ReseaRch Quality assuRance foR the futuRe a ... - Lund University

Panel 8 – medicine | clinical
Research activities: The research activities focus on diabetes, type I
and II, with four groups active in the field. Professor Ahrens team has
provided an extensive list of publication, and the principle investigator
himself as an extensive publication record. Overall, he has a high
number of citations. In addition, a second team working on diabetes
is headed by Dr. Mona Landin Ohlson. That team is smaller: For both
teams the quality of the research deserves the merit very good, with some
papers aspiring to excellence. A third team working with diabetes related
problems is headed by Dr. Winzell who, from the papers provided, does
not seem to occupy a faculty position. Dr. Ewa Maria Erfuhrt also heads
a team working in the field of diabetes with a more limited publication
record. All in all, the activities by Dr. Erfuhrt and Winzell could be
rated as good with some quite good quality publications but in general
a limited output. Yet, in case Dr Winzell has no academic position, her
output stands out as more impressive. A team working into gastroenterology
is headed by the Head of the Department (Professor Åke Nilsson),
who has an extensive publication record and is highly cited in the
literature; the research is very good. While the output of the activity from
the other team doing research in the gastrointestinal area, Dr. Ruidong
Duan also has been quite productive over the recent years under the
principle investigator has smaller all over publication record, and may be
rated as “good”. Finally, Dr. Lars Edvinsson is heading a team working
on cerebral circulation issues. This principle investigator has a most
extensive track record with respect to publications as well as citations in
the ISI Web of Science, and the activity could be rated as excellent.
Future: A key problem to this Department is the age of the principle
investigators. As such, three out of four professors are within an age range
of 63–66 years old, with the fourth professor (Ahrén) being 56. Dr.
Edvinsson is at the age of 67. and Drs Landing-Olsson and Erfuhrt are
both well in their 50-ties. Considering the high quality research provided
by each of the groups headed by the Professors, it is mandatory to provide
strategic plans how these activities may be prolonged following their
retirement. We believe with respect to replacement it is highly important
to continue the ongoing activities in the field of diabetes research, but
perhaps a stronger integration between the smaller groups may facilitate
their robustness.
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