Research Interests
The goal of the studies in our laboratory is to understand how androgens, male sex hormones, exert their effects on the normal physiology, as well as their role in disease states. Androgens bind to an intracellular receptor, called the androgen receptor (AR), that belongs to a superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors, called nuclear receptors, which bring about changes in the phenotype of the cell through modulation of gene expression. To understand this process, we are using molecular, biochemical, cell biological and genetic approaches. Since androgens and AR have a significant role in prostate cancer, this work is also relevant for identification and validation of biomarkers or therapeutic targets for prostate cancer.
Teaching
MBV 3020 Genetics and developmental biology
MBV 3090 Research literature in cancer biology
Academic appointments
1/2013-Present Professor, Dept. of Biosciences, University of Oslo
1/2002-12/2012 Professor, Dept. of Molecular Biosciences, University of Oslo
10/2000-Present Visiting Scientist, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA
02/2011-Present Researcher (20%), Institute for Medical Informatics, Division of Surgery and Cancer Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
11/2009-08/2010 Sabbatical, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA
10/2000-11/2001 Sabbatical, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA
7/1996-12/2001 Group Leader, Biotechnology Centre of Oslo, University of Oslo
10/1993-4/1996 Assistant Research Molecular Biologist, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
9/1990-9/1993 Post-doctoral fellow, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
3/1990-7/1990 Visiting scientist, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Honors and distinctions
2009-2012 Special Cancer Program Award, Norwegian Research Council
2004-2007 Top Researcher Award, Norwegian Research Council
2004-2007 Special Cancer Program Award, Norwegian Research Council
2001-2003 Top Researcher Award, Norwegian Research Council
2000-2003 Special Cancer Program Award, Norwegian Research Council
1995-1996 ACS Institutional Fellowship, University of California, San Diego
1994-1995 Research Committee Award, University of California, San Diego
1993-1995 New Investigator Award, AIDS Related Disease Research Program, University of California
1992-1993 Post-doctoral fellowship, American Heart Association
1990-1992 Post-doctoral fellowship, Tobacco Related Disease Research Program, University of California
1987, 89, 90 Visiting Scientist Fellowship, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (3-12 weeks at a time)
1987, 7-11 Visiting Researcher, Laboratory of Experimental Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
1985 Salutatorian of the graduating class
Committees
Ad hoc grant review committees: Cancer Research UK; Prostate Cancer Charity UK; Australia Research Council; European Research Council. Member, Senior Editorial Board, American J. of Cancer Research, 2010-2013. Ad hoc reviewer for several international refereed journals, including Nature Reviews Cancer, Cancer Research, Clinical Cancer Research, Oncogene, J. of Pathology, Int. J. of Cancer, J. of Urology, Neoplasia, Tumor Biology, BMC Molecular Biology, Endocrine Related Cancer, Thrombosis and Haemostasis. Director, PhD Program, IMBV, University of Oslo, 2006-present. Advisor to eight PhD and 15 MSc students who have successfully completed their degrees, trained 6 postdoctoral fellows. Currently advisor for 3 PhD and 3 MSc students, and 2 postdoctoral fellows.
Current collaborations
University of Oslo
Oslo University Hospital
Cancer Registry of Norway
Umeå University, Sweden
Gothenborg University, Sweden
Lund University, Sweden
University of Porto, Portugal
Harvard University, USA
National Institutes of Health, USA
MD Andersen Cancer Center, USA
Vancouver Prostate Cancer, Canada