Naja Hulvej Rod
Naja Hulvej Rod

Professor, Head of Section

  • Section of Epidemiology

    Post: Øster Farimagsgade 5, Postboks 2099, 1014 København K, Visit: Bartholinsgade 6Q, 2.th, 1356 København K, CSS bd. 24, Building: 24.2.16

    Phone: +45 35 32 67 35
ORCID: 0000-0002-6400-5105

Naja Hulvej Rod

(Formerly Naja Rod Nielsen)

MS, PhD, DMSc

EDUCATION

2014         

DMSc in Medicine

University of Copenhagen, Denmark

2007 

PhD in Epidemiology

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA

2004

Master of Public Health Science

University of Copenhagen, Denmark

2002 

Bachelor of Public Health Science

University of Copenhagen, Denmark

CURRENT APPOINTMENT

2018-

Head of Section of Epidemiology

University of Copenhagen, Denmark

2017-

Professor in Stress Epidemiology

University of Copenhagen, Denmark

2017-

Adjunct Researcher

University of Stockholm, Sweden

PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS

2008-2017Associate Professor in EpidemiologyUniversity of Copenhagen, Denmark

2008-2011    

Adjunct Postdoctoral Fellow               

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA

2007-2008

Researcher

National Institute of Public Health, Denmark

2005-2006

Teaching Assistant

University of Copenhagen, Denmark

2002-2006

Research Assistant                     

National Institute of Public Health, Denmark

2004

Epidemiologic advisor

RAND Health, Santa Monica, USA                       

2001-2002

Research Assistant

Institute of Preventive Medicine, Denmark

CAREER BREAKS

Three periods of maternity leave; July 2007 to March 2008 (9 months), June 2010 to February 2011 (9 months) and from October 2013 to June 2014 (9 months).

HONORS

DFF Starting Grant (Sapere Aude), Independent Research Fund Denmark

Matas’ Heart Prize 2011

Raymond D. Goodman Scholarship Award, UCLA  2006

RESEARCH STATEMENT

I am heading an interdisciplinary research group in Complexity and Big Data in Epidemiology. Health is a complex phenomenon and the aim of the research group is to study the social and biological factors determining health and disease and to elucidate the underlying behavioral, psychological and physiological mechanisms that might explain these effects. I specifically aim to investigate the health consequences of the accumulation of childhood social adversities and the complex interactions between work, life and health as they evolve across the life span. I have solid experience in working with longitudinal datasets, register-based research and complex modelling including social influences and group dynamics. I also have a particular interest in causal inference and in development and application of new methods in epidemiology, such as interaction and mediation analyses. To embrace complexity in epidemiology I actively explore new sources (e.g. smartphones) of 'big data', incorporate system theory thinking and try to leverage insights across disciplines.

RESEARCH LEADERSHIP

2018- 

Primary investigator for the SmartSleep program (www.smartsleep.ku.dk), which is a multi-sourced study on mobile phone use, sleep and health

2017-

Primary Investigator of the Danish Life Course (DANLIFE) Cohort, which is a register-based cohort of  more than 2 mill Danish children

2012-  

Head of the Steering Committee for the Copenhagen Stress Research Center (www.stressresearch.ku.dk), which has been established to provide coordinated and innovative research into the mechanisms, health consequences and prevention of stress.

2011-  

Head of the research group in Complexity and Big Data in Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen (http://publichealth.ku.dk/sections/section-epidemiology/research/complexity-and-big-data/)

2010-  

Primary investigator for the Stress and Health Sub-study of CAMB, which includes detailed information on physiological stress mechanisms

RESEARCH FUNDS

I have, in total, received 3,281,640 Euros (equivalent to 25.6 mill DKK) in research funds as primary investigator and more than 3.1 m Euros as Co-PI.

