1) The Danish Health and Medicines Authority: Aalborg University Hospital (previously Aalborg Hospital, Aarhus University Hospital) has set up a collaboration with the Danish Health and Medicines Authority to monitor the efficacy and safety of medicines. The Thrombosis Research Unit at Aalborg University Hospital has developed a new model for pharmacovigilance and has entered into a collaborative agreement with the Danish Health and Medicines Authority according to which the Thrombosis Research Unit provides medical expertise for the conduct of registries and epidemiological studies as well as expert counselling on selected issues.
2) European Medicines Agency (EMA): Thanks to its expertise in atrial fibrillation, antithrombotic drugs and pharmacovigilance, Aalborg Thrombosis Research Unit, together with the Danish Health and Medicines Authority, has been selected to participate in an EU collaboration for monitoring medicines – the Pharmacovigilance Working Party (PhVWP) under the European Medicines Agency. The research unit was i.a. represented with presentations by Lars Hvilsted Rasmussen (“A new generation of anticoagulant drugs”) and Torben Bjerregaard Larsen (“A proactive approach to the monitoring of new drugs: opportunities using Danish health care databases”) at the PhVWP meeting in Copenhagen on 26-27 April 2012.
3) University of Southampton: A collaboration has been initiated with Professor Philip Calder, University of Southampton, UK, who has taken up the task as a co-supervisor for PhD Student Lotte Maxild Mortensen. Philip Calder is a leading international expert on immunology and nutrition.
4) University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand: From October 2010 to March 2011, PhD Student Anette Luther Christensen completed a research exchange visit to the Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand, as part of her PhD study, funded by the grant. In Wellington, Anette initiated a fruitful collaboration with Dr Michael G. Baker, an associate professor at the University of Otago. This collaboration was further strengthened, when Lars Hvilsted Rasmussen visited the University to give a guest lecture at the beginning of 2011.
In this connection, plans for the continued collaboration were drawn up and have so far resulted in access to valuable data on patients with atrial fibrillation in New Zealand, enabling analysis and comparison of seasonal variation in atrial fibrillation in Denmark and New Zealand. Owing to this, Anette Luther Christensen has, among other things, developed statistical models for evaluating seasonal variation in atrial fibrillation.
5) Empowering Industry and Research (EIR): EIR is a new initiative within health science and technology in North Denmark aimed at attracting new knowledge-intensive companies and joining expertise across hospitals in North Denmark, Aalborg University, municipalities and regional companies within development and production of technological solutions for the health sector. The initiative was made possible thanks to a DKK 18 million grant from the Regional Development Sector under the North Denmark Region. Lars Hvilsted Rasmussen is a member of EIR’s steering committee, and furthermore, Aalborg University Hospital contributes substantially by linking Aalborg Thrombosis Research Unit and its extensive research in atrial fibrillation and pharmacovigilance to EIR.