Short presentation

Research focus

• Characterisation of nano-cellulose for use as green bio-composite. Enzymatic extraction. Biochemical and structural analysis.
• Plant anatomy studies – light microscopy, confocal microscopy and immuno labeling.
• Development of larger scale enzymatic extraction of RGI from plant cell walls for different uses as medical coating, food ingredients etc.
• Use of transgenic plants to investigation of ex. genes involved in cell wall synthesis and degradation, drought, disease resistance, bio-fuel.
• Plant cell wall polysaccharides, structure, synthesis, degradation, applied science

Development and implementation of plant transformation technologies for several species - potato (8 cultivars), rape seed, tomato , Lotus japonicus, Brachypodium distachyon, Lemna minorand tobacco – plants and suspension cells (BY2) and latest for algae – Clamydomonas, Penium Margaricitaceum and Ostreococcus tauri.

CV

Research focus

• Characterisation of nano-cellulose for use as green bio-composite. Enzymatic extraction. Biochemical and structural analysis.
• Plant anatomy studies – light microscopy, confocal microscopy and immuno labeling.
• Development of larger scale enzymatic extraction of RGI from plant cell walls for different uses as medical coating, food ingredients etc.
• Use of transgenic plants to investigation of ex. genes involved in cell wall synthesis and degradation, drought, disease resistance, bio-fuel.
• Plant cell wall polysaccharides, structure, synthesis, degradation, applied science
• Development and implementation of plant transformation technologies for several species - potato (8 cultivars), rape seed, tomato , Lotus japonicus, Brachypodium distachyon,Lemna minorand tobacco – plants and suspension cells (BY2) and latest for algae – Clamydomonas, Penium Margaricitaceum and Ostreococcus tauri.

Employment

2010 - 2017     Associate professor, Department of Agriculture and Ecology, KU-LIFE later merged toDepartment of Plant and Environmental Sciences, PLEN, KU

2001 - 2010     Senior scientist, Biotechnology Group, Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, later Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (DJF), Aarhus University. Maternity leave: 30-7-03 to 4-3-04

1996 – 2001    Research scientist, Biotechnology Group, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences (DIAS). Maternity leave: 7-1-99 to 5-8-99

1995 – 1996    Maternity leave: 1-8-1995 to 1-9-1996

1993 – 1995    Higher Scientific Officer, Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (BBSCR), Aberystwyth, Wales, UK. 

Project leader “Identification of Nodulation and Nitrogen fixation genes”.

1989 – 1992    Industrial Researcher, Danisco A/S, Maribo Frø, Copenhagen.

Academic degrees

1989 – 1992    Industrial Researcher, Danisco A/S, Maribo Frø, Copenhagen. 

Project: “Establishment of a combined transformation and regeneration method for pea”. The project was finalised with a Ph.D from University of Copenhagen.

1982 - 1989     Cand. Scient. in Biology, University of Copenhagen 

Project “Anatomiske studier af auxininducerede meristemer I hypocotylsegmenter fra Beta vulgaris” 

1979 – 1982    Matematisk-naturfaglig student from Esbjerg Statsskole

Leadership 

2016-2018       Head of Section for Glycobiology, PLEN, University of Copenhagen

2014-2018       Stand in for Professor William Willats, Head of Section, Section for Glycobiology, PLEN, University of Copenhagen due to illness in the family.

1996-2010       Head of the transformation unit, Biotechnology group, DJF

Research management

1996-2000       Deputy coordinator for the call: “Fremtidens kulturplanter”, 

1996-1998       Chairman BIKO (bioteknologisk koordinationgruppe), a Ministry of Food and Agriculture initiative

2005-2007       Project administrator for “PectiCoat” a FP7 EU project

2007-2010       Project administrator for The High Technology Foundation project “Valorisation of potato byproducts”

2008-2012       Coordinator for “Pecticon”, Danish strategic research foundation from 2010

2008-2012       Work package leader, “ReneWall” FP7 EU project

2008-2012       Member of the steering committee for “ReneWall” FP7 EU project

2016-2020       Project manager and part of the daily management team, “ASSEMBLY” (Innovation foundation) 

2016-2020       Work package leader, “ASSEMBLY” (Innovation foundation) 

2016-2020       Deputy Chairman of the steering committee for “ASSEMBLY” (Innovation foundation) 

Guest researchers

• Gabriela Libiakova one year during 1997-98, 6 months in 1999 (Transformation technology)
• Maria Cornelia Maior one year during 2002-2003 (Regeneration of the cell wall in potato protoplast)
• Eva Vaculkova one year during 2005-2006 (Promoter-GUS studies)
• Jana Moravcikova June 3rd to June 28th (Rapeseed transformation)
• Shazia Rehman 9 months during 2015-2016 (Tobacco transformation)
• Halbay Turumtay 3 days in April 2016 (Cell wall analysis)

Teaching portfolio and experiences

Teaching

I have been teaching on courses of bachelor, master and PhD level. Courses at bachelor level is in Danish and courses at master and PhD level are taught in English. The teaching covers biotechnology, plant anatomy, polysaccharides, inorganic chemistry and intellectual property rights.Since 2012 I have coordinated “Advanced Carbohydrate Techniques” and “Advanced Methods in Glycobiology” and have been active in developing the courses further. I am frequently used as examiner both at PLEN and DTU.

Supervision

During my employments, I have taken active part in supervising master students and Phd students. Currently I am main supervisor for two PhD students, co-supervisor for one PhD student plus supervisor for three master students. Two of the master students are in collaboration with Novozymes. 

Function as chair for PhD committees.

Commissions of Trust and Professional Reviewing

• Board member of KAF (Kartoffelafgifts Fonden) from 2015. Nominated by the Danish Research Council
• Board member of Sukkerroeafgiftsfonden from 2017. Nominated by the Danish Research Council
• Elected as Union representative both at DJF (6 years) and PLEN (2 years).
• Chairman for the Departmental IT-committee.
• Reviewer for Food Hydrocolloids, PlosOne, Carbohydrate Polymers.
• Expert reviewer for project applications latest for Nordic Innovation.
• Member of the CensorNet - Censorkorps for ingeniøruddannelserne og de tekniske diplomuddannelser

Funding record

Extensive funding record from Danish research councils, larger EU grants with multiple partners. The projects are often funded from or with industry. 

Industrial consultancy

Public outreach

Participated in in the open door arrangement in the green houses showing the community the research.

Culture night (one Friday every year the university together with other public places opens the doors for the public during the night. KU-LIFE has a mixture of displays, lectures and tasting). Wine and beer (2009). Candy (lecture on pectin in candy) (2010)

During the years I have hosted many 8 and 9 grades primary school students for a week stay to introduce them to science.

Possible conflicts of interest

• Board member of KAF (Kartoffelafgifts Fonden) from 2015. Nominated by the Danish Research Council
• Board member of Sukkerroeafgiftsfonden from 2017. Nominated by the Danish Research Council

Possible conflicts of interest

• Board member of KAF (Kartoffelafgifts Fonden) from 2015. Nominated by the Danish Research Council
• Board member of Sukkerroeafgiftsfonden from 2017. Nominated by the Danish Research Council