Department of Regional Health Research
Professor and Research Director Kim Houlind has been appointed the new head of the Department of Regional Health Research at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU).
Starting 1 May, Professor Houlind will become the Head of the Department of Regional Health Research. This follows more than seven years of service as the Chief Surgeon at Kolding Hospital's Department of Vascular Surgery, whilst also fulfilling roles as a Professor and Coordinating Research Director.
- I have been associated with the Department of Regional Health Research for thirteen years and am excited about the prospect of leading the department. It is an institution comprising 400 researchers across 50 research groups, affiliated with twelve hospitals in three regions – a truly multifaceted organisation.
- The hospitals include small to medium-sized ones, historically not classified as university hospitals, which have notably enhanced their academic standing in recent years. They are unified by a commitment to addressing and researching prevalent diseases and fostering robust ties with municipalities and general practices through cluster collaborations.
- With the forthcoming healthcare service structural reform, our research will play a pivotal role in the accumulation and synthesis of vital knowledge for shaping future healthcare services, states Professor Houlind.
Professor Houlind is recognised as a leading figure in the Danish and international realms of vascular surgery. Notably, he was the principal author of a comprehensive analysis on vascular surgery within the Central Denmark Region, which examined the frequency of amputations across hospitals in Central Jutland.
His research has primarily focused on identifying the most effective treatments for limb preservation versus amputation, under the BASIL-2 collaboration. The outcomes of this international study were published in The Lancet last year.
He has supervised ten PhD candidates and boasts an extensive publication portfolio in vascular surgery, cardiac surgery, and surgical education.
- We are immensely pleased that Kim is stepping into this role. His vast academic and practical knowledge, coupled with his personal qualities, equips him well for success, remarks Ole Skøtt, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at SDU.
Professor Houlind has been linked with the Department of Regional Health Research and SDU since 2011, although his medical degree and PhD were awarded by Aarhus University. His specialist training includes cardiothoracic surgery, further specialising in vascular surgery after undergoing training at Danish hospitals and a one-year fellowship in Melbourne, Australia. Moreover, he has served as the President of the Danish Society for Vascular Surgery and as the Main Course Leader for the vascular surgery specialty.
Professor Houlind succeeds Rikke Leth-Larsen as the Head of Department, a position she held since 2015.
Born in 1966 in Aarhus, Professor Houlind is 58 years old. On a personal note, he resides in Risskov with his wife, Mette, a Senior Consultant at Aarhus University Hospital. They have four children, who have since moved out. In his free time, Professor Houlind enjoys spending time with family and friends, and embracing nature through walking, running, and sea kayaking.