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CONGRESS OF THE ESPU
2018 ESPU Honorary Member
Prof. Jens Christian Djurhuus
He started his research career in 1970 focusing on the transport mecha-
nisms of the urinary tract with special focus on hydronephrosis.
This lead to his Dr. Med. Sci. dissertation. Using the pig to mirror the
human situation he developed a series of models which first brought
him to Stanford University to set up pig experiments and later to Aarhus
Universitywhere he from1978 established and expanded experimental research facilities
hosting a multispeciality research activity, where he could work together with a large
sequence of young research candidates . Focus was on urinary transport in obstruction
and in vesico-ureteral reflux. The techniques developed in the laboratories were
transferred to the clinical setting in the form of long term monitoring of bladder function
in reflux children, where it was shown that the degree of reflux and reflux nephropathy
was related to the intensity of bladder contractions at night, leading to an increased focus
on treating bladder function in reflux patients. The 24-hour monitoring of bladder function
was then implemented in children with monosymptomatic enuresis. It was shown, that,
what was later recognized, a group of enuretics had a huge urine production a night. This
lead to a fruitful cooperation with industry in the form of a series of symposia bringing
clinicians and researchers to Aarhus from all over the world. Alongside it was of course
recognized that enuresis is not enuresis but a multitude of pathogenetic mechanisms
leading to wetness. In the mid zeroes he was the cofounder of ICCS , the multidisciplinary
scientific society dedicated to focus on the wet child. He has had an abundance of young
research associates who are some of today’s leading figures in pediatrics and pediatric
urology of course mostly nationally, but definitely also internationally. In parallel he has
chaired the dept. of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University and during his 26 years
as chairman the department has grown from hosting appr. 50 researchers to more than
1500. He has also chaired the Danish Research Council for Independent Research, first
the health research section and later the collected council of all faculties. His scientific
production mounts up to more than 350 articles in international peer reviewed journals
predominantly in pediatric urology (Pub Med). He has been awarded with more than
10 prizes, is honorary member of ICCS and the Danish Urological Society and holds
a present a position as section co-editor in Journal of Pediatric Urology.