Author Archives: nev001

Meetings/seminars

Meetings/workshops/conferences

1. DIA 27th Annual Euro meetingDevelopment, Innovation, Access and Patient Safety. Issues across the entire drug development value chain. 13-15 April 2015, Paris, France. 

2. Driving forces behind research and innovation. The Focus on Business Seminar 2015: From curiosity to success. Oslo, 21 April

3. BIO-NANO match-making seminar for new joint Call on industry-relevant research in autumn 2015 (NANO2021 and BIONÆR). Oslo, 21 April 

4. Hvordan bli professor i Norge? Information and discussion about the path to professorship. Oslo, 27 April

NY5.10th NRI-Conference: Nordic Cooperation for Future Health and Challanges. Bergen, 4-5 May.

6. Preannouncement: European IPR Helpdesk seminar “From Invention to Innovation” – Strategies for the Successful Exploitation. 12 – 13 May 2015, Bergen. More info comes here.

7. 2nd EATRIS conference: Building Bridges in Translational Medicine.
Amsterdam, 27-28 May 2015

8. Conference EnGendering excellence. Gender is a cross-cutting issue in Horizon 2020. Distinguished international researchers will present why sex/gender analysis is crucial for the quality of their research. RCN, Oslo, 4-5 June 2015

9. EuroNanoForum 2015: the largest European conference on nanotechnologies in the industrial environment offers excellent opportunities to find research and business contacts. Riga, 10-12 June 2015

10. 4th World Congress of Clinical Safety (4WCCS). Clinical Management and Governance for Healthcare Risk and Crisis. Vienna, Austria. 28 – 30 September 2015

A final thank you from the outgoing editor

This week’s K2Nytt is my last as editor. Starting next week, Ida Wergeland will take control over the editorial staff. In that respect I want to say a few words.

I started as co-editor in IFI-info in the autumn of 2012, with responsibility for the publications, and took over as editor in the autumn of 2013. In the two years I have been a part of the editorial staff there have been three major changes with our newsletter. The two first was mainly carried out by K2Nytt’s previous editor, André Sulen.

First, we created an English version of the newsletter, which essentially doubled the work load of the editorial staff, but was a great improvement because it became easier for our international colleagues and students to keep track of what is going on at the institute.
Then the faculty was completely reorganised at New Year’s 2012/2013. This turned IFI-info into K2Nytt. The gathering of research groups that used to be on different departments gave us more viewpoints on how the newsletter should be. We have tried to make K2Nytt into a newsletter for everyone, regardless of the department they belonged to before the reorganisation, and I hope we have succeeded at that.

In the autumn of 2013 we implemented the third major change. The server in which K2Nytt (and IFI-info) used to be stored was closed, and we had to find a new way to make the newsletter. We decided to use a blog format with WordPress. The transition itself took considerable work, but for the editorial staff it was a great improvement compared to the old PDF-format, since the editing of K2Nytt became much easier and more efficient. At the same time, the blog format is less flexible, and we did not manage to make it look just the way we wanted. Hopefully, this is something that can be improved in the future.

Finally, I want to mention the editorial staff. The total workload of making K2Nytt is about 1,5-3 days per week. This work is divided between a team of competent people. The editor, as well as Kristian Jensen, write and translate the texts, Lars Emil Mossefinn and Klaus Rehberg publish the texts and find suitable illustrations, Olivera Bozickovic takes care of the publications and finds a new PhD-comics (K2Nytt’s weekly highlight) and Irene Lavik Hjelmaas keeps control of the pages in the overhead menu and helps out when needed. In addition, Corina Guder collects application deadlines and meetings/courses of interest for the Department’s employees and students. Our new editor, Ida, has been an extra back-up in case of disease. I would like to thank you all for the great work you have done this last year, and for making the job as editor fun and rewarding!
Additionally, I want to thank the readers for your patience, for tipping us of things to write about, and for good and constructive feedback!

At last, I want to wish Ida good luck as editor in the months ahead!

