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Karel Miettinen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, specifically working in the Section for Plant Biochemistry. His research focuses on the intersection of plant biochemistry, metabolic engineering, and natural products discovery, with particular emphasis on terpenoid compounds and their pharmaceutical applications. Dr. Miettinen's research interests include: Plant metabolic engineering for pharmaceutical compound production Terpene biosynthesis and engineering Development of yeast-based biosensors for compound detection Biotechnological production of anti-obesity agents like celastrol Metabolic network analysis of plant compounds High-resolution analytical techniques for natural product characterization His publication record demonstrates a cohesive research trajectory focused on leveraging synthetic biology approaches to produce valuable pharmaceutical compounds. Notably, his work on celastrol has spanned from elucidating its biosynthetic pathway to developing efficient biotechnological production methods. His group has also pioneered novel approaches for expanding terpenoid chemical diversity and created innovative biosensors for cannabinoid detection, showing significant translational potential as evidenced by patent references and media coverage. Dr. Miettinen collaborates extensively with researchers including Sotirios C. Kampranis, Yaokun Zhao, and Dan Staerk, resulting in publications in high-impact journals such as Nature Communications, Nature Chemistry, and Angewandte Chemie International Edition. His work bridges fundamental plant biochemistry with applied pharmaceutical development, with particular emphasis on creating sustainable production platforms for high-value natural products.

• Plant Biochemistry
• Terpene Biosynthesis
• Metabolic Engineering
• +4 more

Professor Dan Stærk serves as Full Professor and Head of Department at the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen. He also holds a Visiting Professor position in Biopharmaceuticals at the same department. Professor Stærk leads the Natural Products Research group and the Copenhagen Small-Molecule NMR Center, a nationally prominent facility for NMR analysis of low-molecular weight organic compounds. His academic journey began with a B.Sc. (1994) and M.Sc. (1997) in Chemistry and molecular biology/biochemistry from Odense University, followed by a Ph.D. (2000) from the Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences. His career progression includes positions as Assistant Professor (2000-2003), Associate Professor (2003-2008), and Professor with special duties before achieving his current Full Professor position in 2014. Professor Stærk's research primarily focuses on discovering small-molecule and peptide-based drug leads from natural sources including medicinal plants, marine organisms, and microorganisms. His work targets critical disease areas such as type 2 diabetes, infectious diseases (antibacterial and antifungal compounds), and cancer. He also pursues sustainable drug discovery and the development of functional foods from by-products and biosynthetically modified organisms. A cornerstone of his research involves developing advanced bioanalytical techniques like high-resolution bioactivity profiling, ligand fishing, and HPLC-PDA-HRMS-SPE-NMR analysis for identifying bioactive constituents in complex extracts. His publication record demonstrates significant impact in the field, with research appearing in top journals including Nature Communications, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Angewandte Chemie. His work shows strong citation metrics with an h-index of 39 (Web of Science) and 448 (Google Scholar), placing his research in the top 30% of NIH-funded projects according to iCite database. Teacher of the Year in 2001 at the Royal Danish School of Pharmacy Hede Nielsen Prize 2004 from Hede Nielsen Foundation Teacher of the Year in 2018 at PharmaSchool, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Professor Stærk has supervised over 10 postdocs, 15 PhD students, and 60 MSc students throughout his career. He has secured substantial external funding exceeding 50 million DKK from prestigious sources including the Carlsberg Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Lundbeck Foundation, and the Danish Research Council. His current projects include the interdisciplinary 'Fungal Fight' initiative funded by the Strategic Research Council. He serves on various committees including the Research and Innovation Committee at his department and the Board of the Phytochemical Society of Europe. He has established two major research infrastructure centers: the Copenhagen Small-Molecule NMR Center (featuring advanced NMR instrumentation) and the Copenhagen Shandong Metabolomics Infrastructure Center through collaboration with Chinese institutions. His research group maintains strong international partnerships, particularly with Shandong Province in China, where he was awarded the title of Taishan Distinguished Expert and Scholar.

• Natural Product Chemistry
• Natural products
• Bioactive natural products
• +10 more

Rene Lametsch serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Science, specializing in food proteomics and enzyme technology for plant-based food innovation. His research investigates how genetic variation and processing affect protein composition, functionality, and nutritional value, with particular emphasis on kokumi taste enhancement and γ-glutamyl peptide applications. Education: cand. scient. (equivalent to MSc) Ph.D. Research Focus: Dr. Lametsch's work bridges biotechnology and food science through proteomic analysis of plant proteins, enzyme-driven modifications for improved texture and flavor, and nutritional optimization of plant-based meat alternatives. His investigations into protein oxidation mechanisms and kokumi compound production directly address industry challenges in sustainable food development. Publication Trends: Recent articles (2024-2025) reveal concentrated expertise in plant protein characterization (soy, pea), enzymatic production of flavor compounds, and nutritional/metabolomic impacts of plant-based versus animal proteins. His proteomic methodologies consistently link molecular changes to functional properties in food systems. Professional Engagement: As an active board member of the Muscle Based Food Network since 2013 and former Chairman of Molecular Functionality (2010-2012), he regularly presents at premier conferences including ICoMST and ADSA-ASAS meetings, demonstrating sustained leadership in meat and plant-protein science.

