His research begins, when the heart stops
Professor Lars Wiuff Andersen’s research is a matter of life or death. Literally speaking. In just a few years, he has become one of Denmark’s leading scientific researchers in acute, critical illness. Now he has been awarded the 2026 Holst-Knudsen Research Talent Award.
By Ida Hammerich Nielson
Cardiac arrest often happens without warning. One moment everything is normal, the next a person is lying dead on the floor, and the clock is ticking. For every minute that goes by without effective treatment, the patient’s chances of survival drop dramatically. For doctors and researchers, this raises an important question: What is the best treatment in those first critical minutes?
This question is central to Professor Lars Wiuff Andersen’s work. From his bases at Aarhus University, the Central Denmark Region Prehospital Services and Aarhus University Hospital, he seeks to improve treatment of cardiac arrest patients – in the ambulance as well as in hospital. The goal is simple, but ambitious: to save more lives.
And his research has already changed the way we treat cardiac arrest.
“For many years, some people treated cardiac arrest with calcium, mainly to restore the body’s electrolyte balance and improve contractility. However, our research has shown that this treatment did not have the expected positive effects and could even be harmful. Our findings have been integrated into international guidelines for cardiac arrest treatment,” says Lars Wiuff Andersen.
Injection into the bone
When it comes to cardiac arrest, even small changes can make a huge difference. Therefore, research on cardiac arrest does not focus exclusively on medication, but also on more practical aspects – e.g. how to get the medication into the body. In hospitals, medication is usually administered through the veins, but in the ambulance, there is not always time to do that, and so paramedics insert the needle directly into the bone in the shin or upper arm.
“Our research shows that the two methods are just as effective, which means that paramedics can continue to use the method they prefer,” says Lars Wiuff Andersen.
The close connection between research and practice is vital to Lars Wiuff Andersen’s work. As a doctor, he is in contact with intensive care patients, and as a researcher, he can develop new strategies and improve treatments across the healthcare system. This means that lab results can quickly be integrated into treatments.
“It is important to me that my research helps improve treatment of patients. And I am grateful that clinicians in the ambulances and hospitals have the mental resources to think about research in emergency situations,” he says.
Strengthening the research environment
Lars Wiuff Andersen is celebrated for his ability to share knowledge with colleagues and students and thus to strengthen the research environment. Among other things, he has set up a monthly journal club for researchers and clinicians from three different departments at Aarhus University Hospital, which focusses on cross-disciplinary dialogue, and he organises workshops on methodology and statistics.
“It is inspiring and fun to help train young researchers who are extremely committed and eager to learn more about the kind of research that I am interested in,” says Lars Wiuff Andersen.
[Billedtekst]
What is the best treatment for cardiac arrest? Doctor and Professor Lars Wiuff Andersen’s research focusses on those vital seconds where paramedics, nurses and doctors need to make critical decisions, and he translates data and clinical insight into concrete improvements of treatments used around the world.
Professor Lars Wiuff Andersen
About the Holst-Knudsen Research Talent Award
The Holst-Knudsen Research Talent Award is awarded in connection with the annual prize-giving at Aarhus University. The Award is conferred on two talented, young, Danish researchers employed at Aarhus University and carries a cash prize of DKK 100,000. The Award will be presented at the award ceremony in the Main Hall on Wednesday 27 May. Register for the event (link).
This year, the Award is conferred on Professor Dorthe Ravnsbæk and Professor Lars Wiuff Andersen.
The Rigmor and Carl Holst-Knudsen Award for Scientific Research will be conferred at the University’s annual celebration in September.