Christine Haugen
Outgoing editor of K2Nytt

Friday Guest Lecture Series in Molecular and Computational Biology at HiB

The Department of Molecular Biology, the Sars Centre, and the Computational Biology Unit have a joint Friday Guest Lecture Series in Molecular and Computational Biology at Marineholmen (HiB). Everyone interested are welcome. Lectures are normally held on Fridays at 13:30 at The Department of Molecular Biology Seminar Room (“The N-terminal”). If you wish to subscribe to the Lecture announcements, please sign up with the automatic mail system here.
MBI seminar-logo

Mini Seminar on the new study outline

The semester board for the first year students, in collaboration with the project team for the new study outline, invite lecturers of first year of medicine / dentistry students to a mini seminar on the new study outline November 4th, at 12.00 to 16.00, the conference room BBB. The purpose of the seminar is to provide information on the status of planning and discussion of teaching and assessment methods that will stimulate students’ learning. Program Sensor Charlotte Ringsted will also participate in the discussion.
For more information (in Norwegian).

Public defence week 40

barbara_rogge_shBarbara Rogge will have her public defence on Monday September 29, 2014.
Trial lecture: Monday September 29, 2014, 09:15
Topic: «The transition from hypertension and hypertensive heart disease to heart failure»
Public defence: Monday September 29, 2014, 11:15
Place: Aud. 1, BB-building, Jonas Lies vei 91
Title of dissertation
: «Influence of obesity on left ventricular adaption, grading and outcome in aortic valve stenosis»
1st opponent: Professor Renata Cifkova, Charles University Medical School, Prague, Czech Republic
2nd opponent:
Professor Thomas Kahan, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Poster and press release (both in Norwegian)

BTO & Sparebanken Vest’s Idea Competition 2014

Do you have an exciting research project or idea with innovative potential? If so, you can participate in this year’s idea competition! The winner receives 300 000 NOK to help finance the development costs of the project. In order to participate you have to send BTO a short idea description form, and you might be the winner of BTO & Sparebanken Vest’s Idea Competition 2014. For more information.

BTO_logo

Public defence week 39

jorund_langorgen_privat_fotoJørund Langørgen will have his public defence on Wednesday September 24, 2014.
Trial lecture: Wednesday September 24, 2014, 10:30
Topic: «Forebygging av koronar hjertesykdom i et populasjonsperspektiv»
Public defence: Wednesday September 24, 2014, 12:15
Place: Aud. 1, BB-building, Jonas Lies vei 91
Title of dissertation
: «Hospitalisation for acute myocardial infarction – trends in case fatality, and the impact of changing definitions on number of events, subtypes and mortality»
1st opponent: Professor Maja-Lisa Løchen, University of Tromsø
2nd opponent:
Ph.d., section chief physician Sigrun Halvorsen, Ullevål University Hospital
Poster and press release (both in Norwegian)

The Animal Lab Facility; a core facility at K1

The Lab Animal Facility is the foundation for essential parts of the research at the Faculty. K1 is responsible for this unit. The financial situation of the Facility must be consolidated. This will be accomplished through internal efficiency and saving measures, as well as through increasing rates on housing and services.

rotte1_eivindsennesethuibThe most demanding research operations at the Faculty, in terms of funding and scientific competence, are organized as core facilities. All core facilities have their own base budget, but a large part of their financing comes from renting services and infrastructure to research groups. The budget encompasses not only daily operations, but also purchasing and maintaining equipment. New scientific possibilities are to be developed and implemented. The financial model will be based on accounting numbers and follow the principles shared by all core facilities.

The Lab Animal Facility will have to initiate two parallel processes to achieve a better budget balance. Revenues must be increased, meaning higher rates on user payments. The Animal Lab Facility must also save more money compared to current daily operations, particularly on salary expenses.

The demand for budget improvement for the forthcoming year is 1.5 million NOK. The Lab Animal Facility and the financial sections will look into the practical consequences of this demand. New facility user rates will be decided in a few weeks. The role of user input in terms of work load and participation on projects will be defined in each project and play a part in the financial discussion. It is important that research groups, departments and The Lab Animal Facility all co-operate during initial application processing to determine a correct calculations of costs as well as pre-assuring necessary capacities. Low priority projects and/or projects with a weak funding base may be denied. In applications for competition-exposed funding, expenses for using The Lab Animal Facility must be calculated correctly.

