Carsten Hjorthøj

Carsten Hjorthøj is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, at the University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, and serves as research leader at Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health (CORE) under Mental Health Center Copenhagen.

His research centers on epidemiological intersections between severe mental illness and substance use, particularly examining cannabis's role in causing or worsening psychotic disorders like schizophrenia. He is methodologically adept in epidemiology and randomized trials, frequently acting as a consultant for such studies.

Recent 2025 publications reveal consistent focus on mental health epidemiology across schizophrenia spectrum disorders, depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Key themes include substance use impacts (especially cannabis), childhood mental disorder interventions, VR therapy for hallucinations, and vocational rehabilitation. Collaborative work with the Danish High Risk and Resilience Study (VIA 11) is prominent.

Hjorthøj provides methodological consultation for epidemiological studies and randomized trials, with significant involvement in major projects like the Collabri Flex Trials and IBBIS-II, indicating substantial grant participation despite unspecified funding details.

He leads research at CORE and actively contributes to the Danish High Risk and Resilience Study (VIA 11), a major cohort investigating children at familial high risk of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.