In front of some 12,000 delegates at this year’s UEG congress, Professor Lars Aabakken received the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented annually following nominations from its 55 member countries. UEG describes him as one of the most influential figures in gastrointestinal endoscopy in Europe and beyond.
“This is a significant accolade in our profession. My impression at the congress was that both friends and Norwegian colleagues were proud on Norway’s behalf,” Aabakken says. “It really was a good day at work.”
Aabakken is professor and consultant in endoscopy at the Department of Transplantation Medicine, at the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital.
Four decades of shaping endoscopic practice
The Professor has played a central role in developing modern endoscopic practice for nearly four decades.
Endoscopy is a medical procedure where a thin, flexible tube fitted with a camera and light is used to internally inspect organs such as the digestive tract. Images are relayed to a screen, enabling clinicians to detect disease development, inflammation, ulcers or early cancer.
"I have always been interested in troubled stomachs, intestines and bile ducts. Precision and sound clinical practice have always mattered to me," Aabakken says.
Innovations in training, standards and clinical registries
Aabakken first laid the groundwork for his career while researching drug induced intestinal injury for his doctorate degree, employing then novel techniques.
Since, he has been a driving force behind efforts to modernise and standardise the specialty. His contributions include innovative teaching tools, the development of quality and terminology standards, and clinical registries that have inspired national systems elsewhere.
For almost 25 years Aabakken has led Gastrolab at Rikshospitalet hospital, which he has helped transform into a state of the art endoscopy centre.
“I am very proud of the Gastrolab. It has become the best department I could wish for, and my colleagues are so capable that I can now travel the world without worrying. Rikshospitalet and Norway would be strong with or without me,” he says, paying tribute to his colleagues.
International work and focus on Africa
Aabakken’s commitment extends well beyond Norway. He has been heavily involved in quality improvement and education across Europe.
“My vision is to address gaps in healthcare where endoscopic services are lacking,” Professor Aabakken says.
He has been particularly active in advancing endoscopy in sub Saharan Africa, supporting clinical practice, remote education, research collaborations and tailored assistance at selected regional centres.
“My wish is to draw more attention to parts of the world that do not have the same opportunities for endoscopic diagnosis and treatments as we do,” he says. “There is still a long way to go, but this work is probably what matters most to me.”
To highlight regional needs, Aabakken has helped secure Cape Town, South Africa, as the host city for the next World Congress in the specialty.
Mentorship and leadership
UEG also noted Aabakken’s extensive organisational work. He has held leading roles in the major endoscopy societies: president of the Scandinavian Association for Digestive Endoscopy (SADE), the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE), and, most recently, the World Endoscopy Organization (WEO).
Alongside a substantial body of scientific publications and textbooks, he remains an active mentor to doctoral students and a source of inspiration for the next generation of clinicians.
"A creative, clinically skilled and innovative colleague"
Dag Kvale, the head of the Institute of Clinical Medicine at the University of Oslo, praised the award as greatly deserved:
“It is very gratifying that Professor Lars Aabakken is honoured by the wider European community. He is a creative, clinically skilled and innovative colleague who has, over a long period, made a commendable contribution to advancing the discipline. Many congratulations from the Institute.”