Researchers, The Animal Lab Facility and its academic advisory group and department management will be the principal participants in the scientific priorities implied in this process. The economic framework for the enterprise and demands for financing and budgets will be more clearly formulated by K1 in dialogue with the Faculty and other departments. The base funding for K1 and the Faculty has developed in such a way that it bears direct impact on daily operations.

Alongside handling the difficult budget situation of today, it is important to assess available academic resources regarding competence and practical functions. The task of The Lab Animal Facility is to contribute actively to research in the forefront of the international biomedical science fields.

Nils Erik Gilhus                        Rolf K. Reed                                Eystein S. Husebye
Head of Department K1             Head of Department IBM               Head of Department K2

Obituary Michael Brauckhoff

BrauckhoffMichael Brauckhoff died suddenly on his way to work Wednesday morning, September 10 2014, at age 48. It was a very heavy and unexpected news to receive.

Michael Brauckhoff was appointed professor at the University of Bergen and chief physician at the Department of Surgery, Haukeland University Hospital, in 2008. His great dedication, skills and commitment made ​​him an outstanding clinician, researcher and teacher. He was both a genuine scientist and a skilled physician appreciated by patients. He was a highly respected surgeon with additional offices in the national and international endocrine surgical community.

The spouse and three children have suffered an irreplaceable loss. We have lost an exceptionally talented and beloved colleague.

Turid Aas and Jan Erik Varhaug
on behalf of the colleagues

Public defence week 38

sonnesyn_0Hogne Sønnesyn will have his public defence on Friday September 19, 2014.
Trial lecture: Friday September 19, 2014, 09:15
Topic: «Autonom dysfunksjon – risikofaktor for utvikling og forverring av demens?»
Public defence: Friday September 19, 2014, 10:30
Place: Aula 2nd floor, South Building, Stavanger University Hospital
Title of dissertation
: «Frequency and prognostic implications of orthostatic hypotension and white matter hyperintensities in older people with mild dementia»
1st opponent: Professor Torgeir Bruun Wyller, University of Oslo
2nd opponent:
Ph.d. Sverre Bergh, Sykehuset Innlandet, Ottestad
Poster and press release (both in Norwegian)

Horizon 2020: Stakeholder Consultation for the Societal Challenge “Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing”

The Commission has released a short questionnaire for contributors to add to the stakeholder consultation on the development of the 2016-17 work programme for the Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing societal challenge. This consultation questionnaire forms part of a broader effort by the Commission to consult stakeholders on the future direction of this societal challenge. The deadline for submission to the consultation is 20 September. For more information.
horizon2020-prezivisual-309-235

What is required in order to be a good lecturer?

Eva GerdtsThe autumn’s most important day is approaching: The K2 Exam and teaching seminar. At the registration deadline 69 lecturers had signed up for the annual supplementary training, which is one of K2’s most important efforts to elevate the teaching quality. What is actually required in order to be a good lecturer? Completed training in pedagogical competence? This is a demand for lecturers in principal employment, but not for the many lecturers employed temporarily or in co-positions. Is it important to implement e-learning tools? Or is it better to bring chalk along, so that one may use the blackboard in the auditorium? Is it perhaps most important that one learns how to upload pdf-versions of the lecture notes at My Page? Or is obtaining higher salary subsequent to the local salary negotiations what provides inspiration to do a good job as lecturer? Well, this, and many other issues, you may ponder and discuss with colleagues interested in teaching at Hotel Terminus on Wednesday 17.09.14. We begin with lunch at 12.

Eva

SIU – new calls

SIU is announcing funding for cooperation in five different programs targeting higher education cooperation with the BRIKS-nations, Japan, South-Korea and North-America.
General information about the calls.

