Current projects

Matrix
Ensuring sustainable food production for a still growing world population while at the same time minimize the use of pesticides in agricultural production systems is an intriguing challenge. In the Matrix project (Microbiome Assisted Triticum Resilience in X-dimension) we explore the potential of the indigenous wheat microbiome which focus on the phyllosphere to provide health and sustainable growth of wheat.

We test the microbial interactions among the microbiome constituents, the microbiome-plant interactions as well as the potential of the microbiome to combat common fungal diseases and mitigate drought stress. We also map the genomic and metabolic diversity among our isolated strains and all data are modelled in deep learning neural networks.

The end goal is to provide either management regimes or apply specifically designed and safe SynComs for improved plant health. The project is a large collaborative project with multiple partners from UCPH, DTU, NIOO (Netherlands) and North Caroline State University.

Aggregate
Soil provides multiple ecosystem services to humans of course as being the fundamental basis for agricultural food production but also by storing carbon and providing clean drinking water. Soil aggregation correlates with SOM content, aeration and soil biodiversity. A healthy and fertile soil is well aggregated. Soil aggregation is a process where soil minerals and organic matter is enmeshed into a biological web including fungal hyphae and a matrix exuded by microbes.

In Aggregate we wish to determine which soil biota are most important for the soil aggregation process across a range of different Danish soils with focus on fungal activity and hyphae. We also want to pinpoint potential troubles for the aggregation process - in specific of pesticides. The two together will provide recommendations towards managing our agricultural soil resources in a sustainable way.     

A sister project is Aggregate is Aarhus University based GENEPEASE II which further deepens our understanding of pesticide effects on essential soil functions and organisms.  

A long-term focus within our research portfolio is community-, molecular- and functional ecology of mycorrhizal fungi. Currently, we study:

1) The development of ectomycorrhizal fungal abundance, community composition and function in forests with different fertility

2) Common mycelial network between plants

3) The use of soil inocula to restore grassland ecosystems

4) Primary succession of fungal communities with emphasis on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

5) The use of eDNA and fungal sequence data for biodiversity assessments

Work
Section of Terrestrial Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark

Personal
Born in Copenhagen 1970, Danish citizen
Married, three children

Career
2006-                 
Associate Professor at Biological Institute, University of Copenhagen

2003-2005        
Assistant Professor at Biological Institute, University of Copenhagen

2001-2003        
Post doc. at Botanical Institute, University of Copenhagen. Funded by the Carlsberg Foundation

1999–2000       
Post doc. in Thomas D. Bruns laboratory at University of California – Berkeley, USA.  Funded by the Danish Research Council

1998                  
Received the PhD degree in Botany based on the thesis: Detection and activity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their interaction with the root pathogen Aphanomyces euteiches

1995-1998        
PhD student. Funded by the Danish Environmental Agency

1995                                                
MS in Biology from University of Copenhagen

1989                                                
Matriculated at University of Copenhagen

Active funding

2024-2026    
PI: Aboveground-belowground functional interactions between plant effect traits and fungal response traits in forests. DFF DKK 2,39 mill – Post doc salery and consumables.

2023                 
PI: Functional traits in mycorrhizal ecology. Carlsberg Foundation DKK 0,05 mill – Travel grant for sabbatical at EEZ-CSIC, Granada, Spain

2022-2025    
PI: Biological aggregate formation towards a healthy soil - AGGREGATE.  Novo Nordisk Foundation DKK 3 mill – My share covers about 25% (0.75 mill) of the grant which includes technician help, post doc salary as well as consumables

2022-2025    
Co-PI: GENEPEASE-II: Pesticide Effects on Agricultural Soil Ecosystems. 2.501.082. Danish Environmental Agency DKK 2.5 mill – My share covers about 5% (0.15 mill) of the grant which includes salary and consumables

2020-2025    
Co-PI: Microbiome Assisted Triticum Resilience In X-dimensions (MATRIX).  Novo Nordisk Foundation DKK 62.5 mill (grant holder, Lars Hestbjerg Hansen) – My share covers about 5% (3.1 mill) of the grant which includes one PhD student plus some extra technician and post doc months as well as consumables 

Current administration and special tasks

2020-2025   
Head of the Studies for Biology program on UCPH

2017-               
Member of the Editorial board for the Springer journal Mycorrhiza.

2015-               
Secretary in the Docent, dr. scient. Lauritz W. Olson’s Travel Foundation supporting UCPH mycology student’s participation in conferences, field trips etc.

Current or recent participation in larger networking activities

2023-2026   
UCPH member of 4EU+ Flagship 4 (Environmental transitions)

2022-               
Member of Mycology Denmark – a network including most institutions working with fungi in DK spanning both academia as industry

2022-2023    
TRIAD network member, a UCPH sponsored network investigating land sparing versus land sharing for biodiversity measures

Teaching

Since 1996 I have been involved in all stages of university teaching including bachelor, graduate and PhD courses and supervision of students. My formal University Pedagogy education through the obligatory teaching course University Pedagogy and Didactics was approved in 2005 by the Faculty of Science.

I have organized PhD courses in 2016 (Microbial Community Analysis) and 2007 (From Environmental Sample to DNA Sequences) both the 20-25 students.

Evaluation commissions

In the evaluation board for PhD exams at University of Aarhus University (2012 and 2017), University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan (2016), Lund University (2008 and 2013), University of Copenhagen (2013), Oslo University (2012), University of Tartu  (2013), Inspruck Univeristy (2008), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) (2005)

Evaluated research applications for the Research Councils or other research bodies of: Netherlands (2015, 2012 and 2010), SNS/EFINORD (2014), Estonia (2011) and Norway (2004) 

Referee commissions

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek International Journal, Applied Soil Ecology, Ecography, Ecology, FEMS journals, Forest Ecology and Management, Fungal Ecology, International Journal of Phytoremediation, ISME Journal, Journal of Ecology, Journal of Forestry, Microbial Ecology, Molecular Ecology, Mycological Research, Mycorrhiza, New Phytologist, Plant & Soil, PLoS ONE