Main Research Areas
Our multidisciplinary research group is dedicated to generating new knowledge and improving patient outcomes in the perioperative pediatric, obstetric, and gynecological fields. We have extensive experience in all stages of clinical trials, including protocol development, administrative procedures, and documentation for relevant authorities. Most of our procedures are primarily electronic, including Trial Master Files, and REDCap CRFs. All members of our research team are GCP-certified. We have a centrally temperature-logged fridge for safe medication storage and a laboratory centrifuge to process biological samples. The department accommodates both investigator-initiated and sponsor-initiated trials, including the documentation and monitoring requirements that they each entail. In October 2024, our department successfully passed an inspection by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) without any Inspection Observations.
In addition to applied clinical research, our unit has extensive methodological experience, and we both initiate and collaborate on a range of systematic reviews and guidelines associated with Cochrane Anesthesia, Cochrane Critical Care, and the European Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC).
Pediatric Anesthesia
We have a research coordinating role nationally for trials within pediatric anesthesia and intensive care with the Pediatric Cluster under the Danish anesthesia collaboration: Collaboration for Evidence-based Practice and Research in Anesthesia (CEPRA). We specialize in randomized clinical trials on optimizing perioperative management in children, including new drug development and application of new technologies.
Ongoing trials initiated by the research group include:
The MELA-PAED trial: a multicenter randomized controlled trial on the effect and safety of an intraoperative intravenous dose of melatonin for prevention of emergence agitation in children aged 1-6 years, including an open-label pharmacokinetic sub-study. In close collaboration with Glostrup Pharmacy for the development of new intravenous formulations of melatonin suitable for pediatric and neonatal use.
Upcoming projects – epidemiologic pain research and neuroprotection of infants in the perioperative setting:
A pediatric sub-study of the project “Perioperative Analgesia for Preventing Persistent Opioid Use” investigating risk factors for persistent opioid use after surgery, including patient characteristics, intra- and postoperative pain treatment, choice of opioid and use of non-opioid pain treatment, in collaboration with CEPRA and the OPI-AID project.
Participation in clinical studies in adjacent fields:
Hydrochloric acid lock therapy for central line-associated infections in children and adults – an effective treatment? A randomized, double-blinded, clinical trial in collaboration with the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine and Department of Hematology, Rigshospitalet.
Immunologically healthy children: the project aims to establish normal range values for immunological analyses in children and to investigate how exposure to viral infections is associated with the natural variation in a healthy immune system. A collaboration with the Tissue Typing Laboratory, Department of Clinical Immunology, Center of Diagnostic Investigation, Rigshospitalet.
Obstetric Anesthesia
Ongoing projects and collaborations:
The MOTHER trial: Efficacy and safety of low-dose intrathecal morphine following planned cesarean section. A randomized, blinded, clinical, multicenter trial under CEPRA.
Gynecological Anesthesia
OR Black Box
Boosting checklist adherence: educational intervention across six surgical specialties observed via OR Black Box
Key collaborations
We are proud to collaborate with top researchers within their field both nationally and internationally. While we cooperate broadly with a range of clinical departments and research entities, we would like to highlight some of our current closest collaborators.
National collaborations
- Copenhagen Trial Unit, Center for Clinical Intervention Research, Rigshospitalet
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center of Head and Orthopedics, Rigshospitalet
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Juliane Marie Center, Rigshospitalet
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Juliane Marie Center, Rigshospitalet
- Department of Neonatology, Juliane Marie Center, Rigshospitalet
- Department of Gynecology, Fertility, and Obstetrics, Juliane Marie Center, Rigshospitalet
- Collaboration for Evidence-based Practice and Research in Anesthesia (CEPRA)
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Odense Hospital, University of Southern Denmark
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vejle Hospital, University of Southern Denmark
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, North Zealand Hospital
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Zealand University Hospital, Køge
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen
- Glostrup Pharmacy
International collaborations
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Perth Children’s Hospital, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
- Pediatric Pain Treatment Service, Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Department of Pediatric Anesthesia, Montreal Children’s Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
- European Pediatric Anesthesia Research Network
- European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) (PARNET)
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
Current team members
Our multidisciplinary research unit consists of dedicated researchers with a range of different backgrounds and competencies who each contribute to driv-ing research as an integrated part of our clinical activities.
Senior researchers in pediatrics
Bettina Nygaard Nielsen, PharmD, PhD
Frederik Mondrup, MD, Senior Consultant
Hien Quoc Do, MD, Consultant
Lars Broksø Holst, MD, Senior Consultant, PhD
Marguerite Ellekvist, MD, Senior Consultant, MPG
Mikkel Herold Scavenius, MD, Consultant, PhD
Pia Jæger, MD, Consultant, PhD, DMSc
Volker Classen, MD, Senior Consultant
Senior researchers in gynecology and obstetrics
Kim Ekelund, MD, Senior Consultant, PhD, Associate Professor (University of Copenhagen)
Kim Lindelof, MD, Senior Consultant, PhD
Marie-Louise Mørkenborg Faxøe, MD, Consultant
Pediatric Pain Management Unit
PhD candidates
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Anne Louise de Barros Garioud, MD
- Julie Slavensky, MD
- Mette Lea Mortensen, MD
- Mette Bondo Mønster, MD (Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Juliane Marie Center, Rigshospitalet)