Two NorTrials Centre Leads Each won an Award
Åslaug Helland and Peder L. Myhre were named Enthusiast of the Year and Young Researcher of the Year respectively, when Norway’s Award for Excellence in Clinical Trials was presented for the first time.
The award is a national distinction intended to highlight and recognise those who truly make a difference to clinical research in Norway. It was established by NorTrials, LMI, CONNECT, Inven2, NorCRIN and Melanor.
However, an entirely independent jury assessed all of the approximately 100 nominations submitted across the six award categories.
Åslaug Helland named Enthusiast of the Year
Åslaug Helland, Head of NorTrials Cancer, won the award in the category Enthusiast of the Year for her many years of focused and tireless work to secure more clinical trials for cancer patients in Norway. Her engagement has been particularly directed towards lung cancer treatment, where she has helped ensure that new and ground-breaking therapies have reached Norwegian patients at an early stage. Her long-standing and consistent efforts have delivered clear results, and in 2025 she was among those in Norway who contributed to the largest and broadest recruitment of trials and patient inclusion, according to the jury’s citation.
“I did not expect this at all! It is an incredibly great honour,” said a visibly moved Helland from the stage. “But this is the result of a national collaboration involving many people. It is a network that has contributed to everything we have achieved – both for lung cancer patients and within precision medicine. So this is tremendous fun, and I am deeply grateful both for the nomination and for receiving the award. Thank you so much,” said Helland.
Peder L. Myhre named Young Researcher of the Year
Peder Langeland Myhre, Head of NorTrials Cardiovascular, won the award in the category Young Researcher of the Year. The age limit for this category is 40 years, which the award winner only just met – he turned 41 the day after the award ceremony.
Myhre received the award for demonstrating outstanding commitment and for already having made a significant impact in clinical practice, teaching and research. Despite his young age, he has 120 registered publications and has served as principal investigator for eight investigator-initiated trials and ten industry-initiated trials. With his impressive research career, international visibility and role as Head of NorTrials Cardiovascular, the winner has great potential to make a substantial difference to clinical trials in Norway, according to the jury’s citation.
“I would like to take this opportunity to commend those behind this wonderful event. It is incredibly dignified – something those of us working on the hospital floor do not experience very often. When you win an award called Young Researcher of the Year, it is in the nature of things that you stand on the shoulders of giants. I certainly do, particularly those in my professional environment at Ahus,” said Myhre.
“I have had mentors who have truly championed young researchers, and that is essential if clinicians are to choose research beyond completing a PhD. Norwegian cardiology has many role models to follow, making it easier to choose an academic career once you become involved in research. I hope that in the future more young clinicians will choose to conduct research alongside clinical work, as this is difficult to achieve when you are working full time with patients. I therefore hope there will be increased funding for combined positions, so that people like me can continue doing what we are truly passionate about – integrating research into everyday clinical practice. Thank you very much for this award, and thanks to my colleagues at Ahus – including the NorTrials centre, which we have grown very fond of and proud of. NorTrials was a fantastic initiative from the Ministry of Health and Care Services, and what it has enabled for us at Ahus and for all the other centres has been absolutely crucial in making our work on industry-initiated trials possible,” said Myhre.
Signe Øien Fretland, Head of the NorTrials Coordinating Unit, says she is proud that two of the centre heads emerged victorious in such a highly competitive field.
“The NorTrials centres are a very important part of our organisation, so seeing them recognised in this way is both well deserved and great fun. Both Peder and Åslaug are excellent NorTrials ambassadors – nationally through their inclusive approach, and internationally through close collaboration with industry across borders,” says Fretland.
In addition, the OVERLORD-MS trial won the award for Investigator-Initiated Trial of the Year, with Kjell-Morten Myhr, Head of NorTrials Brain Health, playing a key role.
The article was translated from Norwegian using ChatGPT and edited by Ellen Johnsen.