My main area of interest is to decipher the importance of the food microbiome to help solve most of the challenges related to food production and the sustainable use of resources. I do this by applying novel omics-based methodologies. My primary focus has been the dairy value chain and I work closely with the industry and primary production stage of the dairy supply chain. I am also involved in other non-dairy projects where we exploit the functionality of the microbiome to sustainably increase food production and quality.
My research activities encompass several projects:
- Fripro Young Talent: Holicow: A holistic approach to an old problem: deciphering complex host-microbiome-pathogen relationship in bovine mastitis (2021-2024). FUNDING AGENCY: The Research Council of Norway. COORDINATOR: the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. ROLE: PI/Project manager
- High somatic cell numbers in goat milk – influence on product quality. FUNDING AGENCY: The Research Council of Norway. COORDINATOR: the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. ROLE: Project partner
- Sustainable Innovation of MicroBiome Applications in Food Systems (SIMBA). Funding agency (2018-2022). FUNDING AGENCY: European Research Commission. COORDINATOR: Natural Resources Institute Finland. ROLE: Coordinator of NMBU contribution to the project.
- Innovasjonsprosjekt i næringslivet: DNA analyser for bedre styring av osteproduksjonen. (2019-2022) FUNDING AGENCY: The Research Council of Norway. COORDINATOR: Tine SA. ROLE: Work package leader
- Increasing sustainability of Norwegian food production by tackling streptococcal infections in modern livestock systems (2018-2022). FUNDING AGENCY: The Research Council of Norway. COORDINATOR: Norwegian Veterinary Institute. ROLE: Work package leader
- Clostridia and other microbiota in raw milk and milk products: importance for product quality and food safety (2019-2022) FUNDING AGENCY: The Research Council of Norway. COORDINATOR: the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. ROLE: Work package leader
- The udder microbiome in dairy cows: importance for animal health and welfare, mastitis and milk quality (2017-2021). FUNDING AGENCY: The Research Council of Norway. COORDINATOR: the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. ROLE: PI/project manager
- Bacterial flora and dynamics in Norwegian milk and dairy products: Potential for spoilage and disease (2015-2018). FUNDING AGENCY: The Research Council of Norway. COORDINATOR: the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. ROLE: Partner
- Utvikling av en serie syrekulturer til fremstilling av tjukkmjølk (2018). FUNDING AGENCY: The Research Council of Norway. COORDINATOR: the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. ROLE: Partner
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Areas of work
- Dairy Science and Technology
- Milk and Dairy Product Quality
- Food Microbiology
- Integrated Omics
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Publications
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Lecturing
MVI383A: Dairy Technology. Course responsible
MVI100: Introduction to Food Science and Nutrition. Teacher
MVI386: Practical Dairy Technology. Teacher
MVI273. Milk and Milk Processing. Teacher
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Projects & research
Projects
In this project, we will research the type of cells present in the milk, and how these cells affect the quality of goat milk and goat's milk products.
I dette prosjektet skal vi forske på hva slags type celler som er tilstede i melka, og hvordan disse cellene påvirker kvaliteten til geitemelka og produkter av geitemelk.
Kan kjent kunnskap om fermentering av mat brukes på proteinrike, plantebaserte råvarer som vi ikke spiser i dag? I SIMBA undersøker vi hvordan mikroorganismer kan hjelpe oss med å løse store utfordringer innen matproduksjon og bærekraft.
Prosjektet ser på mikrobiomer i juret hos melkekyr og hvordan dette påvirker mastitt (jurbetennelse). Målet er å bidra med ny kunnskap for å forebygge mastitt, forbedre dyrevelferd, redusere antibiotikabruk og øke bærekraft i meieriindustrien.
We study the udder microbiota in Norwegian cows - of utter importance to Norwegian milk production and the dairy industry. We aim to determine the role the udder microbiota plays in protecting cows from diseases such as mastitis.
External projects
Areas of research