New Leadership at Oslo Diabetes Research Center 2025

At the general assembly of the Oslo Diabetes Research Center on March 20, 2025, held at the Green Auditorium, Ullevål Hospital, Lars Christian Mørch Stene was elected as the new leader of the centre. Chaired by Kari Anne Sveen, the meeting had an attendance of approximately 15 members.

Stene, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, succeeds Kåre Birkeland. In his statement following the election, Stene expressed his gratitude for Birkeland's dedicated service, noting his efforts in maintaining the centre’s operations and recruiting key personnel. "I am delighted that Kåre and several others will continue on the steering committee while we also welcome new members," Stene wrote in a statement to the members affiliated with the centre.

The meeting also saw the election of a new steering committee, with nominees put forth by the committee chaired by Kari Anne Sveen. The proposed members include Torhild Skrivarhaug, Tore Julsrud Berg, Kåre Birkeland, Jens Petter Berg and Hanna dis Margeirsdottir alongside a yet-to-be-determined representative for early-career researchers, which could be a PhD candidate or a postdoc. The steering committee's composition ensures representation across key areas such as pediatric diabetes, adult type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes/gestational diabetes, epidemiological research, and basic/translational medical research.

The nomination committee recommended that the task of identifying a representative for early-career researchers, preferably a female researcher at the beginning of her career, be delegated to the steering committee. The proposal was unanimously approved during the meeting.

In line with the centre's commitment to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing diabetes research, Stene emphasized the importance of integrating PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows into the network. "We're actively seeking a researcher early in their career to join the board and welcome suggestions for potential candidates," he remarked.

Looking ahead, Stene mentioned changes to the centre's annual meeting schedule. Due to the SSSD meeting in Oslo this August, there will be no regular annual program meeting in 2025. Instead, a larger two-day meeting with accommodations and meals is planned for March 2026. He encouraged community engagement and input on the centre's future focus areas.

As Stene steps into his new role, he invites contact and collaboration from the community to ensure the centre thrives as a hub of pioneering diabetes research. For communication, Lars Christian Stene can be reached at lars.christian.stene@fhi.no.