CURRICULUM Henning Beck-Nielsen Professor, MD, Dr.med.Sci. Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, and Institute of Clinical Research, The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense
Chr. Richardts Vej 26B, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
Personal information
Married to Elise Beck-Nielsen. 3 children.
Education and training Pre-graduate training
Medical Examination, summer 1972, from University of Aarhus.
Post-graduate clinical training, until specialist recognition Specialist education
Specialist in internal medicine 2 July 1984.
Specialist in medical endocrinology 24 January 1985.
Post-graduate courses
Isotope course for physicians, University of Aarhus.
Medical statistics and research methodology, Danish Medical Association.
Immunology, hepatology, cardiology, endocrinology, gastoenterology, clinical microbiology, nephrology,
Management and administration courses for consultants. Danish Medical Association.
Management courses organised by the County of Funen.
KONSUL courses (courses for endocrinologists) in medical endocrinology.
H. Beck-Nielsen - Curriculum Vitae - 23. maj 2008
Employment
Medical department III, Aarhus County Hospital.
Research fellow at University of Aarhus.
Resident at the Medical department I, II and III, Aarhus County Hospital.
Department of Surgery, Aarhus County Hospital.
Department of Cardiology, Aarhus Municipal Hospital.
Senior registrar at Medical department III, Aarhus County Hospital.
Senior registrar at Department A, Marselisborg Hospital.
Senior registrar at Medical department III, Aarhus County Hospital.
Temporary consultant at Medical department III, Aarhus County Hospital.
Guest Professor, University of California, San Diego, USA.
Consultant, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital.
Research council professor at the Danish Medical Research Council (Novo
Nordisk professorship in diabetes mellitus).
Research professor, Institute of Clinical Research, The Faculty of Health
Professor of Endocrinology. The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of
Head of the Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital.
Professorial positions (excluding university positions)
Member of the Supervisory Committee for the medical specialist education, 1979-1982.
Board member of the Danish Endocrine Society, 1982-1986.
Member of the "Scientific Committee" for International Symposium on Insulin Receptors and Insulin
Action since 1980. Co-founder of the society, which is a world organisation. President of the society’s 4th
Member of the European Consensus Group for Treatment of NIDDM, 1987.
Member of the Scientific Council of the Danish Diabetes Association, 1987.
Member of DSIM’s clearing report committee for the treatment of NIDDM, 1988.
Head of institute at the Institute of Clinical Research, University of Odense, 1989.
Member of the organisation committee of EASD's (European Association for the Study of Diabetes
Mellitus) Annual Meeting in Copenhagen, 1990.
President of KONSUL (the Committee for the promotion of endocrinological education in the North),
Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Danish Diabetes Association, since 1990.
Member of the Regional and Provincial Council of the County of Funen, since 1991.
Member of the steering committee of the European Group of Insulin Resistance (EGIR), 1995.
Member of the Nordic Research Committee, 1995.
Member of the steering committee of Danish Diabetes Databases under the National Board of Health and
Danish Endocrine Society, DADIVOX, 1995.
Board member of the Physicians’ Insurance Society (Codan), 1995 (Chairman 1996).
H. Beck-Nielsen - Curriculum Vitae - 23. maj 2008
Member of the Danish Medical Research Council, 1996.
Chairman of the Danish Medical Research Council, 1998.
Chairman of the Diabetes committee of the County of Funen, 1998.
Chairman of the Danish Medical Research Council, 1999-2001.
Member of the Specialist Commission 1999-2002.
Member of the National Council for the Physicians’ upgrading training, 2002.
Member of the H.C. Andersen Academy, University of Southern Denmark, 2002.
Member of the RECORD steering committee, since 2002.
Chairman of the Quality and Research Committeee of the Diabetes Database of the County of Funen,
Member of the steering committee for the National Policy Plan of Diabetes Mellitus, 2004.
Chairman of the board for Hypo-Safe A/S.
Member of the board for Danish Drug Discovery A/S.
Member of the following research centres/Regional- and Provincial centres Diabetes research centre, Institute of Clinical Research, The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense
Head of the centre, which is a prominent part of the Faculty of Health Sciences. The centre was
Centre for the transplantation of insulin-producing islet tissue
Head of this regional centre, which was established in 1994.
Regional porphyria centre
Member of the steering committeee of the centre, which was established in 1993. The Department of
Endocrinology at Odense University Hospital handles the clinical function of the centre.
Center for Stem Cell Treatment
Head of this regional centre, which was established in 2004. The centre has been established in
cooperation with the Diabetes Research Center and the Clinic of Molecular Endocrinology, Department of
Endocrinology, the Clinical Immunology Department, Odense University Hospital, and the Danish Stem
Cell Center, University of Southern Denmark.
