Academic Interests
My current research is targeted at understanding the mechanisms underlying different types of change in brain and cognition, and whether and how we ourselves can initiate, enhance or slow them. Throughout life, our mental capacities and brains are under continuous alteration: Some changes are part of positive development, others are debilitating.
Together with colleagues, I am trying to uncover markers and mechanisms underlying changes in brain and cognitive behavior throughout the lifespan. In this effort, we’re studying persons ranging in age from 4 to 90 yrs. I am very interested in understanding normal cognition and brain-behavior relationships troughout the human lifespan, and I am also involved in patient studies, for instance on subjective and objective memory complaints, Alzheimer disease, and drug exposure in utero. Main research methods include, among others, experimental and standardized neuropsychological tests, MRI (mostly morphometry and DTI) and ERP (Event-Related-Potentials)
Teaching
I teach within the fields of cognitive neuroscience and experimental psychology, in addition to supervision of PhD candidates
Higher education and employment history
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Professor of cognitive neuropsychology and part time position (15 %) as a researcher at the Department of Neuropsychology, Ullevål University Hospital
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2007 → Professor in neuropsychology, Dept. Psychology, UiO
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2005 - 2007 Associate professor in neuropsychology, Dept Psychology, UiO
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Scientific leader for the ERP lab, Dept Psychology, UiO
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2009 Guest researcher, Multimodal imaging lab, UCSD (3 mnth)
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2005 Guest researcher, Martinos Center, Harvard (3 mnth)
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2002 Guest researcher, Martinos Center, Harvard (3 mnth)
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2002 - 2005 Enrolled in the PhD program, Dept Psychology, UiO
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2001 → Clinical neuropsychology/research position at the Dept neuropsychology, Oslo University Hospital, Ullevål
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2000 - 2001 Student reasearch fellow, Dept Psychology, UiO
Awards
- 2015 University of Oslo’s Research Prize shared with Anders M Fjell
- 2015 LCBC appointed status as one of 5 “World class” groups at UiO
- 2012 Morgenbladet’s list of the top 10 young (< 40 years) Norwegian researchers
- 2011 Elected member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
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2006 The Fridtjof Nansen Award for young investigators
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2006 His Majesty the King's Gold Medal for best PhD thesis
Current major grants
2016-2021 Lifebrain: Breaking new ground in Lifespan Cognitive neuroscience (NRC, € 2.5 mill)
2015-2020 LCBC appointed status as one of 5 World Class groups at UiO to receive special funding for 5 years (€ 3mill)
2015-2018 Aging starts in the womb - Lifespan mediators and moderators of healthy brain and Cognition (NRC FriPro program, € 1 mill)
2013-2018 Neurocognitive Plasticity – Lifespan Mechanisms of Change (European Research Council Starting Grant, € 1.5 mill)