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Eline Lorenzen

Eline Lorenzen

Professor of molecular natural history

 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6353-2819

  • Øster Farimagsgade 5, 7

    1353 København K

  • Øster Farimagsgade 5

    1353 København K

Personal profile

Short presentation

Professor Eline Lorenzen is a world-leading molecular ecologist at the University of Copenhagen's Globe Institute, where she investigates the intricate relationships between climate change and biodiversity. Her groundbreaking research journey began with childhood safaris in South Africa, where she first encountered the remarkable diversity of African mammals that would later shape her scientific career.

Professor Lorenzen combines cutting-edge molecular techniques with traditional natural history to understand how species respond to environmental change. Her interdisciplinary approach has earned her numerous prestigious accolades, including the 2023 Elite Research Prize from the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science.

Beyond her research achievements, Professor Lorenzen holds key advisory positions with international conservation organizations including the IUCN Species Survival Commission and WWF Denmark. Her work has been featured in major biology textbooks and recognized by UNESCO-L'Oreal's For Women in Science program.

A passionate advocate for interdisciplinary research and scientific storytelling, Professor Lorenzen leads a diverse research group of international scientists and emphasizes the importance of communicating complex scientific findings in compelling ways. Her innovative research provides crucial insights into how species adapt to changing environments—knowledge that is increasingly vital in our era of rapid global change.

CV

Key words

Molecular ecology, evolutionary ecology, palaeoecology, natural history, conservation genomics, population genetics, ancient DNA, stable isotopes, ecological niche modeling, science communication and public outreach 

Education

2009 PhD in Biology, University of Copenhagen

2003 MSc in Biology, University of Copenhagen

Recent employments

  • Professor of molecular natural history, Globe Institute (2023-present)
  • Vice Head of Department for Research, Globe Institute (2020–2024)
  • Associate Professor, Globe Institute (2020–2023)
  • Associate Professor, Curator of Mammalogy, Natural History Museum of Denmark (2015–2019)
  • Research group leader of ‘Molecular Ecology and Global Climate Change group’ (2015-present)

Career breaks

  • Maternity leave (2019–2020)
  • Maternity leave (2018–2019) 
  • Maternity leave (2013–2014) 

Academic awards and honours

  • Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Research · EliteForsk Prize (2023) 
  • Fellow of The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters (2022)
  • Fellow of the first cohort of the UCPH Forward Talent Programme for Excellence in Research (2019)
  • Fellow of The Young Academy (2013-2018)
  • Research featured in text books, incl ‘Evolution: Making Sense of Life 2nd edition’ (2016) by Zimmer and Emlen; ‘Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology 4th edition’ (2015) by Feldhammer et al.
  • Profiled by Science Magazine as part of their special issue on Ancient DNA (2015)
  • Recipient of the UNESCO-L’Oreal For Women in Science Denmark prize (2012)

Research funding 

As Principal investigator

  • DFF · Arctic thematic call · Research Project 2 (2024)  
  • Carlsberg Foundation · Semper Ardens Accomplish (project info) (2023) 
  • Villum Fonden · YIP+, a YIP extension grant ‘for the most talented Villum Young Investigators’ (2021) 
  • DFF · Sapere Aude: DFF-Starting Grant (project info) (2019)
  • DFF · Research Project 1 (2018)
  • Danish Ministry of Environment and Food | Danish Environmental Protection Agency (2017)
  • Carlsberg Foundation · Semper Ardens Accelerate (2016) 
  • Villum Fonden · Young Investigator Programme YIP (project info) (2015) 
  • Dr Margrethe og Prins Henriks Fond (2015)

As an early-career researcher

  • Horizon 2020 · Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship (2011)
  • DFF · FNU · Postdoctoral fellowship (2009)
  • UCPH · Faculty of Science · PhD Fellowship (2005)

Commissions of trust

Invited expert: 