The calls:

Clinical trial unit health research

Roland JonssonHealth research in register epidemiology and studies of the general population have yielded important public health information both nationally and locally. In recent years, various fields such as health research on nutrition and vaccine development have contributed to increased activity in clinical trials on humans. In addition, Norway has advantages which make possible unique population-based studies on various medicinal drugs. In order to enhance existing research, and to enable new research on humans, the University of Bergen and Helse Bergen wish to establish a trial unit, which satisfies the demands required for clinical studies of high quality.

The work group tasked with assessing this possibility was established at the faculty in June 2013. The group has now submitted a proposal. Using a pilot study and experiences from the Research Post for Adults (Helse Bergen) as a starting point, the group has worked out a report which outlines a clinical trial unit meant to provide service to increasing activities in health research in the years to come. It is the opinion of the work group that the collaboration between the university and the health institution in such a research unit will stimulate to more research of highest international quality in the years to come. Department of Clinical Science has been given responsibility for this unit, which follows the same guidelines as the faculty’s core facilities. If anyone wishes to register a project, please notify K2’s Head of Administration, Synnøve Myhre.

Roland

Public defence week 36

johannes_schrama_sv-hvJohannes Cornelis Schrama will have his public defence on Friday September 5, 2014.
Trial lecture: Thursday September 4, 2014, 13:15
Topic: «Septisk artritt»
Public defence: Friday September 5, 2014, 09:15
Place: Aud. 4, BB-building, Jonas Lies vei 91
Title of dissertation
: «Infected hip and knee arthroplasties in rheumatoid arthritis. A register-based study with focus on risk factors»
1st opponent: Ph.d. Finnur Snorrason, Drammen Hospital
2nd opponent:
Ph.d. Hanne Osnes Ringen, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo
Poster and press release(both in Norwegian)

PEK-funds 2015

Program for evaluation and quality development (PEK-funds) will give out 1,3 million NOK in 2015. The program is two-fold, consisting of a project part (>70%) and a reward part, the Owl Award for good study quality (<30%). The Projects will generally promote the quality of education and the quality of the student-oriented services at the University, and be transferable to other disciplines.
Deadline is September 10th 2014. For more information (in Norwegian).

Public defence week 35

haugen_arvid_2Arvid Steinar Haugen will have his public defence on Tuesday August 26, 2014.
Trial lecture: Tuesday August 26, 2014, 09:15
Topic: «Quality indicators – how to measure quality in a department of surgery.»
Public defence: Tuesday August 26, 2014, 11:15
Place: Aud. 1 (Trial lecture in aud. 4), BB-building, Jonas Lies vei 91
Title of dissertation
: «Impact of a surgical checklist on safety culture, morbidity, and mortality. A stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial.»
1st opponent: Professor Rhona Flin, Universitetet i Aberdeen, Skottland
2nd opponent:
Professor Sven Erik Gisvold, NTNU
Poster and press release (both in Norwegian)

Portrettfoto Espen RostrupEspen Rostrup will have his public defence on Friday August 29, 2014.
Trial lecture: Friday August 29, 2014, 09:15
Topic: «All Cause Atherogenic Disease: Contemporary Views of Dyslipidemia and Inflammation as Causes and Legitimate Intervention Targets»
Public defence: Friday August 29, 2014, 11:15
Place: Aud. 1, BB-building, Jonas Lies vei 91
Title of dissertation
: «The effects of combined thermal and electric muscle stimulation (cTEMS) on fatness and fitness»
1st opponent: Professor Mark S. Nash, Miami Miller School of Medicine, USA
2nd opponent:
Ph.d. Sofie Hexeberg, Dr. Hexebergs Klinikk, Sandvika
Poster (in Norwegian), press relese.

Fedmedagen 2014

The Obesity Day (Fedmedagen) is an interdisciplinary seminar for all who do research on obesity and metabolic diseases. This year it will be held on October 2. Program and information will be given on a later date.

Do you wish to hold a presentation? Deadline for sending in abstracts is June 15.
Registration before July 1.
Registration and abstract should be sent to Christine Haugen.
The seminar is free of charge, and lunch will be served to those who have registered.