Merete Nordentoft

Merete Nordentoft is a Clinical Professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, specializing in Psychiatry. Her work focuses on understanding and improving outcomes for individuals with severe mental illness through epidemiological research and clinical interventions.

Dr. Nordentoft is internationally recognized for her expertise in epidemiology, suicidal behavior, psychopathology and early intervention in psychosis. Her research has significantly advanced our understanding of schizophrenia outcomes, suicide prevention, and early psychosis intervention. She has pioneered large-scale population studies that have reshaped mental health care approaches in Denmark and beyond.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on adolescent mental health, psychosis risk prediction, neurobiological markers of mental disorders, and innovative assessment methods. The research spans epidemiological investigations, clinical trials, and neuroimaging studies, all aimed at improving early detection and intervention for mental health conditions.

Her major contributions have been recognized through:

• Global Excellence in Health Award (2012)

Dr. Nordentoft has served as Principal Investigator for numerous significant research initiatives, including the Danish OPUS trial for early psychosis intervention and the iPSYCH initiative for integrative psychiatric research. Her leadership in the Danish High Risk and Resilience Study VIA 7 has generated important insights into the developmental trajectories of mental disorders. She has maintained a continuous national focus on suicide prevention since 1997 and demonstrated the significant mortality gap in schizophrenia.

Her work bridges clinical practice with population-level research, influencing mental health policy and clinical guidelines both nationally and internationally. She maintains active research collaborations across multiple countries and continues to produce high-impact publications in leading psychiatric journals.