Birgitte Vrou Offersen’s area of research is radiation therapy for breast cancer, both anti-tumour effects and side effects. Her efforts have now been rewarded with a personal award of DKK 100,000 from William Nielsen's Foundation.

Birgitte Vrou Offersen is consultant, PhD and clinical associate professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University and the Department of Oncology at Aarhus University Hospital. She works with post-treatment of breast cancer patients. 

Her research benefits almost all breast cancer patients

Approximately 95 per cent of all newly operated breast cancer patients require radiation therapy as part of their post-treatment and Birgitte Vrou Offersen's research is focused on this group of patients.

"The main objective of my research is to ensure optimum and quality-assured radiation therapy for all patients who have been operated for breast cancer in Denmark. It is important to me that the treatment we offer the newly operated breast cancer patients is of the highest international level," says Birgitte Vrou Offersen.

She is both author and principal investigator for two active randomised trials. At present she is waiting for approval from the scientific ethical committee for the next randomised study, which is expected to begin in February 2015 in all Danish radiation therapy departments and in several departments abroad.

Birgitte Vrou Offersen is also a lecturer on three international courses on breast cancer radiation therapy and she has helped to develop European guidelines for the definition of the lymph node areas that require radiation therapy in the case of lymph node-positive breast cancer.

Recognition increases motivation

"I am very pleased to receive the award and it helps motivate me even more to further my research in a busy working day. I consider it a great honour and appreciation of my work and I think it shows that other people also think that my research makes a lot of sense," says Birgitte Vrou Offersen.

Birgitte Vrou Offersen graduated with an MD from Aarhus University in 1995 and received her PhD from the same university in 2002. She was appointed clinical associate professor in 2011.

Birgitte Vrou Offersen was born on 9 May 1968 in Over Fussing near Randers.

Further information

Consultant, PhD, Clinical Associate Professor Birgitte Vrou Offersen
Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine and

Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Oncology
Tel.: +45 7846 2547

birgoffe@rm.dk