Speakers
Charles H. Knowles. Professor, MA, PhD, FRCS, honFACCRS, Colorectal Surgeon.
Chief Academic Officer and Clinical Director of Research at the Cleveland Clinic London / Professor of Surgery at Queen Mary University of London / Consultant Colorectal surgeon at Bart’s Health NHS Trust and St Mark’s Hospitals.
Charles Knowles is Chief Academic Officer and Clinical Director of Research at the Cleveland Clinic London. He is also Professor of Surgery at Queen Mary University of London and an honorary Consultant Colorectal surgeon at Barts Health NHS Trust and St Marks Hospitals. He qualified from the University of Cambridge and undertook general surgical training and a PhD in London. His main research interests cover the development and evaluation of new technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic bowel diseases (especially neuromodulation and cell therapies). Clinically, he is a key international opinion leader on pelvic floor disorders and GI neuromuscular diseases.
Professor Knowles holds honorary chairs at University College London and the University of Antwerp. He has authored almost 300 peer-reviewed publications (H-index: 67) as well as contributing to major international colorectal and general surgical texts, national guidance and health policy documents. He was awarded an honorary fellowship of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons in 2021.
Andrew Horne. MD, PhD, Professor of Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences.
Centre for Reproductive Health, Institute of Inflammation and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Andrew Horne is Professor of Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Edinburgh in the UK. He is an internationally renowned clinical expert and leading researcher on women’s health problems, with a focus on endometriosis and pelvic pain. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed scientific articles and is author of the book “Endometriosis – The Experts’ Guide to Treat, Manage and Live Well with Your Symptoms.” He is President-elect of the World Endometriosis Society and Trustee to Endometriosis UK.
Marlon Buncamper. MD, PhD, Professor.
Plastic, Reconstructive and Gender Surgery, Ghent.
Marlon E. Buncamper is a Clinical Associate Professor at University hospital of Ghent. He is an academic plastic and reconstructive surgeon with a high-volume full-time practice in gender affirmation surgeries.
After having completed his medical training at the Maastricht University in the Netherlands, he entered plastic and reconstructive surgical specialty training at the University Hospital of Gent in Belgium under the tutelage of Prof. Monstrey and Prof. Blondeel.
Between 2010 and 2020, Marlon worked as a consultant plastic surgeon at the Centre of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria at the VU University Medical Centre of Amsterdam. In 2020, he was made the head of gender surgery at the University Hospital of Gent, a world-renowned gender program which offers 250 gender affirming/genital reconstructive surgeries a year.
Dedicated to the multidisciplinary approach in gender affirmation care, Professor Buncamper further trained in sexual medicine, became a fellow of the European Society of Sexual Medicine in 2013. In 2016, he was awarded his PhD for his research on penile inversion vaginoplasty. He has published over 50 scientific articles within gender affirming and reconstructive surgery.
Kari Bø. PhD, Professor. Physical therapist.
Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, Norway
Kari Bø is a trained physical therapist and professor of exercise science since 1997. She was elected vice head of Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NIH) 1998-2001 and head of the NIH in 2013-2017. She was the first vice president of the International Organization of Physical Therapists in Women’s Health, WCPT 1999-2007, and has been the vice president of the Norwegian Council for Physical Activity. In addition, professor Bø has been the vice president of the Norwegian Physiotherapy Association subgroup for Sport Physiotherapy. Professor Bø is a project leader at Akershus University Hospital, Norway, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a board member of “The pelvic floor Center” at the same hospital.
Professor Bø has published/in press/submitted/in manuscript > 320 peer review scientific papers (D-index:72) on pelvic floor dysfunction, treatment of incontinence and low back- and pelvic girdle pain, exercise during pregnancy and after childbirth, diastasis recti abdominis, measurement methodology, fitness and women’s health and has given > 340 invited international keynote presentations worldwide. In addition, she has published numerous articles, videos and books about the pelvic floor, fitness, pregnancy and physical activity, and women’s health in general for the lay public.
She is
appointed honorary member of the Norwegian Physiotherapy Association’s Subgroup
of Women’s health, the Brazilian Physiotherapy Association for Women’s Health
and the Chilean Physiotherapy Association for Women’s Health. Professor Bø has received numerous international awards, including one of
her randomized controlled trials on pelvic floor muscle training being named as
a PEDro 15 top trials (2014), the Mildred Elson Award from the World
Confederation of Physiotherapy (2015), and the International Continence Society
Lifelong Achievement Award (2016). In 2019 she was awarded honorary
member of the Norwegian Physiotherapy Association for her work for
physiotherapy in Norway and worldwide.
Maria Lucia Pop. Senior MD. Specialist in psychiatry.
Center for Gender Identity, Sexological Center, Aalborg University, Denmark.
Maria Lucia Pop is a medical doctor, clinical psychologist, and specialist in Psychiatry. She took her residency training in Italy and specialized in Psychiatry in 2011. She has worked since 2014 in Aalborg, Denmark.
She is employed as a senior doctor at Sexological Center, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark. She is a member of the multidisciplinary team in the hospital´s Center for Gender Identity and has participated in establishing the Center since its inception. She is also a member of the National Committee established under the Danish Health Authority focused on the advancement of knowledge and research on transgender health.
In the previous seven years, she has worked with assessment and treatment of sexual dysfunctions in both individuals and couples, but her primary focus has been on assessment and gender-affirming care for transgender and nonbinary people. Her primary research interests concern, therefore, transgender and nonbinary people´s needs for healthcare, gender affirmation, improvement in quality of life and thriving, as well as the mental health professional´s role in addressing these needs.
Anna Luise Kirkengen. Professor emerita, dr.med., Senior advisor.
