Julie Caroline Sæther

About

Current position:

Postdoctoral researcher in Cardiogenomics group, Cardiac Exercise Research Group (CERG), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Located at St. Olavs Hospital in Trondheim, Norway.

Education:

BSc in Human Movement Science, NTNU
MSc in Exercise Physiology and Sport Sciences, NTNU
PhD in Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU

PhD thesis:
Title: Identification of novel circulating biomarkers for risk prediction of lipid-rich coronary plaques and myocardial infarction

Research

Previous work:
Previously worked with circulating biomarkers (microRNA and lipoprotein subfractions) for myocardial infarction and risk prediction for myocardial infarction. Has experience with HUNT, registry data (Norwegian Heart Attack Registry, NORIC, DÅR and NPR), and NMR spectroscopy.

My current research focuses on exercise physiology and clinical intervention studies, with a particular interest in how exercise can improve health outcomes in women living with lipedema. I currently lead work within the LipidEx project, a randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of different exercise interventions on pain, quality of life, body composition, adipose tissue characteristics, and circulating blood biomarkers.

My research interests include exercise interventions, clinical trials, biomarkers, adipose tissue biology, body composition, and patient-reported outcomes. I am particularly interested in understanding the physiological mechanisms underlying exercise-induced adaptations and how these relate to clinically meaningful outcomes.

I welcome opportunities for national and international collaboration related lipedema research.

Current research project:

Ongoing study (Study ends in August 2026):

LipidEx HIIT (Effect of high-intensity endurance training in women with lipedema)

Upcoming study (Study start in September 2026):

LipidEx MICT (Effect of moderate-intensity endurance training in women with lipedema
Do you have lipedema and live in Trondheim? Registrer here to join our reseach project. Recruitment are open May-September 2026.

Publications

2026

de Martin Topranin, Virginia; Brørs, Gunhild; Sæther, Julie Caroline; Gerdts, Eva; Vangen, Siri; Bye, Anja. (2026) Translation and validation of the Norwegian ABCD Risk Questionnaire to assess cardiovascular disease knowledge and risk perception prior to myocardial infarction. BMJ Open
Academic article

2023

Sæther, Julie Caroline; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug; Taraldsen, Maria Dalen; Gigante, Bruna; Follestad, Turid; Røsjø, Helge Rørvik; Omland, Torbjørn; Wiseth, Rune; Madssen, Erik; Bye, Anja. (2023) Associations between circulating microRNAs and lipid-rich coronary plaques measured with near-infrared spectroscopy. Scientific Reports
Academic article
Sæther, Julie Caroline; Bye, Anja; Madssen, Erik; Follestad, Turid. (2023) Identification of new circulating biomarkers for risk prediction of lipid-rich coronary plaques and myocardial infarction. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Doctoral thesis
Sæther, Julie Caroline; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug; Gigante, Bruna; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Follestad, Turid; Wiseth, Rune; Madssen, Erik; Bye, Anja. (2023) The association between circulating lipoprotein subfractions and lipid content in coronary atheromatous plaques assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy. International journal of cardiology: Heart and Vasculature (IJCHA)
Academic article
Sperstad, Sigri Bakken; Sæther, Julie Caroline; Klevjer, Marie; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Røsbjørgen, Ragnhild; Dalen, Håvard; Bye, Anja. (2023) Lipoprotein subfraction profiling in the search of new risk markers for myocardial infarction: The HUNT study. PLOS ONE
Academic article

2022

Nodeland, Markus; Klevjer, Marie; Sæther, Julie Caroline; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Wisløff, Ulrik; Bye, Anja. (2022) Atherogenic lipidomics profile in healthy individuals with low cardiorespiratory fitness: The HUNT3 fitness study. Atherosclerosis
Academic article
Sæther, Julie Caroline; Klevjer, Marie; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Gigante, Bruna; Gjære, Sigrid; Myhra, Marthe; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug; Wiseth, Rune; Madssen, Erik. (2022) Small LDL subfractions are associated with coronary atherosclerosis despite nodifferences in conventional lipids. Physiological Genomics
Academic article

2019

Velle-Forbord, Torbjørn; Eidlaug, Maria; Debik, Julia Barbara; Sæther, Julie Caroline; Follestad, Turid; Nauman, Javaid; Gigante, Bruna; Røsjø, Helge; Omland, Torbjørn; Langaas, Mette. (2019) Circulating microRNAs as predictive biomarkers of myocardial infarction: Evidence from the HUNT study. Atherosclerosis
Academic article

