Sarah Dalgas Nissen

Sarah Dalgas Nissen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, specializing in Large Animal Medicine, Surgery and Reproduction. She also serves as a Guest Researcher in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, focusing on the Physiology of circulation, kidney and lung.

Dr. Nissen earned her veterinary medicine degree (Can.Med.Vet) from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, with her thesis titled "Antiarrhythmic and Electrophysiologic Effects of a Selective IK,ACh Blocker, XAF-1407, on Induced Chronic Atrial Fibrillation in Horses," awarded on January 31, 2018.

Her research primarily focuses on veterinary cardiology, particularly equine cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmias. Dr. Nissen investigates atrial fibrillation in horses as both a clinical condition and a translational model for human cardiac conditions. Her work bridges veterinary and human medicine, examining the physiological mechanisms of cardiac rhythm disorders, innovative ablation techniques, and diagnostic approaches for cardiac conditions in large animals. She has developed specialized expertise in using horses as models that share proteomic changes with humans, creating valuable translational research bridges.

Analysis of Dr. Nissen's recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong focus on cardiac electrophysiology, particularly atrial fibrillation and ablation techniques. Her research spans both veterinary and human applications, with significant work on pulsed-field ablation technologies, cardiac monitoring systems, and the physiological connections between cardiac and pulmonary systems during exercise and respiratory challenges. Notably, she has published multiple studies on targeted ablation procedures, validation of diagnostic tools for equine cardiac conditions, and the relationship between cardiac arrhythmias and exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.

Dr. Nissen's research group collaborates extensively with both veterinary and human cardiology specialists across multiple institutions, working across species (horses, pigs) to advance understanding of cardiac electrophysiology. Her team investigates innovative approaches to diagnose and treat cardiac arrhythmias, with particular attention to translational applications between veterinary and human medicine, utilizing advanced techniques like pulsed-field ablation and detailed electrophysiological mapping.