2. To explain the heart rate association with possible determinants and other relevant risk factors and estimate the effect of the reduction related to increased physical activity, reduced smoking and possible other factors. 3. To estimate the role of heart rate in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Role: PI
Grant from the Norwegian Research Council, 2002-2005. Association between time trends in CVD risk factors and cardiovascular outcomes. Role: Post doc.
International research collaboration
• NCD-RisC, The NonCommunicable Diseases Risk Factor Collaboration. A worldwide network of clinical and public health researchers who have focused on analysing worldwide trends and health effects of cardiometabolic risk factors.
• MORGAM – Monica, Risk, Genetics, Archiving and Monograph (PI: prof Alun Evans, Belfast). (myocardial infarction and stroke) EU –funded 7th framework.
• CHANCES - Cohorts of Health and Ageing in Europe and the US: EU –funded project from 2010. (7th framework). The Tromsø Study is one of 15 partners
• BiomarCaRE – Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Europe: EU-funded project from 2011 (7th framework), 11 participants. The Tromsø Study is a Third Party.
• Tethys Biosciences Inc, California, US. Novel biomarkers for MI, Stroke and VTE Bilateral collaboration Tromsø Study – Tethys
• FUSION – Finland-US Investigation of NIDDM Genetics (diabetes) Funded by NIH. The Tromsø Study has joined the consortium along with the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study
• ERFC Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration (PI: prof John Danesh). The Tromsø Study is one of approx 100 participating cohorts and trials
• deCODE Genetics, Iceland (genetics of atrial fibrillation) (PI: Kari Stefansson), a Biohealth Norway – deCODE collaboration where all Norwegian data are from the Tromsø Study
Publications
403 publications in peer reviewed journals.
10 selected publications, sorted by publication year.
1. Albrektsen G, Wilsgaard T, Heuch I, Løchen ML, Thelle DS, Njølstad I, Grimsgaard S, Bønaa KH. Lipid Levels During Adult Lifetime in Men and Women With and Without a Subsequent Incident Myocardial Infarction: A Longitudinal Analysis of Data From the Tromsø Study 1974 to 2016. J Am Heart Assoc. 2023;12(14):e030010
2. Wilsgaard T, Vangen-Lønne AM, Mathiesen EB, Løchen ML, Njølstad I, Heiss G, Danaei G. Hypothetical interventions and risk of myocardial infarction in a general population. Application of the parametric g-formula in a longitudinal cohort study: The Tromsø Study. BMJ Open 2020;10(5):e035584.
3. Sharashova E, Wilsgaard T, Ball J, Morseth B, Gerdts E, Hopstock LA, Mathiesen EB, Schirmer H, Løchen ML. Long-term blood pressure trajectories and incident atrial fibrillation in women and men: The Tromsø Study. Eur Heart J. 2020;41:1554-1562.
4. Bønaa KH, Mannsverk J, Wiseth R, Aaberge L, Myreng Y, Nygård O, Nilsen DW, Kløw NE, Uchto M, Trovik T, Bendz B, Stavnes S, Bjørnerheim R, Larsen AI, Slette M, Steigen T, Jakobsen OJ, Bleie Ø, Fossum E, Hanssen TA, Dahl-Eriksen Ø, Njølstad I, Rasmussen K, Wilsgaard T, Nordrehaug JE; NORSTENT Investigators. Drug-Eluting or Bare-Metal Stents for Coronary Artery Disease. N Engl J Med. 2016;375:1242-1252.
5. Mannsverk J, Wilsgaard T, Mathiesen EB, Løchen ML, Rasmussen K, Thelle DS, Njølstad I, Hopstock LA, Bønaa KH. Trends in Modifiable Risk Factors Are Associated With Declining Incidence of Hospitalized and Nonhospitalized Acute Coronary Heart Disease in a Population. Circulation 2016;133:74-81.
6. Albrektsen G, Heuch I, Løchen ML, Thelle DS, Wilsgaard T, Njølstad I, Bønaa KH. Lifelong Gender Gap in Risk of Incident Myocardial Infarction. The Tromsø Study. JAMA Int Med. 2016;176:1673-1679.
7. Wilsgaard T, Loehr L, Mathiesen EB, Løchen ML, Bønaa KH, Njølstad I, Heiss G. Cardiovascular health and the modifiable burden of incident myocardial infarction: the Tromsø Study. BMC P Health 2015;15:221.
8. Wilsgaard T, Mathiesen EB, Patwardhan A, Rowe MW, Schirmer H, Løchen ML, Sudduth-Klinger J, Hamren S, Bønaa KH, Njølstad I. Clinically Significant Novel Biomarkers for Prediction of First Ever Myocardial Infarction. The Tromsø Study. Circ Cardiovasc Genet. 2015;8:363-371.
9. Hopstock LA, Barnett AG, Bønaa KH, Mannsverk J, Njølstad I, Wilsgaard T. Seasonal variation in cardiovascular disease risk factors in a subarctic population: the Tromsø Study 1979-2008. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2013;67:113-118.
10. Morseth B, Jørgensen L, Emaus N, Jacobsen BK, Wilsgaard T. Tracking Of Leisure Time Physical Activity Over 28 Years in Adults. The Tromsø Study. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011;43:1229-1234.