University tasks Educational tasks
1980 - 1986 Clinical associate professor, University of Aarhus.
1978 - 1984 Teacher at Hygienic Institute, dietitians, University of Aarhus.
Teacher of specialist courses in endocrinology, KONSUL courses.
Teacher of A courses in clinical chemistry, University of Copenhagen.
Teacher of A courses in internal medicine, University of Copenhagen.
1989 - 1991 External clinical associate professor, University of Odense.
Course leader of A courses in internal medicine (medical endocrinology), University of
H. Beck-Nielsen - Curriculum Vitae - 23. maj 2008
Teacher of A courses in anaesthesiology, University of Odense.
Course leader of courses in Human Pathophysiology, The Faculty of Science and
Engineering, University of Southern Denmark, Odense.
Has held oral examinations in internal medicine since 1990.
Co-author of several international textbooks regarding diabetes mellitus, see 8.4.1 and the publication list.
Co-author of the Danish textbook Medical Compendium.
6.2. Professorial positions at universities
Member of the Faculty Council for Health Sciences, University of Aarhus.
Head of institute at the Institute of Clinical Research, The Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of Odense. The institute comprises all scientific specialities in the area of
clinical science. At the moment, some 20 professors and 80 associate professors are
employed at the institute. The secretariat of the institute is handled by 2 part time
Member of the steering committee of the Danish Twin Register.
Member of the management group, The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Odense.
Member of the Strategy Committee, Odense University Hospital and The Faculty of Health
Sciences, University of Odense. This committee includes the top management of the faculty
and the hospital and co-ordinates the strategic initiatives of these two institutions.
Member of the Faculty Council for Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark,
Head of the PhD School of Molecular Metabolism, University of Southern Denmark,
Doctoral, PhD and diploma assessments
Official opponent of the following doctoral dissertations:
BM H.S. Poulsen, University of Aarhus, 1984 (Surgery).
BM J. Kvetny, University of Odense, 1985 (Endocrinology).
BM S. Gammeltoft, University of Copenhagen, 1985 (Physiology).
BM Jens Bollerslev, University of Odense, 1990 (Endocrinology).
BM Ole Andersen, University of Copenhagen, 1990 (Physiology and gynaecology).
BM Kári Mikines, University of Copenhagen, 1992 (Physiology).
BM Hans J. Gjessing, University of Odense, 1992 (Diabetes mellitus).
BM Carola Salormit, University of Helsinki, 1994 (Diabetes mellitus).
BM Kåre Birkeland, University of Oslo, 1995 (Diabetes mellitus).
BM Flemming Dela, University of Copenhagen, 1996 (Physiology).
BM Henrik Vestergård, University of Copenhagen, 1998 (Diabetes mellitus).
BM Søren Urhammer, University of Copenhagen, 2001 (Diabetes mellitus).
BM Steen Lund, University of Aarhus, 2003 (Diabetes mellitus).
BM Steen Bønløkke Pedersen, University of Aarhus, 2005 (Diabetes mellitus).
BM Peter Gæde, University of Copenhagen, 2006 (Diabetes mellitus).
BM László B. Tankó, University of Southern Denmark, 2007 (Obesity).
H. Beck-Nielsen - Curriculum Vitae - 23. maj 2008
MD Allan Vaag, University of Odense, 1993 (Diabetes mellitus).
MD Stig Djurhuus, University of Odense, 1994 (Endocrinology/clinical chemistry).
MD Jan Erik Henriksen, University of Odense, 1995 (Diabetes mellitus).
MD Jeppe Gram, University of Odense, 1995 (Endocrinology).
MD Tina Rambrandt, University of Copenhagen, 1997.
MD Jørgen Wojtazewski, University of Copenhagen, 1997.
MD Finn Lauzus, University of Aarhus, 1997.
MD Marie Seibæk, University of Copenhagen, 1998.
MD Lis Puggaard, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, 1999.
MD Birgit Nyholm, University of Aarhus, 1999.
MD Grith Skytte Olsen, University of Copenhagen, 2003.
MD Dorte Xenia Gram, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, 2003.
MD Thomas Sparre, University of Copenhagen, 2004.
MD Jeannet Lauenborg, University of Copenhagen 2005.
Medical student Peter Birkeland, University of Odense, 1995 (Diabetes mellitus/nephrology).
Medical student Peter Stær, University of Odense, 1995 (Diabetes mellitus).
Medical student Pernille Poulsen, University of Odense, 1996 (Diabetes mellitus).
