Clinical and Research Activities

As Head of the Hip Section at Aarhus University Hospital, I am responsible for the day-to-day management of a large tertiary referral unit specializing in complex hip surgery. Delivering and continuously improving high-quality surgical treatment for hip patients constitutes the core of my clinical work.

My research focus has gradually evolved from experimental and basic science toward clinically relevant, patient-centered research. This transition led to the initiation of the PreserveHip study (funded by the Benzon Foundation, DKK 1.2 million) and the Snappy Hip study (funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark, DKK 2.3 million). Through my academic appointment as Associate Professor, I have contributed to the design and development of several major clinical studies, including the ProHip, MoveTheHip, and EDUEX trials. In parallel with my scientific work, I remain actively involved in clinical practice by enrolling and operating on patients participating in these studies.

Since 2012, I have served as Head of the Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Section at Regional Hospital Horsens, and since 2017 as Head of the Hip Section at Aarhus University Hospital. In addition, I have been elected to the board of the Danish Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Society and subsequently appointed as the Danish national representative to the European Hip Society. I have extensive experience in teaching and supervising medical students, residents, surgical fellows, and young researchers conducting scientific projects.

Successful joint replacement surgery depends not only on precise surgical technique and high-quality implants, but also on well-informed and well-prepared patients with realistic expectations. Identifying factors associated with poor outcomes may enable targeted preoperative interventions and improve shared decision-making, allowing patients to provide truly informed consent. My current research program is uniquely positioned at the intersection of clinical leadership, surgical expertise, and translational research, with a strong emphasis on patient involvement in healthcare decision-making.

My career in orthopedic research began in 2004 with the randomized clinical trial “A Comparison of Two Total Hip Replacements: Hip Resurfacing System vs. Mallory-Head/Exeter.” I drafted the study protocol and subsequently coordinated the trial. During this period, my research interests expanded into experimental orthopedics, where I investigated the biocompatibility of clinically used implant materials using both cell and animal models. In addition, retrieval studies of failed implants provided important insights into mechanisms of implant failure and the associated immunological responses.

Following completion of my PhD and return to full-time clinical practice, I initiated, together with Professor Maiken Stilling, a four-arm randomized trial assessing implant migration (RSA), bone density (DEXA), and bone turnover markers to evaluate fixation and long-term survival of the novel Regenerex Porous Titanium Tibial implant.

As my surgical experience expanded, my interest increasingly shifted toward joint-preserving surgery. This resulted in the initiation of the ongoing multicenter PreserveHip trial, in which patients with hip dysplasia are randomized to either periacetabular osteotomy or non-surgical treatment. Furthermore, through an extended collaboration with Professor Inger Mechlenburg, I have contributed to the multicenter ProHip trial, a high-profile clinical study in which patients with hip osteoarthritis are randomized to either physiotherapist-led exercise therapy or total hip replacement surgery.

Bridging my experimental research background with current clinical challenges, I established a multidisciplinary collaboration between the metallurgical research group at the Technical University of Denmark (Professor Per Møller) and the Department of Dermatology at Gentofte Hospital (Professor Jacob P. Thyssen). I also initiated and led the project “Immunological Mapping of the Peri-implant Tissue.” This collaboration remains active and has already resulted in several successful research projects, including the research-year project “An Evaluation of the Immune Response in Hip Arthroplasty Patients Using Dermato-Immunological Analyses” by medical student Henrik Jonathan Münch, as well as the PhD thesis “Effects of Metal Release from Implants on the Immune Response” by Rune Juul Christiansen, Technical University of Denmark.