Funded projects where I am PI or co-PI:

  • Healthy working among people with chronic disorders. Danish Work Environment Foundation, 340,000 Euros, 2019 to 2022, PI together with Alice Clark (co-PI)
  • Parental leave reforms and women’s health. Danish Health Insurance Foundation, 52,000 Euros, 2018 to 2020, PI together with Emilie Courtin (co-PI)
  • The SmartSleep program. Documenting health consequences of smartphone interrupted sleep through a pioneering combination of high-resolution smartphone data and rich clinical health data, DFF Starting Grant (Sapere Aude), Independent Research Fund Denmark, 757,000 Euros, 2018 to 2021, PI
  • Psychosocial working environment and the risk of diabetes, sickness absence and disability pension (PSA-DISPO), Danish Work Environment Foundation, 512,000 Euros, 2017 to 2020, co-PI
  • Negative social relations at work and risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease: mediating mechanisms, Danish Work Environment Foundation, 123,320 Euros, 2016 to 2019, PI
  • Psychosocial work environment in the Region, Danish Regions, 245,000 Euros, 2016 to 2018, PI
  • Childhood adversities and onset of type 1 diabetes, Innovation Foundation, 145,000 Euros, Company PhD to Jessica Linnéa Bengtsson, 2016 to 2019, Co-PI from the University.
  • Resourceful work: a multi-national study on health effects of improvement in work environment, Danish Work Environment Foundation, 520,000 Euros, 2016 to 2019, PI
  • Psychosocial work environment and healthy ageing, NordForsk, 2015 to 2020, 2.6 mill Euros, PI: Mika Kivimaki, co-PI for Work package 2
  • Social capital at hospitals – well-being, sickness absence and quality of work, Danish Work Environment Foundation, 306,000 Euros, 2014 to 2017, PI
  • Health consequences of the complex interplay between psychosocial work demands and demands in private life, Danish Work Environment Foundation, 435,000 Euros, 2013 to 2017, PI
  • Impaired sleep and cancer, Lundbeck Foundation, 13,500 Euros, 2011 to 2012, PI
  • Psychosocial risk factors for Parkinson’s Disease, Danish Health Insurance Foundation, 46,500 Euros, 2011 to 2012, PI
  • Impaired sleep and cardiovascular disease prognosis, Danish Health Insurance Foundation, 53,500 Euros, 2010 to 2012, PI
  • Psychosocial factors and cardiovascular disease: Understanding the mechanisms for men and women, Danish Heart Association, 53,500 Euros, 2010 to 2011, PI
  • Life course stress and risk of chronic obstructive lung disease, Lundbeck Foundation, 16,000 Euros, 2009 to 2010, PI
  • Stress and risk of developing the metabolic syndrome, Danish Heart Association, 13,500 Euros, 2009 to 2010, PI
  • Stress-related morbidity and mortality, Danish Research Council, 306,500 Euros, 2007 to 2011, PI  

INTERNATIONAL NETWORK

2017

Visiting Professor, Department of Epidemiology, UCLA School of Public Health, USA (6 weeks)

2014

Visiting Researcher, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM), Paris, France

2013

Visiting Researcher, Department of Insurance Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Sweden

2012

Visiting Researcher, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London

2010-

Program Director for the Danish arm of the IDEAR (Integrated Datasets across Europe for Ageing Research) network, which has been established in order to improve research on chronic diseases and aging (www.idear-net.net). The IDEAR network brings together large, well-established cohort studies from five European countries and builds on a highly productive collaboration between researchers at University of Copenhagen; University College London, UK; Stockholm University and Karolinska Institute, Sweden; INSERM, France; and University of Turku, Finland

2004

Research stay at the Bandim Health Project, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, 2004

REVIEW ASSIGNMENTS

British Medical Journal, Psychological Medicine, Cancer Causes and Control, Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, Diabetologia, Steroids, Acta Oncologica, International Journal of Epidemiology, Journal of Sleep Research, JAMA

ORGANISATION OF SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS

2012-2013

Scientific Committee Member for the IEA-IEE European Congress of Epidemiology 2013

2010-2011  

Scientific Committee Member for the European Public Health Association Conference 2011

2005

Scientific Committee Member for the annual Danish Stress Research   Conference

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

2014-    

Head of Research Education Program in Epidemiology and Public Health, University of   Copenhagen, Denmark

2010-2016

Member of Educational Board for Master in Public Health Science, University of Copenhagen

2008-

Faculty member, University of Copenhagen

COMMISIONS OF TRUST 

2019-

Scientific Evaluation Committee member, Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forte)