Journal publications

de Martin Topranin, Virginia; Brørs, Gunhild; Sæther, Julie Caroline; Gerdts, Eva; Vangen, Siri; Bye, Anja. (2026) Translation and validation of the Norwegian ABCD Risk Questionnaire to assess cardiovascular disease knowledge and risk perception prior to myocardial infarction. BMJ Open
Academic article
Velle-Forbord, Torbjørn; Eidlaug, Maria; Debik, Julia Barbara; Sæther, Julie Caroline; Follestad, Turid; Nauman, Javaid; Gigante, Bruna; Røsjø, Helge; Omland, Torbjørn; Langaas, Mette. (2019) Circulating microRNAs as predictive biomarkers of myocardial infarction: Evidence from the HUNT study. Atherosclerosis
Academic article
Sæther, Julie Caroline; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug; Taraldsen, Maria Dalen; Gigante, Bruna; Follestad, Turid; Røsjø, Helge Rørvik; Omland, Torbjørn; Wiseth, Rune; Madssen, Erik; Bye, Anja. (2023) Associations between circulating microRNAs and lipid-rich coronary plaques measured with near-infrared spectroscopy. Scientific Reports
Academic article
Sæther, Julie Caroline; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug; Gigante, Bruna; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Follestad, Turid; Wiseth, Rune; Madssen, Erik; Bye, Anja. (2023) The association between circulating lipoprotein subfractions and lipid content in coronary atheromatous plaques assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy. International journal of cardiology: Heart and Vasculature (IJCHA)
Academic article
Sperstad, Sigri Bakken; Sæther, Julie Caroline; Klevjer, Marie; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Røsbjørgen, Ragnhild; Dalen, Håvard; Bye, Anja. (2023) Lipoprotein subfraction profiling in the search of new risk markers for myocardial infarction: The HUNT study. PLOS ONE
Academic article
Nodeland, Markus; Klevjer, Marie; Sæther, Julie Caroline; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Wisløff, Ulrik; Bye, Anja. (2022) Atherogenic lipidomics profile in healthy individuals with low cardiorespiratory fitness: The HUNT3 fitness study. Atherosclerosis
Academic article
Sæther, Julie Caroline; Klevjer, Marie; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Gigante, Bruna; Gjære, Sigrid; Myhra, Marthe; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug; Wiseth, Rune; Madssen, Erik. (2022) Small LDL subfractions are associated with coronary atherosclerosis despite nodifferences in conventional lipids. Physiological Genomics
Academic article

Student thesis or dissertation

Sæther, Julie Caroline; Bye, Anja; Madssen, Erik; Follestad, Turid. (2023) Identification of new circulating biomarkers for risk prediction of lipid-rich coronary plaques and myocardial infarction. Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Doctoral thesis

Teaching

Supervision

Supervision pre 2025

5 master students

Current supervision 2025/2026

One ph.d student
Four master students

Upcoming supervision 2026/2027

Two master students

Outreach

Training and lipedema

Snap-shot of the LipidEx-HIIT study

Lipoprotein a

Lipoprotein a (Lp(a)) and cardiovascular disease

Coronary plaques

Coronary plaques and lipids

Inside Lipedema Research: A Conversation with Researcher Julie

The LipidEx study

2024

Conference poster

de Martin Topranin, Virginia; Sæther, Julie Caroline; Langaas, Mette; Bye, Anja. (2024) New protein biomarkers associated with risk of myocardial infarction in women: the CorFemina project. ESC Preventive Cardiology 2024

2023

Interview

Sæther, Julie Caroline. (2023) Circulating biomarker as predictors for myocardial infarction.
Conference poster

Sæther, Julie Caroline; Follestad, Turid; Klevjer, Marie; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Gigante, Bruna; Røsjø, Helge Rørvik; Omland, Torbjørn; Madssen, Erik; Bye, Anja. (2023) Circulating lipoprotein subfractions and microRNAs as potential biomarkers for improved risk prediction of myocardial infarction: the HUNT study. 3rd Nordic Metabolomics Conference
Conference lecture

Sæther, Julie Caroline; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug; Gigante, Bruna; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Follestad, Turid; Wiseth, Rune; Madssen, Erik; Bye, Anja. (2023) The association between circulating lipoprotein subfractions and lipid content in coronary atheromatous plaques. ESC Preventive Cardiology 2023

2022

Lecture

Sæther, Julie Caroline. (2022) Forbedre risikoprediksjon av hjerteinfarkt ved å inkludere nye sirkulerende biomarkører: Mine erfaringer med Hjerte- og karregisteret. Hjerte- og karregisterseminaret
Conference poster

Sæther, Julie Caroline; Klevjer, Marie; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Gigante, Brune; Gjære, Sigrid; Myhra, Marthe; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug; Wiseth, Rune; Madssen, Erik. (2022) Small LDL-5 subfractions are associated with coronary atherosclerosis despite no differences in conventional lipids. EAS Congress 2022
Lecture

Sæther, Julie Caroline. (2022) Lipoproteinsubfraksjoner. Lipidklubben
Lecture

Sæther, Julie Caroline. (2022) Lipoprotein subfractions. Ernæring, kolesterol, inflammasjon og aterosklerose

2020

Conference poster

Klevjer, Marie; Sæther, Julie Caroline; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Gigante, Bruna; Gjærde, Sigrid; Myhra, Marthe; Wiseth, Rune; Bye, Anja. (2020) LDL-5 are elevated in patients with coronary atherosclerosis, despite no increase in total levels of LDL-cholesterol. ESC Congress 2020 - The digital experience

2019

Conference poster

Sæther, Julie Caroline; Madssen, Erik; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Bathen, Tone Frost; Gigante, Bruna; Gjærde, Sigrid; Myhra, Marthe; Wiseth, Rune; Bye, Anja. (2019) Circulating lipoprotein subfractions as new non-invasive biomarkers of coronary atherosclerosis. 17th Annual CHFR Symposium on Heart Research
Conference poster

Madssen, Erik; Sæther, Julie Caroline; Vesterbekkmo, Elisabeth Kleivhaug; Giskeødegård, Guro F.; Gjære, Sigrid; Myhra, Marthe; Wiseth, Rune; Bathen, Tone Frost; Bye, Anja. (2019) Circulating lipoprotein subfractions as new non-invasive biomarkers of coronary atherosclerosis. European Society of Cardiology Congress 2019

Språkvelger

Julie Caroline Sæther