Research output per year
Research output per year
Research activity per year
Naja Hulvej Rod (Formerly Naja Rod Nielsen) MS, PhD, DMSc |
2014 |
DMSc in Medicine |
University of Copenhagen, Denmark |
2007 |
PhD in Epidemiology |
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA |
2004 |
Master of Public Health Science |
University of Copenhagen, Denmark |
2002 |
Bachelor of Public Health Science |
University of Copenhagen, Denmark |
CURRENT APPOINTMENT
2018- |
Head of Section of Epidemiology |
University of Copenhagen, Denmark |
2017- |
Professor in Stress Epidemiology |
University of Copenhagen, Denmark |
2017- |
Adjunct Researcher |
University of Stockholm, Sweden |
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS
2008-2017 | Associate Professor in Epidemiology | University of Copenhagen, Denmark |
2008-2011 |
Adjunct Postdoctoral Fellow |
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA |
2007-2008 |
Researcher |
National Institute of Public Health, Denmark |
2005-2006 |
Teaching Assistant |
University of Copenhagen, Denmark |
2002-2006 |
Research Assistant |
National Institute of Public Health, Denmark |
2004 |
Epidemiologic advisor |
RAND Health, Santa Monica, USA |
2001-2002 |
Research Assistant |
Institute of Preventive Medicine, Denmark |
CAREER BREAKS
Three periods of maternity leave; July 2007 to March 2008 (9 months), June 2010 to February 2011 (9 months) and from October 2013 to June 2014 (9 months).
HONORS
DFF Starting Grant (Sapere Aude), Independent Research Fund Denmark
Matas’ Heart Prize 2011
Raymond D. Goodman Scholarship Award, UCLA 2006
RESEARCH STATEMENT
I am heading an interdisciplinary research group in Complexity and Big Data in Epidemiology. Health is a complex phenomenon and the aim of the research group is to study the social and biological factors determining health and disease and to elucidate the underlying behavioral, psychological and physiological mechanisms that might explain these effects. I specifically aim to investigate the health consequences of the accumulation of childhood social adversities and the complex interactions between work, life and health as they evolve across the life span. I have solid experience in working with longitudinal datasets, register-based research and complex modelling including social influences and group dynamics. I also have a particular interest in causal inference and in development and application of new methods in epidemiology, such as interaction and mediation analyses. To embrace complexity in epidemiology I actively explore new sources (e.g. smartphones) of 'big data', incorporate system theory thinking and try to leverage insights across disciplines.
RESEARCH LEADERSHIP
2018- |
Primary investigator for the SmartSleep program (www.smartsleep.ku.dk), which is a multi-sourced study on mobile phone use, sleep and health |
2017- |
Primary Investigator of the Danish Life Course (DANLIFE) Cohort, which is a register-based cohort of more than 2 mill Danish children |
2012- |
Head of the Steering Committee for the Copenhagen Stress Research Center (www.stressresearch.ku.dk), which has been established to provide coordinated and innovative research into the mechanisms, health consequences and prevention of stress. |
2011- |
Head of the research group in Complexity and Big Data in Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen (http://publichealth.ku.dk/sections/section-epidemiology/research/complexity-and-big-data/) |
2010- |
Primary investigator for the Stress and Health Sub-study of CAMB, which includes detailed information on physiological stress mechanisms |
RESEARCH FUNDS
I have, in total, received 3,281,640 Euros (equivalent to 25.6 mill DKK) in research funds as primary investigator and more than 3.1 m Euros as Co-PI.
Funded projects where I am PI or co-PI:
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
2017 |
Visiting Professor, Department of Epidemiology, UCLA School of Public Health, USA (6 weeks) |
2014 |
Visiting Researcher, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM), Paris, France |
2013 |
Visiting Researcher, Department of Insurance Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Sweden |
2012 |
Visiting Researcher, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London |
2010- |
Program Director for the Danish arm of the IDEAR (Integrated Datasets across Europe for Ageing Research) network, which has been established in order to improve research on chronic diseases and aging (www.idear-net.net). The IDEAR network brings together large, well-established cohort studies from five European countries and builds on a highly productive collaboration between researchers at University of Copenhagen; University College London, UK; Stockholm University and Karolinska Institute, Sweden; INSERM, France; and University of Turku, Finland |
2004 |
Research stay at the Bandim Health Project, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, 2004 |
REVIEW ASSIGNMENTS
