Peter Lange

Peter Lange is a Professor in Prevention with focus on COPD and Lung Cancer at the Institute of Public Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, and a senior physician at the Pulmonary Medicine Section at Hvidovre Hospital. He has been a key figure in respiratory medicine research, particularly in the Copenhagen City Heart Study (Østerbroundersøgelsen), which has followed 20,000 Copenhageners since 1987.

Dr. Lange completed his medical degree from the University of Copenhagen in 1985, earned his medical doctorate in 1991, and became a specialist in internal medicine in 1994 and in pulmonary medicine in 1996. His educational background forms the foundation for his dual expertise in clinical medicine and epidemiological research.

His primary research interests focus on lung diseases with special emphasis on COPD, asthma, and lung cancer. He conducts epidemiological studies of disease natural history including risk factors and prognosis, clinical studies on the effects of rehabilitation and medical treatment, and quality assurance of COPD treatment and rehabilitation across healthcare settings. His work bridges clinical practice with population-based epidemiological approaches, making significant contributions to understanding respiratory disease progression and management.

Analysis of his publication record shows sustained research activity spanning several decades, with recent work increasingly focusing on COPD epidemiology, examining low smoking exposure and COPD development, gender differences in COPD, prediction of exacerbations, and rehabilitation outcomes. His research leverages large population studies and long-term follow-up data to identify at-risk populations and improve disease management strategies.

• Member of steering group for Østerbroundersøgelsen since 1987
• Chairman of National Indicator Project (NIP) for COPD since 2006
• President of European Pulmonary Medicine Congress in Copenhagen (2005)
• Chairman of Epidemiology Working Group under European Respiratory Society (1998-2001)

As an educator, Dr. Lange has taught medical students, nurses, patients, and physicians at various levels of training. Since 2006, he has led the course on Obstructive Lung Diseases for doctors specializing in Pulmonary Medicine. He has served as an examiner at the University of Copenhagen since 1995 and has contributed extensively to patient education through numerous brochures and online resources.