Medical student Mikael Kjær Poulsen, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, 2002 (Diabetes
Medical student Malene Just Pedersen, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, 2005. (Diabetes
Assessments Professorial assessments
Chairman of the assessment committee regarding professorship in ophthalmology, University of Odense,
Chairman of the assessment committee regarding associated professorship in haemostasis, University of
Member of the assessment committee regarding professorship in endocrinology, University of Trondheim ,
Chairman of the assessment committee regarding professorship in rheumatology and infection medicine,
University of Southern Denmark, Odense, 1997.
Member of the assessment committee regarding associated professorship in diabetic nephropathia,
Member of the assessment committee regarding professorship in clinical pharmacology, University of
Member of the assessment committee regarding two professorships at the Finnish Academy, 2000.
Chairman of the assessment committeee regarding professorship in wound treatment, University of
H. Beck-Nielsen - Curriculum Vitae - 23. maj 2008
Member of the assessment committee regarding professorship in internal medicine at the Finnish
Chairman of the assessment committee regarding professorship in otorhinolaryngology, University of
Member of the assessment committee regarding professorship of lipid research, University of Aarhus,
Chairman of the assessment committee regarding three professorships in biomedicine, University of
Chairman of the assessment committee regarding professorship in Eukaryote Molecular Biology,
University of Southern Denmark, Odense, 2004.
Member of the assessment committee regarding appointment of principal at the University of Southern
Member of the assessment committee regarding professorship in gynaecologic endocrinology, University
Member of the assessment committee regarding professorship in geriatrics, Aarhus University, 2006.
Member of the assessment committee regarding professorship in medical research methodology,
Editorial positions
1992 - 1995 Member of the editorial committee of Diabetologia.
1994 - 1997 Member of the editorial committee of Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Member of the editorial committee of Ugeskrift for Læger (weekly journal for physicians).
"Peer reviewer" for the following journals: New England Journal of Metabolism, Journal of Clinical
Investigation, Diabetes, Diabetologia, American Journal of Physiology, Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology and Metabolism, Metabolism, Diabetes Care, and others.
Supervision of junior researchers Doctoral dissertations
(As no official supervisor exists in connection with the elaboration of a doctoral dissertation, I have only
stated the dissertations in which I have been co-author of essential articles, have carried out research
guidance and have been mentioned in the preface of the dissertation).
MD Ole Schmitz, Aarhus Municipal Hospital: Glucose metabolism in non-diabetic subjects
and patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with end stage renal failure.
MD Elisabeth Hjøllund, Grenå Hospital: Insulin receptor binding and action in human
MD Bjørn Richelsen, Department of Endocrinology, Aarhus County Hospital:
Assistant professor, MD Aase Handberg, Panum Institute, Copenhagen: Glucose
Transporters and Insulin Receptors in Skeletal Muscle. Physiology and Pathophysiology.
Senior registrar Ole Hother-Nielsen, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University
Hospital: Constant tracer infusion technique for assessment of glucose turnover in vivo -
PhD Allan Vaag, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital: On the
H. Beck-Nielsen - Curriculum Vitae - 23. maj 2008
pathophysiology of late onset non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Current
Research training under my supervision
6.5.2.1. Completed PhD theses
PhD Mogens Stig Djurhuus, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital:
Evaluation of magnesium status in patients with insulin demanding diabetes mellitus partial
PhD Allan Vaag, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital: The glucose
PhD Jan Erik Henriksen, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital: The
minimal model of glucose disappearance. Evaluation, relationship to skeletal muscle
glucose metabolism and application in the investigation of inherited defects in relatives of
non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients.
PhD Kirsten Ohm Kyvik, The Danish Twin Register, University of Odense (partial
supervision): The establishment of a co-horte of twins with a view to illustrate the
etiological conditions in connection with insulin-demanding diabetes mellitus (IDDM).
PhD Knud Yderstræde, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital:
Evaluation of free and encapsulated syngeneic and xenogeneic islet transplants.
PhD Bo Abrahamsen, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital: Estrogen
PhD Steen Henrik Sandø, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital: A
method to measure quality and cost in an outpatient diabetes clinic of a university hospital.
PhD Dorte Worm, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital: Studies of
phosphotyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) in skeletal muscle.
PhD Peter Thye-Rønn, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital: Insulin
secretion evaluated in first-degree relatives of NIDDM patients and matched controls using
individual C-peptide kinetics. Estimation and validation of individual C-peptide kinetics
and insulin secretion using a two-compartment mathematical model.
PhD Finn Lund Henriksen: Regulationen af lipoprotein lipase og hepatisk lipase hos
patienter med NIDDM (partial supervision).
