Jonas Paulsen

Jonas Paulsen is a Professor in the Department of Biosciences at the University of Oslo, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. He leads the Paulsen group, established in early 2020, which is affiliated with the Centre for Bioinformatics and the Section for Genetics and Evolutionary Biology. His research focuses on the three-dimensional organization of DNA within the cell nucleus and its relationship to critical cellular functions including epigenetic regulation of gene expression.

Paulsen's research interests center on computational 3D genomics, with an emphasis on understanding how nuclear architecture relates to cellular functions. His work involves developing computational tools and bioinformatics software to explore comparative 3D genomics across cell types, tissues, and species. The Paulsen group utilizes the Hi-C technique as a central technology, building computational tools to analyze these and related data to increase understanding of eukaryotic genome organization. Key projects include Chrom3D (a genome 3D modeling platform), statistical models of genome contact frequency maps, and research on genome domains and their functional and evolutionary basis.

His publication record shows consistent output in top computational biology and genomics journals, with a clear trend toward increasingly sophisticated modeling of 3D genome organization. His work spans multiple subfields including chromatin architecture, computational modeling, bioinformatics tool development, epigenetics, and the relationship between genome architecture and disease processes like cancer. The research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly with Philippe Collas and other computational biologists.

Paulsen teaches Bioinformatics (BIOS3010) and Bioinformatics for Molecular Biology (MBV-INF4410), continuing his commitment to training the next generation of computational biologists. His group's work has significant implications for understanding fundamental biological processes and disease mechanisms through the lens of spatial genome organization.