Marte Mølsæter Maråk

Denitrification, the respiratory reduction of nitrate to N2, via nitrite, NO and N2O, is an important biological source (and sink) of gaseous N-oxides and the process has been extensively studied to understand and mitigate N2O emissions to the atmosphere. The extensive research into the biochemistry and physiology of denitrifiers by the MEP group has laid the foundation for the development of a new process for submerged cultivation of biomass by denitrification to produce bacterial proteins. Using denitrification for biomass production bypass the challenges associated with aeration, which is a significant cost and ultimately a limiting factor for the production rate per volume. I am involved in developing and optimizing the process by anaerobic cultivation of dense cultures in bioreactors within the AnaPro project funded by the Novo Nordic Foundation. In addition, I am doing complementary studies of the physiology and regulation of the model organisms to investigate their abilities to work under fluctuating oxygen concentration and fluctuating availability of electron donors and acceptors. My research is highly relevant as the way we produce food is about to change profoundly as microorganisms are domesticated to grow and produce proteins in large-scale fermenters.