PhD Ebbe Nils Ebbesen: Aldersforandringer i human trabekulær knogles struktur og styrke.
PhD Dorte Møller Jensen, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital:
Gestational diabetes mellitus in a Danish population. Clinical significance and screening.
PhD Pernille Poulsen, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital: Impact
of and interactions between inheritance, age and birth weight on the phenotypic appearance
of various parameters associated with the metabolic syndrome and its states of disease in
man - studies in a sample of monozygotic and dizygotic twins.
PhD Thomas B. Nielsen, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital:
Isolation, Encapsulation and Transplantation of Porcine Islet Tissue.
PhD Klaus Levin, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital: Effect of
glitazones in patients with type 2 diabetes and in young first-degree relatives to patients
H. Beck-Nielsen - Curriculum Vitae - 23. maj 2008
PhD Peter Stæhr, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital: Quantitation
and regulation of glucose production by insulin in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
PhD Kurt Højlund, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital: Skeletal
muscle insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes investigated by two approaches: Studies of
insulin signalling into glycogen synthase and proteome analysis.
PhD Lis Stilgren, Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital: Molekylære
mekanismer bag parathyreoideahormons virkning på skelettet ved primær
PhD Majbrit Lind Laursen, Department E, Ophthalmology, Odense University Hospital:
Diabetic Eye Complications: Epidemiology and management.
PhD Vibe Skov: Gene expression profiling by DNA chips and subsequent bioinformatic
analysis for identification of genes and biochemical pathways associated with metabolic
diseases – especially type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis.
6.5.2.2. Current PhD students under my supervision
MSc Søren Feddersen: Application of lipid mass spectrometry in the study of intracellular
lipids and the Acyl-CoA binding protein function in yeast and skeletal muscle from type 2
MD Iben Brock Jacobsen: New aspects of insulin treatment.
MD Nis Nissen: Bone structure and hip geometry in relation to strength in the proximal
MD Mikael Kjær Poulsen: Prevalence of macrovascular disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus:
Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, myocardial ischaemia and peripheral vascular
MSc Ann Dorte Storm Pørneki: Derivation of pancreatic progenitor cells from human
Cand.scient. Martin Mogensen: Mitochondrial function in patients with type 2 diabetes.
MD Birgitte Vind: Gene expression analysis and studies of insulin signalling and the
phosphorylation of glycogen synthase in skeletal muscle in identical twins discordant for
Cand.med. Lena Sønder Snogdal: Application of SNP microarrary in the study of gene
variants increasing susceptibility to type 2 diabetes and associated complications.Completed diploma theses
BM with diploma in medical research Pernille Poulsen: Twin studies of the aetiology of
non-insulin-demanding diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Heredity versus pre/post natal
BM with diploma in medical research Peter Birkeland: Swine islet isolation
xenotransplantation and prevention of xenograft rejection.
BM with diploma in medical research Peter Stæhr: Reevaluation of the insulin effect on the
glucose production of the liver in patients with non-demanding diabetes mellitus (NIDDM).
H. Beck-Nielsen - Curriculum Vitae - 23. maj 2008
BM with diploma in medical research Mikael Kjær Poulsen: The combined effect of
8Metformin, Rosiglitazone and Insulin Aspart in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
BM with diploma in medical research Malene Just Pedersen: Long-chain Acyl-CoA esters
and their role in lipid-induced insulin resistance.
Completed dissertations, scientific students
Scientific student Rene Lyngsø: Maleonyl CoA (completed 2003).
Scientific student Marianne Poulsen: Protein phosphatase 2A (completed 2000).
Awards/Honours
Unamed award from the University of Copenhagen.
The Hanstedgård Foundation’s Award, University of Aarhus.
“Købmand H. Rasmussen og hustrus mindelegat” by appointment of the Danish Diabetes
Award form Fru Jenny Vissing donated by appointment of the Danish Medical Research
The Jørgen Pedersen Award Lecture (Spain).
“Laura og Jens Veng Christensens” award by appointment of the Danish Medical
The Novo Nordisk Award lecture, The Australian and New Zealand Diabetes Association.
The William Nielsens Foundation Honour Award.
Her Majesty Queen Ingrid of Denmark Lecture.
Review of own scientific publications Dissertation
Insulin receptors in man. The monocyte as a model for insulin receptor studies in man.
Defended at the University of Aarhus, 12 September 1980.
Selected invited lectures (and chairmanships) within the past 5 years
Mutation of the adrenergic beta-3 receptor may be diabetogenic - a twin study. VII
International Symposion on Insulin Receptors and Clinical Aspects, Jerusalem, Israel.