British Medical Journal, Psychological Medicine, Cancer Causes and Control, Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Diabetologia, Steroids, Acta Oncologica, International Journal of Epidemiology, Journal of Sleep Research, JAMA
ORGANISATION OF SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
2012-2013 |
Scientific Committee Member for the IEA-IEE European Congress of Epidemiology 2013 |
2010-2011 |
Scientific Committee Member for the European Public Health Association Conference 2011 |
2005 |
Scientific Committee Member for the annual Danish Stress Research Conference |
INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
2014- |
Head of Research Education Program in Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark |
2010-2016 |
Member of Educational Board for Master in Public Health Science, University of Copenhagen |
2008- |
Faculty member, University of Copenhagen |
COMMISIONS OF TRUST
2019- |
Scientific Evaluation Committee member, Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forte) |
2015- |
Board Member, the Council on Health and Disease Prevention, Denmark |
2014-2017 |
International Scientific Reviewer, National Cancer Institute, France |
2013, 2015 |
PhD Review Panel Member, University of Aarhus, Denmark |
2011-2015 |
Board Member, Danish Epidemiologic Society, Denmark |
2011 |
International Scientific Reviewer, Swedish Research Council |
SELECTED INVITED TALKS AND TEACHING
2019 |
Invited speaker, Symposium, School of Public Health, Peking University |
2019 |
Invited speaker, Institute of Child Health, University College London |
2018 |
Invited expert, the National Stress Panel, National Ministry of Health, Denmark |
2018 |
Keynote speaker, Danish Society for Obesity Research annual meeting, Nyborg |
2017 |
Keynote speaker, 14th Stress Research Conference, Copenhagen |
2017 |
Invited speaker, seminar series on epidemiologic methods, University of California, San Diego, USA |
2016 |
Invited panel discussant, Conference on Social Innovation, Copenhagen, Denmark |
2015 |
Keynote speaker, National Working Environment Conference, Nyborg, Denmark |
2015 |
Keynote speaker at 11th Parkinson's Disease Meeting, Stockholm, Sweden |
2013 |
Invited Lecturer at a 3-day PhD level course on Causal Inference, Center for Social Inequity Studies, Stockholm University and the Karolinska Institute, Sweden |
2013 |
Invited keynote-speaker at the Summer School of the national graduate research program in Public Health (GRASPH), Denmark |
2012 |
Invited expert, workshop on psychosocial risk management in the EU- company experiences in the context of regulatory frameworks and politics at the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Germany |
2012 |
Invited expert on stress, National Ministry of Health, Denmark |
PRESENTATIONS AT SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
2017 |
Smartphone Interrupted Sleep: a new public health challenge Oral presentation at the World Congress of Epidemiology, Tokyo |
2013 |
Sleep apnea and risk of permanent exclusion from the labor market and cause-specific mortality Oral presentation at European Congress of Epidemiology, Aarhus |
2009 |
Major life events and risk of Parkinson’s disease Oral presentation at European Congress of Epidemiology, Warsaw |
2007 |
Do young, presumably healthy men die from stress? Results from a prospective study Poster presentation at the Society of Epidemiologic Research Meeting, Boston |
2006 |
Perceived stress and risk of colorectal cancer in men and women Poster presentation at the International Congress of Behavioral Medicine, Bangkok |
2006 |
Interactions between intakes of alcohol and postmenopausal hormones on risk of breast cancer Oral presentation at the 2nd American Congress of Epidemiology, Seattle |
2006 |
Is perceived stress associated with lower risk of endometrial cancer? Poster presentation at the IEA-EEF European Congress of Epidemiology, Utrecht |
2005 |
Perceived stress and risk of ischemic heart disease: Causation or bias? Oral presentation at the 2nd Danish Stress Conference, Copenhagen |
2005 |
Self-reported stress and risk of breast cancer. Oral presentation at the Society of Epidemiologic Research annual meeting, Toronto |
2004 |
Stress reporting in a representative health interview study of Danes Oral presentation at The 1st Danish Stress Conference, Copenhagen |
2003 |
Is the effect of alcohol on risk of stroke confined to highly stressed persons? Oral presentation at the 12th European Stroke Conference, Valencia |
TEACHING
I am responsible for PhD-level courses in Causal Inference and Introduction to Directed Acyclic Graphs at the University of Copenhagen. I also give lectures in stress and sleep epidemiology. I have been the main advisor for numerous bachelor and master students in Public Health Science and Medicine at the University of Copenhagen, and I have been on the assessment committee for seven PhD theses and one Doctoral Dissertation.
RESEARCH SUPERVISION
Post graduate supervision
I am currently supervising six PhD students and I have supervised nine PhD students who have been awarded their PhD degree.
