Louise Isager Ahl
  • Gothersgade 130

    1123 København K

Personal profile

Short presentation

Presentation

I am a botanist with extensive experience in collection based research linked to plant cell wall composition and micromorphology.

I am currently exploring plant evolution through conformational cell wall glycomics in my independent Villum Experiment grant (no. 40664).

I collect botanical samples and data derived from living and dried natural history collections, herbaria and archives as well as participate in larger international climate change studies.  

Current projects include:

  1. Exploring plant evolution through conformational cell wall glycomics (Villum Experiment)
  2. The evolution of succulent plant cell walls (student project)
  3. Plant blindness and art-based teaching (communication and outreach study)
  4. Biomolecular and structural comparisons of ancient and modern plants (collaborator on the PlantEra project)

 

Fields of research

Plant cell wall composition, micromorphology, evolution, climate change and plant adaptation, method development, plant derived polysaccharides, paleobotany

 

Teaching

Plant-Animal Interactions (BSc), and Tropical Botany (MSc).

 

Outreach and communication

I am a dedicated communicator of plant science knowledge and research through a broad range of activities primarily in Danish. I am a regular in the nature segment in Danmarks Radio “P1 morgen” and I strive to communicate my knowledge of plants as broadly as I can. Upcoming release (fall of 2024) is the Danish podcast: Planternes stemme (voice of plants) supported by the Aage V. Jensen foundation (no. N2023-0095).

Instagram and Twitter: @dkbotany.

CV

CV

2022 –             Postdoc on my Villum Experiment grant (no. 40664) and administrator of DiSSCo Transition.

2019 – 2022    Academic employee and postdoc at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen. Administrating the projects Synthesys+, and DiSSCo Prepare supported by EU Horizon 2020. Participated in the digitisation of the Vahl index and curation of the Nordic Beer Garden.

2015 – 2019     PhD student on the project Polysaccharide diversity across the genus Aloe. Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen.

2012 – 2013    Research assistant in Professor Claus Felby’s group working on bioethanol, Forest and Landscape, University of Copenhagen.

2010 – 2011     Master student on the project High-throughput pectin profiling by combining microarrays with monoclonal antibodies. Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

2007 – 2008    Exchange student at the University of Tasmania, Australia.

2009                Field assistant at the research station in Abisko, Sweden, on a data collection trip with Professor Anders Michelsen, Institute of Biology, University of Copenhagen.

2005 – 2009    Bachelor student on the project The effects of UV-B radiation on two heath land species, Calluna vulgaris and Deschampsia flexuosa. Project and research done as part of the CLAIMAITE project at Brandbjerg, Denmark. Institute of Biology, University of Copenhagen.

Education/Academic qualification

Biology, PhD, The Natural History Museum

Award Date: 3 May 2019

Biology, Master

Award Date: 15 Sep 2011

Keywords

  • Faculty of Science
  • Succulents
  • Polysaccharides
  • Aloe

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

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