General Practice Research Unit, Dept. for Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Anna Luise Kirkengen has dealt with the long-term impact of childhood adversity and integrity violation on health for several decades. Her thesis (University of Oslo 1998), transformed to a book titled “Inscribed Bodies” (Springer 2001), discussed how types of violation experiences are inscribed, in the sense of incorporated, as bodily habits and patterns of dysfunctional physiological processes fuelling complex disease. This transformation from complex violation to complex suffering has, by now, become an overarching topic in transdisciplinary research in the neurosciences.
Professor Kirkengen is the author of several books and numerous articles on the relationship between lived violation and the diseased, lived body. She lectures for students on all academic levels in all disciplines in the health- and social sector and for professionals in a wide variety of disciplines that encompass encounters with human beings.
Marianne Nordli
Senior Project Manager in Rud Pedersen Public Affairs. Norway Ltd. Author.
Senior Project Manager in Rud Pedersen Public Affairs.Norway Ltd.
She holds a Bachelor degree in Leadership and HR. She is an international certified trainer and have done trainings in 28 countries within leadership, communication and organisational development. She has worked in finance position in Norway and France, as an international trainer for 14 years and at the headquarter to the progressive party as Head of Learning and development.
Marianne has published two books – the latest being her biography ” My life as a woman” published in 2017.
Nora Johansen. MD, Phd, Gynecologist, Postdoc.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sørlandet Hospital Arendal.
Nora Johansen is a gynecologist at the Hospital of Southern Norway, Arendal. She is working with both obstetrics and gynecology with a special interest in gynecologic endocrinology. She completed her PhD 2019 on late effects after preventive oophorectomy among BRCA mutation carriers. She is now involved in projects covering morbidity and mortality related to hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy, long-term health in BRCA mutation carriers, and sexual function in men and women who have a heart attack.
Knut Klem. MD, Urologist.
Dr. Klem’s clinic. Surgery and urology, Arendal, Norway.
Knut Klem is a qualified surgeon and urologist. He is the founder and medical director of Dr. Klem’s clinic since 2005, a government supported surgical clinic specializing in Male Erectile Dysfunction, Arendal Norway.
He gives regular lectures in male erectile dysfunction for graduating students in Sexology, University of Agder, Norway. Klem has specialized in treatment of Peyronie’s disease, male menopause and hypogonadism.
Cathrine Maria Boge-Olsnes. MSc, PhD, Specialist in Norwegian Psychomotor Physiotherapy.
University Hospital of North Norway / Associate professor, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø.
Cathrine Maria Boge-Olsnes is a physiotherapist specialized in treatment of patients with long-term pain conditions and multifaceted symptoms at the University Hospital of North Norway. She has been affiliated with Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Incontinence and Pelvic Floor Health since 2010, focusing primary on patients with pain and dysfunction in the pelvic area, both in group- and individual treatment. She has conducted a PhD research project on women with chronic pelvic pain treated with Norwegian Psychomotor Physiotherapy.
Anders Lundesgaard. Clinical Psychologist Specialist.
Regional Resource Center on Violence and Traumatic stress in Northern Norway.
Anders Lundesgaard is a Clinical Psychologist Specialist at Regional Resource Center on Violence and Traumatic stress in Northern Norway. He is working with treatment of complex trauma among patients of different backgrounds, some of them are refugees.
He gives lectures and provides consultations on violence, sexual abuse and trauma and resilience.
Bernd Mueller. MD, PhD, Neurologist.
Hyperbaric Medicine Unit, Dept. of Occupational Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Norway.
Bernd Mueller is neurologist and diving physician and has for over ten years been senior physician at the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit at Haukeland University Hospital. The center holds the Norwegian National Treatment Unit for planned Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment, with yearly about 4700 elective and 200 emergency hyperbaric treatments. Mueller has a focus on HBOT-related clinical research with studies on radiation cystitis, pelvic radiation injuries and quality of life.
Heidi Tiller. MD, PhD, Professor, Consultant obstetrics/fetal medicine.
University Hospital of North Norway / The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø.
Heidi Tiller works as consultant in obstetrics and fetal medicine at the University Hospital of North Norway in Tromsø. She is also a professor at The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, leading the Women’s health and perinatology research group. She was a member of the government-appointed committee which published the Norwegian report on Women’s health and sex perspectives in 2022 (NOU 2023:5).
Signe Stafne. MSc, PhD, Physical Therapist.
St. Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Norway.
Signe Nilssen Stafne, Physiotherapist, PhD
Clinic of Rehabilitation, St.Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Norway
Cecilie Therese Hagemann. MD, PhD, Senior Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
University Teacher St. Olav’s University Hospital / Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim, Norway.
Cecilie Hagemann is a gynecologist at St. Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim, Norway, working within the field of general gynecology. She has worked several years at the hospital’s multidisciplinary pain center and developed a special interest and competence in treating patients with persistent and complex pelvic pain conditions.
She also works at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) teaching medical students in gynecology. Her main research interests cover persistent pelvic pain and consequences of traumatic life experiences on general health, including pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction.
Mona Rydningen. MD, PhD, Colorectal Surgeon.
Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Incontinence and Pelvic Floor Health, Tromsø, Norway / Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø / Institute for Clinical Medicine, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø.
Information will come
Norderval is a general surgeon and gastrointestinal surgeon, and has for more than 20 years been involved in the work-up and treatment of patients with pelvic floor dysfunctions. He participated in the establishment of the National Advisory Unit on Incontinence and Pelvic Floor Health, and was for many years a board member. He is now the academic director of the Norwegian national quality registry for treatment of anal incontinence, as well as executive member of the Norwegian Registry of Gastrointestinal Surgery, NORGAST and of the Norwegian Colorectal Cancer Registry. His main research interests are anal incontinence, endoanal ultrasound, fistula treatment and quality registries.