My background is in plant population genetics. I have a strong interest in how plant species, particularly trees with long generation times, interact, adapt and evolve in rapidly changing environments facing increased temperatures, forest fragmentation, and human-based introductions of non-native species. I have targeted many endangered plant species and studied how a fragmented landscape influences genetic diversity and population genetic structure of plant populations. Since 2006 my main focus area has been on genetic aspects of emerging infectious diseases on their host tree species (Fraxinus and Ulmus). The unintended introduction of the fungal ascomycete, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, in the late 1990’ies has given rise to a number of studies that investigate how a forest tree species such as common ash responds to an invasive fungus at both population and individual tree level. I am currently exploring the genetic mechanisms behind ash dieback resistance as well as the genetic effects of the epidemic on the Fraxinus excelsior gene pool. The research further involves studies on the potential role of the microbiome in the resilience of ash trees. In my research, I combine field assessments, greenhouse experiments, and molecular data to address research questions and to evaluate ecological and evolutionary hypotheses. My recent work is based on high-throughput sequence data (whole genome sequencing, RAD-seq, RNA-seq, and metabarcoding analysis).

Keywords: Adaptation, Conservation, Population genetics and genomics, Host-pathogen interactions, Evolutionary processes

Academic record

• 2002 Ph.D., Botanical Institute, University of Copenhagen

• 1998 M.Sc (cand. scient.)

Professional record

• 2022-         Professor, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen
• 2014-2022 Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Mangament, University of Copenhagen

• 2011-2013 Senior researcher, Forest & Landscape, LIFE, University of Copenhagen

• 2009-2011 Researcher, Forest & Landscape, LIFE, University of Copenhagen

• 2006-2008 Postdoctoral fellow, Forest & Landscape, LIFE, University of Copenhagen

• 2003-2005 Postdoctoral fellow, Botanical Institute, SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen

• 1999-2002 Ph.D. student, Botanical Institute, SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen

Ongoing teaching

• Processes in Nature 1 - Plants and Landscape (BSc level)
• Tropical Botany (MSc level)

Principal or co-supervisor for PhD students:

• Feng Long: The Fraxinus excelsior holobiome (ongoing)
• Corrie Lynne Madsen: Detection of invasive pathogens in Danish forests (completed in 2022)
• Kristin Lassen: Improving fruit production of Parkia biglobosa and Vitellaria paradoxa paradoxa in Burkina Faso (completed in 2016)
• Ida Hartvig: Conservation of genetic resources in threatened Dalbergia timber species of Indo-China (completed in 2015)
• Adja Diallo: Coexistence and performance of diploid and polyploid Acacia senegal (L) Willd.: implications for adaptation and domestication in the Sahel (completed in 2015)
• Lea Vig McKinney: Genetic aspects of ash dieback caused by the pathogenic fungus Chalara fraxinea on Danish populations of Fraxinus excelsior (completed in 2013)

My background is in plant population genetics. I have a strong interest in how plant species, particularly trees with long generation times, interact, adapt and evolve in rapidly changing environments facing increased temperatures, forest fragmentation, and human-based introductions of non-native species. I have targeted many endangered plant species and studied how a fragmented landscape influences genetic diversity and population genetic structure of plant populations. Since 2006 my main focus area has been on genetic aspects of emerging infectious diseases on their host tree species (Fraxinus and Ulmus). The unintended introduction of the fungal ascomycete, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, in the late 1990’ies has given rise to a number of studies that investigate how a forest tree species such as common ash responds to an invasive fungus at both population and individual tree level. I am currently exploring the genetic mechanisms behind ash dieback resistance as well as the genetic effects of the epidemic on the Fraxinus excelsior gene pool. The research further involves studies on the potential role of the microbiome in the resilience of ash trees. In my research, I combine field assessments, greenhouse experiments, and molecular data to address research questions and to evaluate ecological and evolutionary hypotheses. My recent work is based on high-throughput sequence data (whole genome sequencing, RAD-seq, RNA-seq, and metabarcoding analysis).

Keywords: Adaptation, Conservation, Population genetics and genomics, Host-pathogen interactions, Evolutionary processes