2015- 

Board Member, the Council on Health and Disease Prevention, Denmark

2014-2017

International Scientific Reviewer, National Cancer Institute, France

2013, 2015

PhD Review Panel Member, University of Aarhus, Denmark

2011-2015

Board Member, Danish Epidemiologic Society, Denmark

2011

International Scientific Reviewer, Swedish Research Council

SELECTED INVITED TALKS AND TEACHING

2019

Invited speaker, Symposium, School of Public Health, Peking University

2019

Invited speaker, Institute of Child Health, University College London

2018

Invited expert, the National Stress Panel, National Ministry of Health, Denmark

2018

Keynote speaker, Danish Society for Obesity Research annual meeting, Nyborg

2017

Keynote speaker, 14th Stress Research Conference, Copenhagen

2017

Invited speaker, seminar series on epidemiologic methods, University of California, San Diego, USA

2016

Invited panel discussant, Conference on Social Innovation, Copenhagen, Denmark

2015

Keynote speaker, National Working Environment Conference, Nyborg, Denmark

2015         

Keynote speaker at 11th Parkinson's Disease Meeting, Stockholm, Sweden

2013        

Invited Lecturer at a 3-day PhD level course on Causal Inference, Center for Social Inequity Studies, Stockholm University and the Karolinska Institute, Sweden

2013   

Invited keynote-speaker at the Summer School of the national graduate research program in Public Health (GRASPH), Denmark

2012

Invited expert, workshop on psychosocial risk management  in the EU- company experiences in the   context of regulatory frameworks and politics at the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Germany

2012

Invited expert on stress, National Ministry of Health, Denmark

PRESENTATIONS AT SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS   

2017  

Smartphone Interrupted Sleep: a new public health challenge

Oral presentation at the World Congress of Epidemiology, Tokyo

2013  

Sleep apnea and risk of permanent exclusion from the labor market and cause-specific mortality

Oral presentation at European Congress of Epidemiology, Aarhus

2009  

Major life events and risk of Parkinson’s disease

Oral presentation at European Congress of Epidemiology, Warsaw

2007    

Do young, presumably healthy men die from stress? Results from a prospective study

Poster presentation at the Society of Epidemiologic Research Meeting, Boston

2006    

Perceived stress and risk of colorectal cancer in men and women

Poster presentation at the International Congress of Behavioral Medicine, Bangkok

2006    

Interactions between intakes of alcohol and postmenopausal hormones on risk of breast cancer

Oral presentation at the 2nd American Congress of Epidemiology, Seattle

2006  

Is perceived stress associated with lower risk of endometrial cancer?

Poster presentation at the IEA-EEF European Congress of Epidemiology, Utrecht

2005   

Perceived stress and risk of ischemic heart disease: Causation or bias?

Oral presentation at the 2nd Danish Stress Conference, Copenhagen 

2005   

Self-reported stress and risk of breast cancer.

Oral presentation at the Society of Epidemiologic Research annual meeting, Toronto

2004   

Stress reporting in a representative health interview study of Danes

Oral presentation at The 1st Danish Stress Conference, Copenhagen

2003   

Is the effect of alcohol on risk of stroke confined to highly stressed persons?

Oral presentation at the 12th European Stroke Conference, Valencia

TEACHING

I am responsible for PhD-level courses in Causal Inference and Introduction to Directed Acyclic Graphs at the University of Copenhagen. I also give lectures in stress and sleep epidemiology. I have been the main advisor for numerous bachelor and master students in Public Health Science and Medicine at the University of Copenhagen, and I have been on the assessment committee for seven PhD theses and one Doctoral Dissertation.

RESEARCH SUPERVISION

Post graduate supervision        

I am currently supervising six PhD students and I have supervised nine PhD students who have been awarded their PhD degree.

2018-2021

Supervisor for Postdoc Agnete Dissing. Project title: Smartphone interrupted sleep and health. University of Copenhagen.

2016-2019

Principal supervisor for PhD student Eszter Török. Project title: Workplace as a resource: the health effects of increasing workplace resources and decreasing psychological strain at workplaces. University of Copenhagen

2016-2019

Principal Supervisor for PhD student Jessica Linnéa Bengtsson. Project title: Childhood adversity and the onset of type 1 diabetes. University of Copenhagen.

