Professor Lars Engebretsen

Professor Engebretsen is currently the Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Oslo University Clinic and Head of Medical Sciences in the International Olympic Committee. He has been the IOC representative on the WADA HMR committee for the last 4 years. Professor Engebretsen has published over 500 articles and book chapters, with a citation index (H-index) of 114. He is among the world’s most productive in clinical, epidemiological and basic science research in the areas of general sports medicine, knee ligaments, cartilage and prevention of sports injuries and illnesses. He has received research grants and awards from many agencies and associations, including the National Institutes of Health, the Norwegian Council for Research in Science and Humanities, the Norwegian Ministry of Health, the American Orthopedic Society of Sports Medicine (AOSSM) and the International Olympic Committee. He and his group have won several research awards around the world, and he was inducted into the AOSSM Hall of Fame in July 2015 and became an ESSKA Honorary member in 2016 and ISAKOS Honorary member in 2017. He received the Nordic Prize in Medicine in 2016. Engebretsen is involved with three research groups: Knee ligaments together with May Arna Risberg in Oslo and Robert LaPrade in Vail, Colorado, the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center co-chaired with professor Roald Bahr and emphasizing prevention of injuries and diseases in sports, and the Oslo Cartilage Group, which encompasses research from the cell to rehab after surgery, involving molecular biologists, pathologists, radiologists, physiotherapists and orthopedic surgeons. In 1997, the cartilage group performed the first knee joint chondrocyte transplantation in Norway. Since then, the group has had major emphasis on translational research. The group works closely with the Stem Cell group led by dr Brinchmann and has optimized chondrocyte and stem cell cultivation while at the same time developing surgical techniques for implantation. Professor Engebretsen has been the President of the Norwegian Sports Medicine Society, the Scandinavian Foundation of Sports Medicine and European Society of Sports Traumatology and Arthroscopy (ESSKA). Dr Engebretsen is or has been a board member of many other societies including, but not limited to, the Norwegian Society of Sports Medicine, the Scandinavian Foundation of Medicine & Science in Sports, the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS), the Orthopedic Research Society and International Knee Society. He is the Editor of the British Journal of Sports Medicine (IPHP edition), Associate Editor of Journal of Bone and Joint (the most prestigious journal in orthopedics) and on the editorial board of American Journal of Sports Medicine, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, Knee Surgery, Arthroscopy and Sports Traumatology, and The Knee and is a regular reviewer for all the major orthopedic and sports traumatology journals.