2018-2021 |
Supervisor for Postdoc Agnete Dissing. Project title: Smartphone interrupted sleep and health. University of Copenhagen. | |
2016-2019 |
Principal supervisor for PhD student Eszter Török. Project title: Workplace as a resource: the health effects of increasing workplace resources and decreasing psychological strain at workplaces. University of Copenhagen | |
2016-2019 |
Principal Supervisor for PhD student Jessica Linnéa Bengtsson. Project title: Childhood adversity and the onset of type 1 diabetes. University of Copenhagen. | |
2016-2019 |
Principal Supervisor for PhD-student Tianwei Xu. Project title: Negative social relations at work and cardiometabolic disorders. University of Copenhagen. | |
2016-2019 |
co-Supervisor for PhD student Andreas Rieckmann. Project title: Long-term non-specific effects of BCG and smallpox vaccinations. University of Southern Denmark. PhD degree awarded on April 18th, 2018 | |
2015-2018 | co-Supervisor for PhD student Camilla Bonnesen. Project title: Design and evaluation of a complex health intervention among high school students – with a special focus on stress. University of Southern Denmark. | |
2015-2018 | co-Supervisior for PhD-student Johan Høy Jensen. Project title: Work environmen and health in restructuring Public Sector. University of Copenhagen. | |
2015-2018 |
Principal Supervisor for PhD-student Jesper Mortensen. Project title: Combined effects of psychosocial work factors and increased family demands on sickness absence and long-term physical health in European workers. University of Copenhagen. PhD degree awarded on April 5, 2018 | |
2015-2016 |
Supervisor for Postdoc Alice Clark. Project title: Sleep, mediation and cardiovascular disease. University of Copenhagen. | |
2014-2017 |
co-Supervisor for PhD-student Gitte Lindved Petersen. Project title: Life course trajectories of socioeconomic position and physical performance in midlife including the roles of leisure physical activity and personal traits. University of Copenhagen. | |
2014-2016 |
Supervisor for Postdoc Ulla Arthur Hvidtfeldt. Project title: Social capital at hospitals – well-being, sickness absence and quality of work. University of Copenhagen | |
2014-2017 |
co-Supervisor for PhD-student Agnete Dissing. Project title: Stress in Dynamic Social Networks: Social Influence Effects on Perceived Stress among Young Adults. University of Copenhagen. | |
2012-2015 |
Supervisor for Postdoc Nadya Dich. Project title: Protective effects of positive emotionality and life satisfaction against the impact of economic hardship, work strain and major life event on allostatic load accumulation. University of Copenhagen. | |
2011-2014 |
co-Supervisor for PhD-student Kasper Olesen. Project title: Long-term health consequences of retirement. University of Copenhagen. PhD degree awarded on October 13, 2014 | |
2011-2014 |
Principal Supervisor for PhD-student Alice Clark. Project title: Impaired sleep and ischemic heart disease incidence and prognosis. University of Copenhagen. PhD degree awarded on March 5, 2015 | |
2010-2014 |
co-Supervisor for PhD-student Jolene Masters Pedersen. Project title: Mechanisms of psychosocial and biological factors acting over a life course and low-grade inflammation (mediation and interaction). University of Copenhagen. PhD degree awarded on April 20, 2015 | |
2010-2014 |
co-Supervisor for PhD-student Helene Nordahl Jensen. Project title: Socioeconomic position and colorectal cancer – the impact of clustering, interaction, and mediation by modifiable risk factors. University of Copenhagen. PhD degree awarded on May 28, 2014 | |
2009-2014 |
Principal Supervisor for PhD-student Camilla Pedersen. Project title: Residential and occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) and the risk for diseases. University of Copenhagen.PhD degree awarded on November 27, 2014 | |
2009-2014 |
Principal Supervisor for PhD-student Ulla Arthur Hvidtfeldt. Project title: Social inequality in breast cancer – clustering, interaction, and mediation. University of Copenhagen. PhD degree awarded on June 23, 2014 | |
2004 |
Epidemiologic advisor for an expert group of medical doctors. Evidence review on time trend and risk factors for urologic diseases. RAND Health, Santa Monica, USA |
Research Scholarship Students
Thea Otte Andersen. Research project: SmartSleep Experiment. Aug-Dec 2018
Anne Christensen. Research project: Impaired sleep and cancer. Feb-Dec 2012
Malene Nielsen. Research project: Caregiving and mortality. May 2011 to Marts 2012
Anne Mette Bender and Gunhild Christensen. Research project: Psychosocial factors and cardiovascular disease. Understanding the mechanisms for men and women. February 2010 to January 2011
Alice Clark. Research project: Psychosocial risk factors and chronic obstructive lung disease. Feb-Dec 2010
Jolene Masters Petersen. Research project: Psychosocial risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Sep 2009 to Jun 2010
My primary research interests are centered around complexity and lifecourse approaches to understand long-term health consequences of stress, impaired sleep and social adversities. I also have a keen interest in epidemiological methododology including causal inference approaches.
I am heading an interdisciplinary research group in Complexity and Big Data in Epidemiology. Health is a complex phenomenon and the aim of the research group is to study the social and biological factors determining health and disease and to elucidate the underlying behavioral, psychological, and physiological mechanisms that might explain these effects. I specifically aim to investigate the health consequences of the accumulation of childhood social adversities and the complex interactions between work, life and health as they evolve across the life span. I have solid experience in working with longitudinal datasets, register-based research and complex modelling including social influences and group dynamics. I also have a particular interest in causal inference and in development and application of new methods in epidemiology, such as interaction and mediation analyses. To embrace complexity in epidemiology I actively explore new sources(e.g. smartphones) of ‘big data’, incorporate system theory thinking and try to leverage insights across disciplines.
For details about my research group please visit: https://publichealth.ku.dk/about-the-department/section-epidemiology/research-epi/complexity-and-big-data/
Bachelor- and master education in public health science:
Ph.d-courses
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › Research › peer-review