  • NAMMCO [North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission] Scientific Committee on narwhals
  • IUCN-SSC Conservation Genetics Specialist Group
  • South African National Biodiversity Institute’s Alien Species Risk Assessment Review Panel
  • NAMMCO Joint Scientific Working Group on Narwhal and Beluga

Member of:

  • Vice Chair, Council for Zoological Facilities [Rådet for Zoologiske Anlæg] (2025-2028)
  • IUCN-SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2008-present)
  • Equid Specialist Group (2008-2012)

Board member:

  • Den Blå Planet - National Aquarium Denmark (2025-present)
  • Aase og Jørgen Münters Fond (2024-present)
  • NORRØN A/S (2023-present)
  • WWF Denmark (2018-present)

Peer review activities

Grant reviewer: 

  • Swedish Research Council (2024) 
  • Academy of Finland (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)
  • ERC Consolidator Grant Call (2021)
  • German Research Foundation (DFG) (2019)
  • South African National Research Foundation (NRF) (2016)
  • French National Research Council (ANR) (2013, 2016) 

External PhD thesis reviewer and examiner of >20 PhD theses, incl.:

  • Danish Technical University (2024)
  • University of Cambridge (2022)
  • University of Oslo (2022, 2025)
  • NTNU (2022)
  • University of Adelaide (2020, 2022)
  • Natural History Museum Paris (2019)
  • Bangor University (2017) 
  • University of Groningen (2017)
  • University of Johannesburg (2017)
  • University of Potsdam (2017)
  • University of Sevilla (2017)

Outreach and science communication

Formal training

  • Participated in Formidlingsakademiet (2023-2024)
  • Participated in Dagbladet Informations Debatakademi for de Natur og Tekniske Videnskaber (2022) 

Recent podcasts:

Selected popular articles written by Lorenzen:

Research featured by e.g.:

 

 Video

TV

Danmarks Radio 

TV2 

  • Member of the panel in TV2 news og co (since May 2025) 
  • TV2 News og co, live TV interview, 8/4-2025 | 01:45:17 
  • TV2 News og co, live TV interview, 5/3-2025 | 00:56:53
  • Live TV interview, TV2 Go’ Morgen Danmark, 2/5-2023 
  • TV2 News og co, live TV interview, 20/2-2023, i fbm modtagelse af EliteForsk prisen
  • TV2 News og co, live TV interview, 20/6-2019, i fbm udgivelse af Skovrind et al. (2019)
  • TV2 News, live tv interview, 10/12-2017

Radio 

Danmarks Radio 

  • DR Tiden, radio interview (+ nyhedsvideo), 10/4-2025 | 09:45
  • DR P1 Morgen, live radio interview, 10/4-2025 | 00:43:48
  • DR P1 Morgen, live radio interview, 29/3-2025 | 02:16:47
  • DR P1 Divisionen, live radio interview, 21/3-2025 | 00:14:52
  • DR P1 Divisionen, live radio interview, ??/10-2024 
  • DR P1 Akkurat med Clement (premiere program), live radio interview, 1/1-2023 
  • DR P1 Morgen, live radio interview, 22/9-2020 
  • DR P1 Videnskabsmagasinet Så vidt vi ved, radio interview, 5/12-2019 Ifm Skovrind et al. (2019)
  • DR P1 Videnskabsmagasinet Så vidt vi ved, live radio interview, 2/5- 2019 ifm Westbury et al. iScience (2019)
  • DR P1 Morgen, live radio interview, 20/8-2016
  • DR P1 Morgen, live radio interview, 18/1-2016

Radio IIII

  • Radio IIII Aften, live radio interview, 11/4-2025 
  • Radio IIII Videnskabsmagasinet Kraniebrud, radio interview, ??/9-2021 

Radio 24/7

  • Radio24syv Morgen, live radio interview, 31/3-2016 

Keywords

  • Former Faculty of Life Sciences

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

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  • 3 Membership of committee, council, board