Short presentation

Jørn Wulff Helge is professor in Exercise physiology and Health at the department of Biomedical Sciences at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. JWH is a senior researcher in Xlab (www.xlab.dk) and affiliated to the Centre of Healthy Aging (www.sundaldring.dk). JWH key interest areas are adaptation to physical activity and inactivity with a particular emphasis on ageing, skeletal muscle, obesity and type 2 diabetes. JWH has performed a number of field studies with a broad perspective on prolonged excessive exercise and in conjunction a focus on metabolic fitness and flexibility. In addition, JWH has focused on muscle bioactive lipids and insulin resistance.

JWH is currently Head of the Graduate School at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. JWH is part of Department of Biomedical Sciences leadership group representing Post Graduate Education.

CV

Jørn Wulff Helge, born April 24 1965
Professor & Head of Graduate school at Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Part of Research group Xlab (www.xlab.dk)

Education

Jan. 1987 Bachelor Maths, Univ. of Aarhus
Jan. 1993 MSc Sport Science, Univ. of Copenhagen
May 1997 PhD at Univ. of Copenhagen

Positions

1997-2000 Post Doc Human Physiology, Faculty of Science, Univ. CPH.
2000-2002 Post Doc Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre
2002-2014 Assoc. Professor, Dept. Biomedical Sciences (BMI)
2014-2018 Professor MSO, BMI
2016 Feb. - Head of Graduate School Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
2018 Dec. - Professor, BMI

Administration and Leadership

2006-2017 Section head and board member of BMI
2007-2010 Member of study board for Public Health
2007+2011 Copenhagen Business School, "Course for Research leadership" + follow up course
2010+2014 Leadership course at Univ. of Copenhagen, LUKU1 and LUKU2
2017+ Member of leadership team BMI

Change of environment

1994 7 months research with Prof Len Storlien at Univ. of Wollongong, NSW, Australia
2000 3 months research with Prof Ole Sejersted at Ullevaal Hosp., Oslo Univ. Oslo, Norway
2015/16 3 months research with Prof John Hawley at Catholic Univ., Melbourne, Australia

International relations

I have ongoing collaborations with Prof. Jim Cotter, University of Otago, NZ, Prof. Robert Boushel, University of British Columbia, Canada, Assoc. Prof. Marcin Baranowski, University of Bialystok, Poland and Prof. Paul Greenhaff, University of Nottingham, UK.

Commissions, councils etc.

2011 Participation in Danish group evaluating research groups in Sports and Physical activity in the Nordic Countries
2012-2017 Member of European College of Sports Science scientific Committee
2012 - Member of Biochemistry of Exercise scientific board
2017 - Elected member of ECSS Executive Board
2019 - President elect ECSS (Term starts July)

Large grants

I was one of four main applicants to receive 24 mill. Danish kr. to the DANHES investigation (a study of 18.000 Danes Smoking, alcohol, diet and exercise habits). I was a partner in the EU-grant,"Metapredict" (6 mill. Euro) that aimed to determine genetic predictor profiles. I was a co-Pi in two 2016 Excellence grants; the Copenhagen Women’s Health (cws.ku.dk, 25.3 mill. Dkk) grant 2

and the LIFESTAT (www.lifestat.dk, 22.3 mill Dkk) grant. I am a senior researcher in the Centre of Healthy Aging (http://healthyaging.ku.dk; (CEHA I + II, 2010-2018; 300 mill. kr.), CEHA III, (CEHA III, 2019-2023; 78 mill. Kr.) received from the Nordea Foundation.

Awards and prices

Silver medal in Physiology A 1992 at Univ. of CPH.
Young Investigator Award at European College of Sports Science. 1996. Nice, France.
Received Johan Quintin and wife’s honorary prize, February 2008.

Teaching

I have taught physiology at several courses; Medical students 4th semester; "Energy metabolism", "Human Physiology and disease" for Public Health, Health and IT and Medical Technical students and exercise Physiology at all levels at Sports Science (Faculty of Science, Univ. CPH). I was head of Bachelor, Master and VKO assignments for the Medical study (from Oct. 2009 – Feb. 2016). I have been supervisor for >100 bachelor, master and Research year students from Medicine, Public Health, Sports Science, Human Biology, Molecular Biomedicine and Human Nutrition.

Supervision

I have been principal supervisor for six completed PhD and co-supervisor for twelve completed PhD´s. I am currently principal supervisor for four PhD-students I have supervised four post docs.
I have been supporting one Doctoral candidate (Dr Med).

Evaluator and opponent

Since 2001, I have been an opponent on 36 Danish and International PhD-thesis’s.

Scientific focus areas

Insulin sensitivity and muscle bioactive lipids; Regulation and physiological importance of maximal fat oxidation; Training and mitochondrial function; Adipose tissue inflammation, regulation and function; Biological age as a tool to improve lifestyle, Factors that determine maintenance of lifestyle interventions and weight loss.

Science dissemination

I am an author or –co-author on 15 popular science books. At Centre of Healthy aging I was involved in a TV-series production with Danish Actor "Søren Fauli"; Title: "Fauli, fed og færdig?" broadcasted on DR2. In 2018-2019 I was a consultant on the translation of "Idrættens Træningslære (Released from Munksgaard, January 2019) from Norwegian to Danish. I was one of four editors on the Norwegian version and have written two chapters in the book.

Publications

I am an author or co-author of 187 peer reviewed scientific papers, 6 letters and 14 reviews or book chapters. My H-index is 36 (R-ID) or 46 (Google Scholar) and my Researcher ID: I-7096-2012 and Orcid-id is orcid.org/0000-0001-9724-5423