Professor Hanne Scholz (MSc, PhD) is Senior Researcher and Head of the Islet Isolation Facility at the Oslo University Hospital, Norway. She has also joined Olle Korsgren’s research group, which focuses on cancer immunotherapy, in the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, as a visiting professor at Uppsala University.
Her educational foundation includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Bioengineering from Bergen College of Engineering in 1994, an MSc in Human Physiology from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Oslo in 2000, and a doctoral degree from the Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine in 2006. She is a visiting professor at Uppsala University at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology.
Prof. Scholz leads a significant research programme within the Department of Transplantation and the Institute for Surgical Research at Oslo University Hospital aiming to improve and optimise islet isolation, beta cell replacement therapies and patient outcomes. The Scholz lab has contributed significantly to the field of beta cell replacement therapy and regenerative medicine. Notable projects within the lab include the development of novel cellular therapies for diabetes utilising stem cells and the innovative use of 3D bio-printing for biomimetic pancreatic islets. Scholz’s research group is an integral part of the Hybrid Technology Hub, a prestigious Centre of Excellence at the University of Oslo. This centre is dedicated to advancing the creation of ‘organ on a chip’ platforms that simulate functional metabolic human tissue.
She has published more than 80 papers in numerous leading journals relating to diabetes and cell biology, including Diabetes, Diabetologia, Current Diabetes Reports, Cell Transplantation, Stem Cell Reviews and Reports, Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, Transplantation International, Circulation and the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Prof. Scholz is co-chair of the Nordic Network for Clinical Islet Transplantation, Secretary of the International Pancreas and Islet Transplantation Association (IPITA), member of Oslo Diabetes Research Centre, and was Councillor at the European Society of Organ Transplantation (ESOT 2019-2023). She is currently associated editor of the Journal Transplantation International. She has supervised more than 8 PhD students, a number of Master students and has been the mentor of a number of postdocs and senior researchers.
Duality of interest: Prof. Scholz has received research support / grants from Novo Nordisk Fonden, Norwegian Diabetes Association together with Board member / advisory panel fees from Vertex Pharmaceutical and Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation (DRWF). She has also received consultancy fees from Vertex Pharmaceutical and her husband runs and is an employee of Scholz Medical.
Date: December 2025