Hlíf Steingrímsdóttir, Þórarinn Gíslason, Erna Sif Arnardóttir, Erla Björnsdóttir and Alan I. Pack.

An international research group lead by Þórarinn Gíslason, professor at the Faculty of Medicine and chief physician at Landspítali University Hospital, has received 1.3 million US dollars from the National Institute of Health for research in sleep apnea. The grant is for five years.

The aim of the study is to examine how blood pressure response changes with treatment using sleep apnea machines, and whether there are genetic and physiological explanation for variations in individual blood pressure changes in persons with sleep apnea. Furthermore, individual variation in the structure and function of the respiratory tract will be explored using MRI and physiological measurements during sleep. 

The total amount of the grant is 11.5 million dollars, thereof 1.3 million dollars go to Iceland. The National Institute of Health has twice before supported the research team's projects. The first grant was for research on genetics and the nature of sleep apnea, and the latter to evaluate the interaction of heart and vascular diseases and sleep apnea. Iceland's share in those two projects was around 2.5 million dollars.

Collaboration on sleep research between the University of Iceland, Landspítali University Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania (PENN) has been in place since 2001. The collaboration is lead by Þórarinn Gíslason, professor at the Faculty of Medicine and chief physician at the pulmonary division at the Landspítali University

Hospital, and Alan I. Pack, professor at the University of Pennsylvania and guest professor at the University of Iceland's Faculty of Medicine.

A seminar was held earlier in June on sleep research in Iceland where future projects of the research team were introduced. Alan I. Pack was the keynote speker and discussed new approaches in medicine with regards to diagnosis and treatment. Hlíf Steingrímsdóttir, managing director of the division of internal medicine at Landspítali University Hospital chaired the event. The seminar was held at Landspítali University Hospital.

Sleep Research – Research Collaboration Between the University of Pennsylvania, Landspítali University Hospital and the University of Iceland

Rector's address, presented at Landspítali University Hospital in Fossvogur, Blásalir, 7th floor on Friday 9 June 2017

Ladies and gentlemen.

It is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to say a few words here today. The research collaboration between Professors Þórarinn Gíslason and Allan I. Pack has a long and illustrious history. I would like to begin by congratulating you and your research team on winning a generous five-year grant from the National Institute of Health for the third time. This grant is testament to the high quality of the team's research, which has had considerable scientific impact and promoted improved health and quality of life for a huge number of people. We are proud of this success and deeply impressed by your research work.

Achieving the status of a leading international research university is a priority for the University of Iceland. It is safe to say that your research and publications in outstanding scientific journals have played a significant role in strengthening the University and reaffirming its position in the face of tough international competition. Active and wellorganised research teams with strong international connections are exactly those most likely to succeed in the contemporary scientific community. Cooperation, organisation and originality are crucial.

Landspítali University Hospital is one of the University of Iceland's most important collaborating partners. Our partnership is unique. Together we are responsible for the education of almost all healthcare professionals in Iceland and together we conduct dynamic research in the health sciences and related disciplines. At any one time, there are around 2,000 students studying in the health sciences here in Iceland and staff number in the hundreds. The University of Iceland and Landspítali University Hospital have a clear role and objective: to educate healthcare professionals and improve the treatment, care and services provided to patients and their relatives. To achieve this objective, we must work together on teaching, quality research and innovation, thereby strengthening the international status of the University of Iceland and Landspítali University Hospital in an environment of stiff international competition for top staff and students.

Together, the University of Iceland and Landspítali University Hospital are an attractive collaborating partner with considerable research experience, potential and human resources, both staff and students. For us, it is vital to strengthen collaboration with the world's leading universities and university hospitals since we aspire to excel in scientific research – research that attracts acclaim and has a real impact on the health sciences and quality of life.

Ladies and gentlemen, the research collaboration between the University of Pennsylvania, Landspítali University Hospital and the University of Iceland is an exemplary case of ambitious and fruitful partnership that has brought us critical success and moved us closer to achieving our objectives. The partnership is extremely important to the University of Iceland and I would like to thank you all for your vital contributions. I wish to extend my particular thanks to Professor Þórarinn Gíslason and Professor Allan I. Pack, who is by the way an adjunct professor at the University of Iceland, for their enterprise and leadership.

Congratulations on the grant and your remarkable success, and the best of luck for the future.
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