Board

The Board of Oslo Cancer Cluster is made up of nine highly skilled and experienced member representatives who reflect the oncology value chain from basic research to globally marketed products.

Øyvind Kongstun Arnesen

Øyvind Kongstun Arnesen

Chairman of the Board

E-mail: oyvind@vitmed.no

Øyvind Kongstun Arnesen was appointed chairman of the board in 2018.

Kongstun Arnesen is a Medical Doctor with more than ten years of clinical experience and extensive experience from the Pharmaceutical Industry holding positions as Medial Director Bristol-Myers Squibb B, Medical Director, and Head of Clinical Operations at Boehringer Ingelheim and CEO of Ultimovacs from 2012 to 2020. From 2010 to 2021 he served as member of the National Commision for Investigation of Research Misconduct.

He is Chairman of the Board in Hubro Therapeutics and works as an independent advisor to Radforsk, Canica and other investors in the life science sector.

Benedikte Thunes Akre

Benedikte Thunes Akre

Board Member

E-mail: benedikte.akre@astrazeneca.com

Benedikte Thunes Akre has a Cand. Pharm degree from the University of Oslo as well as Bachelor Degree in Biomedical Sciences. She has a long line of experience working within the pharmaceutical industry including preclinical pharmacology, regulatory, safety, marketing and medical affairs.

Thunes Akre has worked for Bristol-Myers Squibb for 18 years and was part of the Global Medical Affairs organization within Immuno-Oncology. She is currently working in Astra Zeneca, where she was Medical Director, Oncology/Hemtalogy Nordics for five years, before assuming her current position as Head of Oncology Medical: Nordics/CEEBA/WESE (Central Eastern Europe & Baltics/Western & Southern Europe).

Line Bjørge

Line Bjørge

Board Member

E-mail: Line.Bjorge@uib.no

Line Bjørge holds the position as medical director in Gynecologic oncology at Helse Bergen HF and is professor in Obstetrics and gynecology and associated investigator at Center for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO) at the University of Bergen (UiB).

She earned her M.D. degree from UiB, her PhD degree from UiB and University of Helsinki and her MBA degree from ESSEC, Paris and Mannheim Business School, Mannheim. Her clinical (in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and in Gynecologic Oncology) and post-doctoral research training in cancer immunology took place both in Norway and abroad (Helsinki, Innsbruck and Groningen).

She has a comprehensive publication list, and her present research activities cover both translational projects as well as clinical trials. She is partner in two H2020 funded projects.

She holds the position as leader for Onkologisk Forum, is member of the board for The Norwegian Cancer Society and is one of two gynecologists in the newly established national second-opinion panel for incurable diseases. She is also active in in the Nordic Society for Gynecologic Oncology, and from 2018 she holds the position as president elect.

Per Morten Sandset

Per Morten Sandset

Board Member

E-Mail: p.m.sandset@admin.uio.no

Per Morten Sandset is a Senior Consultant in hematology at the Oslo University Hospital and a professor in thrombosis research at the University of Oslo.

He has previously been head of the Department of Hematology and Deputy Director of the Medical Division at Ullevål University Hospital and Director of Research, Innovation and Education of the southeastern Norway Health Region.

He is currently Vice-Rector at the University of Oslo with responsibilities for research and innovation including the life sciences activities of the university. Sandset has published more than 315 original publications and supervised 30 PhD students.

Bjørn Atle Bjørnbeth

Bjørn Atle Bjørnbeth

Board Member

E-Mail: BBJOER@ous-hf.no

Dr. Bjørn Atle Bjørnbeth is CEO Oslo University Hospital (OUH). He is a trained gastro surgeon and was formerly head of the gastro and pediatric surgery department at OUH. As a hospital leader, he is concerned with change management, the work environment, and professional development.

Bjørnbeth is dedicated to good health services for the patients at OUH and to manage the resources in the best possible way. His emphasis is on collaborations with the city of Oslo and the University of Oslo, and other important partners, to develop the research and the extensive activity in education and training which the hospital is in charge of.

Ole Dahlberg

Ole Dahlberg

Board Member

E-Mail: ole.dahlberg@outlook.com

Ole J. Dahlberg brings 25 years of experience from the life science industry. In addition to co-founded three start-up companies, Dahlberg worked both on the commercial side, and in R&D leadership roles, for German Biotech company Qiagen. Over the past 15 years Dahlberg has been in executive leadership roles in Life Technologies, as Managing Director for Norway based Dynal Biotech, and later for Thermo Fisher Scientific.

Until 2021 Dahlberg was based in California, USA, working as Vice President & General Manager with responsibility for Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Cell Biology Division. Dahlberg holds a few biotech company board positions, and currently works as Independent Executive in the life science industry. Mr. Dahlberg holds a Master of Science in Genetics and Marine Biology from University of Oslo.

Gunhild M. Mælandsmo

Gunhild M. Mælandsmo

Board Member

E-mail: Gunhild.Mari.Malandsmo@rr-research.no

Gunhild M. Mælandsmo is the head of Department of Tumor Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital where she also is heading the “Metastasis Biology and Experimental Therapeutics” research group. She is a Professor at Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø.

Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross

Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross

Board Member

E-mail: ingrid.ross@kreftforeningen.no

Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross is CEO of the Norwegian Cancer Society - one of the largest organizations in Norway representing the voices of those affected by cancer. She has worked in the field of cancer for almost 10 years and has almost 20 years of experience in political advocacy, organizational development and leadership within different NGO’s. Ross is also deputy chairman of the board of Abelia, and chair of the board of the European Fair Pricing Network.

Leif Rune Skymoen

Leif Rune Skymoen

Board Member

E-mail: lrs@lmi.no

Leif Rune Skymoen is the General Manager of Legemiddelindustrien (LMI), The association for the pharmaceutical industry in Norway. He has previously been Country Director for Eli Lilly in Norway and CEO of Nansen Neuroscience Cluster. Skymoen was also co-founder of the Norwegian contract development and manufacturing company Curida, in which he served as CEO for more than eight years.

He earned his Master’s degree in pharmacy at the University of Oslo and the University of Oxford, and also holds an Executive Master of Management degree from The Norwegian Business School.

Skymoen has served on the board of several companies and organizations.

Jónas Einarsson

Jónas Einarsson

Honourable Member of the Board

E-mail: jonas@radforsk.no

Jónas Einarsson, M.D., is the CEO of the Radium Hospital Research Foundation. He is also on the Management Team of the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. Einarsson is the founder and former CEO and Chairman of the board of Oslo Cancer Cluster and the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park.

The Radium Hospital Research Foundation is an experienced pre-seed investor and project developer focused on cancer. Their focus is on startup companies based on Norwegian research within immunoncology. During his time as CEO, Einarsson has been involved in more than 20 startups.

Einarsson was the CEO and Chairman of the board of Norway’s first private hospital, Oslo Private Sykehus AS. He acted as General Practitioner and Chief Medical Officer of Lardal Municipality for ten years.