2016-2019

Principal Supervisor for PhD-student Tianwei Xu. Project title: Negative social relations at work and cardiometabolic disorders. University of Copenhagen.

2016-2019

co-Supervisor for PhD student Andreas Rieckmann. Project title: Long-term non-specific effects of BCG and smallpox vaccinations. University of Southern Denmark. PhD degree awarded on April 18th, 2018

2015-2018co-Supervisor for PhD student Camilla Bonnesen. Project title: Design and evaluation of a complex health intervention among high school students – with a special focus on stress. University of Southern Denmark. 
2015-2018 co-Supervisior for PhD-student Johan Høy Jensen. Project title: Work environmen and health in restructuring Public Sector. University of Copenhagen.

2015-2018       

Principal Supervisor for PhD-student Jesper Mortensen. Project title: Combined effects of psychosocial work factors and increased family demands on sickness absence and long-term physical health in European workers. University of Copenhagen. PhD degree awarded on April 5, 2018

2015-2016

Supervisor for Postdoc Alice Clark. Project title: Sleep, mediation and cardiovascular disease. University of Copenhagen.

2014-2017

co-Supervisor for PhD-student Gitte Lindved Petersen. Project title: Life course trajectories of socioeconomic position and physical performance in midlife including the roles of leisure physical activity and personal traits. University of Copenhagen.

2014-2016

Supervisor for Postdoc Ulla Arthur Hvidtfeldt. Project title: Social capital at hospitals – well-being, sickness absence and quality of work. University of Copenhagen

2014-2017

co-Supervisor for PhD-student Agnete Dissing. Project title: Stress in Dynamic Social Networks: Social Influence Effects on Perceived Stress among Young Adults. University of Copenhagen.

2012-2015

Supervisor for Postdoc Nadya Dich. Project title: Protective effects of positive emotionality and life satisfaction against the impact of economic hardship, work strain and major life event on allostatic load accumulation. University of Copenhagen.

2011-2014

co-Supervisor for PhD-student Kasper Olesen. Project title: Long-term health consequences of retirement. University of Copenhagen. PhD degree awarded on October 13, 2014

2011-2014

Principal Supervisor for PhD-student Alice Clark. Project title: Impaired sleep and ischemic heart disease incidence and prognosis. University of Copenhagen. PhD degree awarded on March 5, 2015

2010-2014

co-Supervisor for PhD-student Jolene Masters Pedersen. Project title: Mechanisms of psychosocial and biological factors acting over a life course and low-grade inflammation (mediation and interaction). University of Copenhagen. PhD degree awarded on April 20, 2015

2010-2014

co-Supervisor for PhD-student Helene Nordahl Jensen. Project title: Socioeconomic position and colorectal cancer – the impact of   clustering, interaction, and mediation by modifiable risk factors. University of Copenhagen. PhD degree awarded on May 28, 2014

2009-2014

Principal Supervisor for PhD-student Camilla Pedersen. Project title: Residential and occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) and the risk for diseases. University of Copenhagen.PhD degree awarded on November 27, 2014

2009-2014

Principal Supervisor for PhD-student Ulla Arthur Hvidtfeldt. Project title: Social inequality in breast cancer – clustering, interaction, and mediation. University of Copenhagen. PhD degree awarded on June   23, 2014

2004

Epidemiologic advisor for an expert group of medical doctors. Evidence review on time trend and risk factors for urologic diseases. RAND Health, Santa Monica, USA

Research Scholarship Students

Thea Otte Andersen. Research project: SmartSleep Experiment. Aug-Dec 2018

Anne Christensen. Research project: Impaired sleep and cancer. Feb-Dec 2012

Malene Nielsen. Research project: Caregiving and mortality. May 2011 to Marts 2012

Anne Mette Bender and Gunhild Christensen. Research project: Psychosocial factors and cardiovascular disease. Understanding the mechanisms for men and women. February 2010 to January 2011

Alice Clark. Research project: Psychosocial risk factors and chronic obstructive lung disease. Feb-Dec 2010 

Jolene Masters Petersen. Research project: Psychosocial risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Sep 2009 to Jun 2010

Education

MS, PhD, DMSc

ID: 928500