Alex Toftgaard Nielsen

Professor Alex Toftgaard Nielsen is affiliated with the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), where he leads research in the Bacterial Cell Factories department at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability. His work focuses on synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and sustainable biochemical production. He has supervised multiple PhD students in projects involving microbial CO2 utilization, engineered consortia, and biocatalysis.

Research interests include optimizing microbial production systems through genetic modifications, adaptive laboratory evolution, and CRISPRi-mediated metabolic switches. He collaborates internationally on topics like chemical tolerance mechanisms and two-stage fermentation processes.

Recent publications highlight advancements in CO2 utilization, p-coumaric acid production, and synthetic anaerobic/aerobic fermentation systems. His contributions address UN Sustainable Development Goals related to clean energy and responsible consumption.

Advising: Supervises 5 current PhD projects (2022-2026) in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. Grants include funding for CO2 fixation and lignocellulosic biomass utilization.

Labs/Teams: Directs the Bacterial Cell Factory Optimization group, developing standardized synthetic biology platforms for industrial applications.