News Archive - EDMaRC

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July 2017
New study shows a 50-60% decline in sperm counts among men in Western countries over the last 40 years
EDMaRC researcher Niels Jørgensen is one of the co-authors of a new systematic review and meta-regression analysis on temporal trends in sperm count, which recently was published in Human Reproduction Update. The study found a 50-60% decline in sperm counts between 1973 and 2011 among men unselected by fertility from Western Countries (see abstract here). The paper received attention from several media including BBC and CNN, 
Data from EDMaRC study on male reproductive health were included in the meta analysis.




April 2017
Married men have lower serum testosterone levels than single men
Collaborative study between EDMaRC and the Danish Research Center on Prevention and Health recently published in "Psychoneuroendocrinology" show that a man's marital status may affect his testosterone level. 
See abstract here.
March 2017
EDMaRC scientist cited in featured article in New York Times 
Are your sperm in trouble? by Nicholas Kristof cited EDMaRC scientist Niels Erik Skakkebæk and a recent paper by EDMaRC researchers and collaborators in Physiological Reviews.
The review "MALE REPRODUCTIVE DISORDERS AND FERTILITY TRENDS: INFLUENCES OF ENVIRONMENT AND GENETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY" can be read here.
December 2016
Breasts that come and go
EDMaRC research shows that transient thelarche is a frequent phenomenon in girls. See abstract here.
28th June 2016
EDMaRC study finds possible link between the environment and puberty
Researchers from EDMaRC at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen are the first to describe a possible epigenetic link between the environment and pubertal timing. To a large extent, pubertal timing is heritable, but the underlying genetic causes are still unexplained. Researchers have now studied how chemical modifications of the human genome (so-called epigenetic modifications) change when girls and boys enter puberty. The results indicate that such epigenetic changes are involved in defining the onset of puberty.

Read the publication in Scientific Reports here:


12th February 2016
A paradigm shift in understanding testicular cancer
Research is a precondition for better patient treatment. In rare cases, research also results in a paradigm shift in understanding diseases and the cellular mechanisms behind them. Such a paradigm shift has been on its way for testicular cancer ever since Niels Skakkebæk from the Department of Growth and Reproduction and EDMaRC in 1972 published the first examples of the early stages of testicular cancer (carcinoma in situ) in two patients at Rigshospitalet in the internationally acclaimed journal, The Lancet.
WHO:  Classification of Tumours of the Urinary System and Male Genital Organs. Fourth edition
1st January 2016
EDMaRC's Head of Research, Anna Maria Andersson joins Endocrine Connections Senior Editorial Board
The disciplines of reproductive biology and fertility are strongly associated with endocrinology. Consequently, this is an important area of focus for Endocrine Connections. With its open-access nature and broad scope, the journal is a great option for keeping up-to-date with new research in these fields.
To support authors in this area, Endocrine Connections has recently recruited Anna-Maria Andersson to its Senior Editorial Board.
10th December 2015
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are threatening fertility in industrialized countries
The birth rate is declining in all industrialized countries, and socioeconomic factors and women's age are not solely to blame. Male reproductive health and environmental factors are also significant, as concluded in a new scientific review article. The article was recently published in the prestigious American journal Physiological Reviews.

Read the article here
13th November 2015
New study finds strong connection between high stress levels and impaired semen quality
Men experiencing stress have significantly impaired semen quality. This has been demonstrated in a major new study by scientists at the Department of Growth and Reproduction and EDMaRC at Rigshospitalet. The study is the largest of its kind and it included 1,215 young Danish men.​

Read the article here
April 2016
EDMaRC researchers will be attending ENDO 2016
We will be attending ENDO 2016 in Boston. ENDO 2016 is the world’s premier event for getting the latest updates in endocrine science and medicin. The event will be held from 1-4 April 2016. 
We will be live-tweeting from the event using the hashtag #ENDO2016
Below is a list of links with information about our presentation activities during the conference:
 
Presentations
Professor Anders Juul will present the diagnostic procedures for boys with delayed puberty and the effects of oral androgen therapy.
Topic title: Diagnosis and Treatment of Delayed Puberty in Boys

Professor Niels Erik Skakkebæk will discuss the Declining Fertility Rates and Male Reproductive Disorders.
The publication can be found here. 


Poster presentations at ENDO 2016

Martin Blomberg Jensen, MD
Poster title: Vitamin D and Calcium As Novel Regulators of Reproductive Hormones and Sex Steroids in Copenhagen Bone Gonadal Study: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Rikke Bodin Beck Jensen, MD, PhD, Consultant
Poster title: Genetic Versus Environmental Associations Between IGF-I and Insulin Resistance

Stine Holmboe Jensen, PhD
Poster title: Low Testosterone - a Risk Marker Rather Than a Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes

Anders Rehfeld, PhD
Poster title: Organic Ultraviolet Filters Mimic the Action of Progesterone on Human Sperm and Interfere with Sperm Functions


2nd October 2015
Professor Anders Juul receives prestigious ESPE Research Award 2015
Professor Anders Juul is being recognised for his scientific leadership in the field of paediatric endocrinology. He recieves the award today at the 54th Annual ESPE Meeting in Barcelona



1st February 2015
Welcome to visiting researcher Ajay Thankamony from Cambridge University

We are pleased to welcome Ajay Thankamony, who is a paediatric clinical research fellow at Cambridge University, UK, to EDMaRC. Ajay will stay in Copenhagen for 3 months, working on growth and growth disorders in children.  

18th September 2014
Danish researchers discover a genetic explanation of delayed puberty in girls

Minor variations in a specific gene explain why some girls enter puberty more than 7 months later than their friends. It is the first time it has been shown that changes in one single gene can have such a huge impact on the timing of girls’ puberty. The study was led by Casper Hagen and professor Anders Juul, Head of EDMaRC Management Group and published in Scientific Reports in September 2014.

Read the press release here
Read a Danish summary here
See the scientific article at PubMed here

Katharina Main receives professorship in paediatrics

Congratulations! Katharina Main, member of EDMaRC management group, now holds a professorship in paediatrics, with special focus on disorders of sex development (DSD).

1st July 2014

Jaakko Koskenniemi becomes first EDMaRC PhD student

Jaakko Koskenniemi from Finland is the first EDMaRC PhD student. He started on 1. July 2014. A big welcome to Jaakko!

12th May 2014

Chemicals present in everyday household products can interfere with human sperm's swimming behaviour 

A collaborative study between scientists from Center of Advanced European Studies and Research in Bonn, Germany, and the University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark have found that chemicals present in everyday household products can interfere with human sperm's swimming behaviour. In the study, 96 chemicals present in products like soap, toothpaste, and plastic toys were tested. Of these, a third significantly changed the sperm's swimming behaviour. This is the very first time a direct link has been made between endocrine disrupting chemicals and sperm function. The study was published 12. May 2014 in EMBO Reports.


Read EMBO Reports' press release

May 2014

EDMaRC Opens Its Doors
EDMaRC opened on Thursday 15 May 2014. This was marked by an event at the Panum Institute Faculty Club. EDMaRC will be headed by Prof. Anders Juul from Rigshospitalet and the University of Copenhagen, and Prof. Jorma Toppari from the University of Turku in Finland. Guesting international senior researchers and Rigshospitalet's own team led by Prof. Juul will conduct research at the Centre into the endocrine disruption which could potentially cause a serious societal problem.

Researchers from the Centre will also be responsible for on-site educa-tion of PhD students from Denmark and abroad.

Press release 13th May on EDMaRC opening
English version (pdf)
Danish version (pdf)

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