Department of Clinical Medicine gets new Cochrane centre
Professor Henrik Toft Sørensen heads new centre that will strengthen evidence-based medicine through research, teaching and advisory services across the university and hospital.
Systematic reviews play a crucial role in modern health science by summarising and evaluating all available research within specific treatment areas.
Now the Department of Clinical Medicine is strengthening its position in this field with the establishment of Cochrane Aarhus – a new centre that will elevate both research and teaching in evidence-based medicine to an international level.
The new centre opened on 1 April 2025 and is located at the Department of Clinical Epidemiology with Professor Henrik Toft Sørensen as overall head.
Focus on three main areas
The centre will not only conduct high-quality research, but also function as an important resource and advisory centre for researchers, PhD students and clinicians across Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital.
According to Henrik Toft Sørensen, Cochrane Aarhus will work within three main areas:
- Research in Cochrane methodology and evidence-based medicine
- Teaching in systematic review methodology
- Advisory services on development and evaluation of systematic reviews
During the first year, the centre will focus on staff competence development through courses and guidance meetings, while initiating the first of five Cochrane reviews.
The centre is initially staffed by two part-time senior researchers: Professor Mette Nørgaard and Professor Alma B. Pedersen. According to the plan, a PhD student will be added in 2026.
"Systematic reviews are an important part of clinical work and research, and the establishment of the centre will strengthen this field at both Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital," says Henrik Toft Sørensen.
Advisory services for researchers
A central element will be the establishment of an advisory infrastructure for researchers, PhD students and clinicians who need help with systematic reviews.
"We can help with many different types of projects. For example, this could be help comparing the effect of different medical treatments or surgical procedures," explains Henrik Toft Sørensen.
According to him, the ambition is to establish a well-functioning centre that produces high-quality research and reviews.
Cochrane Aarhus will collaborate closely with Cochrane Denmark and Odense University Hospital as part of the national network.
Facts: What are systematic reviews?
Systematic reviews are a method for summarising all available scientific evidence on a specific health question.
The process includes:
- Systematic search for all relevant studies in databases worldwide
- Assessment of study quality
- Only high-quality studies are included in the analysis
- Statistical comparison of results (meta-analysis)
- Objective conclusion based on the combined evidence
The advantage of systematic reviews is that they minimise bias and provide a more complete and reliable picture than individual studies. Therefore, they are considered the gold standard for evidence-based medicine.
Cochrane reviews are the international standard for systematic reviews and are published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Contact
Professor Henrik Toft Sørensen
Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine
Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Clinical Epidemiology
Phone: +45 87168215
Email: hts@clin.au.dk