Dr. Bjorn Olsen

Biography

Dr. Bjorn R. Olsen has made major contributions to the fields of extracellular matrix biology, genetics, and developmental cell biology, earning international recognition and acclaim for his work. Born in Skien, Norway, he obtained his medical and doctoral degrees from the University of Oslo in 1967. He became a faculty member at the Anatomical Institute and conducted molecular studies on the structure of collagen. In 1971, he moved to the United States to work with Dr. Darwin Prockop and subsequently joined the faculty of the Department of Biochemistry at Rutgers Medical School, becoming a full professor in 1976. In 1985, he was appointed Hersey Professor of Anatomy and Cellular Biology at Harvard Medical School, and his position transitioned as the Anatomy and Physiology departments merged to form the Department of Cell Biology. Dr. Olsen is a senior member of the staff at Forsyth Institute and has published over 400 papers throughout his career. He has held leadership roles in several professional organizations, including the International Society for Matrix Biology. His extensive research over the past 35 years has significantly advanced understanding of diseases such as dwarfism, congenital vascular anomalies, osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis. Additionally, his work has been pivotal in elucidating the roles of collagens, transcription factors, and receptors in skeletal development and angiogenesis.

Research Interests