Research education in Denmark, The Research Committee of the Danish Parliament,
General characteristics of the insulin resistance syndrome - prevalence and heritability.
H. Beck-Nielsen - Curriculum Vitae - 23. maj 2008
Symposium: Insulin Resistance, Type 2 Diabetes and Metformin: Matching the Science to
Thiazolidinediones - mechanisms, operations and clinical aspects. VII European Meeting,
Invited chairman at all European and world congresses regarding Diabetes Mellitus.
Inheritance of Type 2 diabetes based on Twin studies, Twin congress, London, United
Invited chairman at the hearing on The future Diabetes Strategy in Denmark organised by
the Danish National Health board, Copenhagen.
Invited chairman at the Research Forum Annual Meeting, Copenhagen.
Invited chairman at the Annual Meeting of the Danish Endocrine Society, Copenhagen.
Invited chairman at the 38th European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual
Therapy and Education in Diabetes: New approaches. Postgraduate Courses, Seminar on
Continuous Medical Education, Beograd, Serbia.
Reduced Dephosphorylation of Glycogen Synthase in Type 2 Diabetes: Role of Genes and
Lipids, H.C. Jacobæus Lecture, Nordic Research Comittee, Odense.
Invited lecturer in Hong Kong and Taiwan: Triple therapy in type 2 diabetes.
The Hagedorn Lecture 2005: [Hypoglycaemia – an academic challenge].
Invited lecturer at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Lecture given during the Annual Meeting
of the Scandinavian Society for the Study of Diabetes (SSSD), Linköping, Sweden.
Invited lecturer at the European Diabetes Experts Forum: Emerging Data and Current
Opinion with the lecture Preventing cardiovascular disease in the type 2 diabetic population
Invited chairman at the 41st European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual
Are genetics or environment the culprit of type 2 diabetes? Meilahti Award Lecture,
[Type 2 Diabetes – The fog lifts]. The Novo Nordisk Award, Odense, Denmark.
Rising prevalence of diabetes: Evidence from a Danish pharmaco-epidemiological database.
Diabetes Mellitus: A beta cell disease course, Barcelona, Spain.
Are genetics or environment the culprit of type 2 diabetes? Experiences from twin studies.
Jacobæus Award Lecture, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Lectures
In connection with congress lectures, 255 abstracts have been published. In this CV, no list is available, as
the abstracts are almost the same as the published articles. Other popular lectures or articles are not
Book chapters
The list of publications includes a total of 15 book chapters. The five most important are listed below:
Beck-Nielsen, H. og O. Hother-Nielsen: Insulinresistens. Diabetes Annual; 4: Eds. K.G.M.M. Alberti og
L.P. Frazz, Elsevier Science Publishers: 565-591, 1988.
H. Beck-Nielsen - Curriculum Vitae - 23. maj 2008
Beck-Nielsen, H. Clinical disorders of insulin resistance. International Textbook of Endocrinology. Eds. R.
DeFronzo and K.G.M.M. Alberti: 53-56, 1992.
Beck-Nielsen, H., A. Vaag, and K.O. Kyvik. Genetics of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
(NIDDM). In Clinical Research in Diabetes. Clinical Research. Drs. Boris Draznin and Robert Rizza
Beck-Nielsen, H. and O. Hother-Nielsen. Obesity in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In Diabetes
Mellitus: A Fundamental & Clinical Text, chapter 52. Le Roith D., Taylor S.I. and Olefsky J.M.
Lippincott-Raven Publishers, Philadelphia: 475-484, 1996.
H. Beck-Nielsen Chapters regarding diabetes mellitus in Medical Compendium, 16th edition, 2004,
Hansen N.E., Haunsø S., Schaffalitzky de Muckadell O.B. (eds.), Nyt Nordisk Forlag, Copenhagen.
The three book chapters mentioned in the middle are large international textbooks published in the US.
The first three book chapters have later been reprinted.
Peer reviewed articles
The publication list includes 365 original manuscripts in peer reviewed journals. The litterature impact is
shown in the following list stating the number of articles in journals with impact factor >2: 4 articles in
New England Journal of Medicine (impact factor 24); 8 articles in Journal of Clinical Investigation
(impact factor 9); 29 articles in Diabetes (impact factor 7); 35 articles in Diabetologia, (impact factor 6);
15 articles in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (impact factor 4); 17 articles in Diabetes
Care (impact factor 3); 6 articles in different journals (impact factor >3); 9 articles in Metabolism (impact
Articles in the daily press are not included, but some 1-2 debate and/or feature articles are published each
H. Beck-Nielsen - Curriculum Vitae - 23. maj 2008
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