MD, PhD
Professor of pediatrics
My research concerns finding early interventions to improve long-term health in children with a focus on nutrition and brain development.
I am a pediatrician and professor of pediatrics at the Department of Clinical Sciences. Clinically, I work as a neonatologist at the NICU of Norrland University Hospital.
I have the great privilege of working together with talented and dedicated colleagues who together form the N4 Research Group, www.n4researchgroup.se.
Our research is about trying to find early interventions to improve long-term health in children, with a strong focus on nutrition and brain development in children.
The research involves both randomized, interventional and cohort studies, and I lead several local and national clinical studies and also participate in national and international research networks within pediatric nutrition, neonatology and perinatology.
In the GRANDIOSA study, we investigate how formula with hydrolysed proteins affects growth, development and allergies in healthy infants. We are also evaluating a new, exciting method to investigate brain function in children: functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
In the SWIDDICH study, we investigate the effects of iodine supplementation in pregnant women on the development of their children. In the SIDBI study, we investigate the effects of iron supplementation on children's development.
In several studies of very or extremely premature children (EXPRESS, EXPRESS 2, N-FORTE, LIGHT, MDM, ImNuT etc.) we investigate the effects of early nutrition and other factors on growth, development and morbidity in the short- and long term. We are also evaluating a new marker for brain damage (neurofilament light).
In addition, I lead the large regional, prospective birth cohort study "NorthPop", which aims to include 10,000 pregnant women in Västerbotten and follow their children from fetal life to school age. Read more about this project at www.northpop.se.
We have shown that iron supplementation given to infants with a marginally low birth weight reduces learning problems and neurodevelopmental disorders in preschool and school age, and that delayed umbilical cord clamping during normal births improves fine motor skills in the children at 4 years of age.
Our research has also been able to show that the addition of MFGM to infant formula leads to a reduced risk of infections and improved cognitive function at 12 months of age.
We have shown that an optimized energy intake in extremely premature children and supplementation of fatty acids reduces the risk of severe eye disease (ROP).
I have developed the computer software Nutrium, which is a unique IT system for clinical support and follow-up of neonatal nutrition and growth and is used by doctors, dietitians, nurses and other staff in most neonatal units in Sweden and also abroad, see www.nutrium.se.