Rikke Leth-Larsen Appointed as the new Head of the Department of Clinical Research at University of Southern Denmark.

By Sigurd A. Kristoffersen, 6/14/2024

After a period of thoughtful consideration and a holiday with her family, Rikke Leth-Larsen will return to the University of Southern Denmark on September 1st.

-I wanted to be completely free from work and daily routines before deciding on my next job and new challenges. So, I took an extended holiday to reflect and concluded that the Department of Clinical Research was the right fit for me, and that I was well-prepared to take on the role, says Rikke Leth-Larsen, who previously served as the head of the Department of Regional Health Research for nine years.

Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Ole Skøtt, is delighted to welcome Rikke Leth-Larsen back to SDU:

-Rikke has consistently demonstrated her capabilities as a head of department, so we are thrilled that her absence was brief. She is both highly skilled and well-liked, and with her leading the Department of Clinical Research, we are well-prepared for the future. As we embark on a new research strategy, Rikke is the ideal person to bring it to fruition.

Rikke Leth-Larsen holds an MSc and a PhD in immunology (2003). Following her PhD, she took her husband and children to Singapore for a research stay at the Medical Institutes, National University of Singapore.

-At the Department of Clinical Research, I will have the opportunity to strengthen the foundations of research, education, and professionalism among health professionals. I aim to enhance collaboration between Odense University Hospital and SDU, as well as with other researchers both nationally and internationally. I am particularly excited about creating a supportive environment for researchers and teachers who divide their time between the hospital and the university. I firmly believe that the future of our healthcare system depends on cross-disciplinary collaboration, including partnerships with fields not traditionally associated with hospitals. I already have substantial knowledge about the department and OUH, and I am eager to start working and to get to know the researchers, teachers, and students.

Rikke Leth-Larsen is already well-acquainted with the health sciences field at SDU. Since 2005, she has been employed as a researcher focusing on breast cancer at the Department of Molecular Medicine, and she has also been involved in teaching and medical education at the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Rikke Leth-Larsen takes over from Kirsten Ohm Kyvik, who has held the position of head of the Department of Clinical Research since 2015.

Fifty-three-year-old Rikke Leth-Larsen was born and raised on Funen. She lives in Odense with her husband, Jesper Bjerg, a doctor. They have two children, Caroline and Jonas.