New professor shines a light on women’s physiology across the lifespan
Mette Hansen has been appointed Professor of Sports Science at the Department of Public Health, taking up the position on 1 November 2025. Her research focuses on how female sex hormones affect muscles, strength, and health throughout different stages of life.
As a professor, Mette Hansen will further develop her research into sports science, with particular emphasis on how female sex hormones influence non-reproductive tissues such as muscles and bones, and what this means for women’s health, performance, and well-being. Her goal is to close significant knowledge gaps regarding the role of hormones and to establish a solid evidence base for health promotion across life stages and levels of physical activity.
“I see the professorship as a great recognition of the work my colleagues and I have dedicated over the years to answering key research questions in female physiology. I hope the appointment can help foster increased support for a research field that has historically been underrepresented,” says Mette Hansen.
Mette Hansen is involved in several research projects, including HER-Muscle, which investigates the role of oestrogen in muscle mass and function; KAHOP, which examines how hormonal IUDs affect adaptation to strength training; as well as The PEPP Study and Feminae, which focus on physical and physiological changes during pregnancy and the menstrual cycle, respectively.
She has also supervised more than 190 undergraduate and master’s students, six PhD students, and two postdoctoral researchers, and considers talent development and teaching to be an important part of her role.
Contact
Professor Mette Hansen
Department of Public Health, Aarhus University
Phone: +45 51 66 65 51
Email: [email protected]