• Food Proteomics
• Enzyme Technology
• Plant-Based Foods
• +5 more

Hanne Frøkiær is a Professor at the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, where she heads the Chemistry and Biochemistry group. She has been with the university since December 2008, previously serving as Associate Professor at Biocentrum-DTU until 2008 where she established the field of nutritional immunology and served as head of the Nutritional Immunology group. Education 1979: Graduated from Aurehøj Statsgymnasium 1986: M.sci. in chemistry (civil engineer) from Technical University of Denmark 1991: Ph.D. in biochemistry from Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Technical University of Denmark Research Focus Professor Frøkiær's research centers on cellular immunology, specifically examining how microorganisms, microbial compounds, and dietary components interact with and affect the immune system. Her work emphasizes nutritional immunology, investigating how food components influence immune responses in dendritic cells, monocytes, T cells, and NK cells through both in vitro experiments and in vivo studies. She explores how bioactive molecules in their natural matrices interact with cells and whole organisms, with particular attention to food matrix effects on immune responses against food proteins. Publication Trends Her recent publications (2023-2025) reveal a strong focus on the intersection of immunology, microbiome research, and nutrition. There's a clear progression toward translational research with applications in food allergy, infant nutrition, and gut health, utilizing sophisticated in vitro and in vivo models including animal studies and human intervention trials. Her work increasingly examines how microbial metabolites and dietary components influence immune responses, particularly in dendritic cells. Scientific Recognition The legacy of late Director P. Gorm-Petersen (Ph.D. award, 1992) Danisco award (2006) Yakult award (2011) Mentorship and Leadership Professor Frøkiær has supervised 32 PhD students and 11 postdocs as primary or co-supervisor, and served as opponent for over 30 PhD defenses. She has also supervised 76 graduate and 27 bachelor students. Her leadership extends to managing research groups including the Chemistry and Biochemistry Section (approximately 50 persons) and previously the Nutritional Immunology Group at DTU. She has led or been work package leader in 20 externally financed projects since 2000 and served as Chair of FTP at the Independent Research Fund Denmark (2019-2020). Research Infrastructure She heads the Chemistry and Biochemistry group at the University of Copenhagen and leads the Experimental Animal Research section (~75 employees) at the Department of Veterinary Disease Biology. Her research utilizes various models including dendritic cell cultures, animal studies, and human intervention trials to investigate immune responses to dietary components, with a particular focus on how food matrix affects immune responses against food proteins.

• Cellular Immunology
• Nutritional Immunology
• Microbiome-Immune Interactions
• +5 more

Johan Andersen-Ranberg serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Science, specializing in the Section for Plant Biochemistry. His research focuses on developing sustainable production systems using algae, particularly Nannochloropsis oceanica, to create high-value molecules from carbon dioxide. His educational journey includes a PhD from the University of Copenhagen with thesis titled 'Biosynthesis of High Value Bioactive Natural Products,' an MSc in Applied Biotechnology from Uppsala University (thesis: 'Utilizing Synthetic Biology in Cyanobacteria'), and a BSc in Medicine and Technology from the Technical University of Denmark. He completed postdoctoral training at the University of California Berkeley in Prof. Krishna Niyogi's laboratory, characterizing genes involved in pigment biosynthesis in stramenophile algae. Andersen-Ranberg's research interests center on algae biosynthesis for sustainability, with a vision to establish Nannochloropsis oceanica as both an Earth-based sustainable production system and potential agricultural crop for space colonization applications. His work spans genetic engineering of eukaryotic algae, carotenoid biosynthesis, cytochrome P450 enzymes, and commercialization of engineered bioproduction hosts. Current projects include developing gene engineering tools for N. oceanica, studying pigment biosynthesis in eukaryotic algae, and creating production platforms for plant natural compounds used in non-lethal rodent pest control products. His publication record demonstrates consistent high-impact research output with recent articles in Nature Communications, Science Advances, Current Biology, and Trends in Plant Science. The research trends show a progression from fundamental biochemical characterization toward applied bioproduction technologies, with increasing focus on engineering approaches for sustainable manufacturing. His work bridges basic science with commercial applications, particularly in the areas of sustainable production systems that utilize solar energy and carbon dioxide. Andersen-Ranberg maintains active collaborations across international research networks, with external collaborations spanning multiple countries as indicated by his research output metrics. His work has been referenced in policy sources, picked up by numerous news outlets, and cited across various social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. His research has substantial academic impact with hundreds of Mendeley readers across his publications. His laboratory focuses on developing N. oceanica as a production system, leveraging its unique evolutionary position within the SAR supergroup that is responsible for over 40% of Earth's annual carbon dioxide fixation. The research group works on creating sustainable production platforms suitable for both terrestrial applications and potential use in long-duration space missions, such as Mars colonization efforts.

• Algae Biosynthesis
• Sustainable Bioproduction
• Genetic Engineering of Algae
• +7 more

Claus Cornett is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. He has been serving in this role since 1992 and maintains an active research program in pharmaceutical analytical chemistry. His educational background includes a Master of Science in Chemistry from 1986 and a PhD (Pharm) from 1992. Prior to his current position, he served as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Organic Chemistry at The Pharmaceutical University of Denmark starting in 1988. Professor Cornett's research focuses on advanced analytical techniques, particularly NMR spectroscopy applications in pharmaceutical analysis. His primary research areas include structure elucidation of small molecules and drug metabolites, hyphenation of NMR with other analytical techniques (HPLC, CZE, MS), flow injection NMR, and chemometric methods for data processing. He has made significant contributions to near-infrared imaging of pharmaceutical products and medicinal cannabis research. His recent publications (2021-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on pharmaceutical analytical methods, with particular emphasis on patient-tailored drug products, antidepressant medications, and cannabis-based therapeutics. These works span analytical chemistry, pharmaceutical technology, and clinical pharmacology, showing interdisciplinary applications of his core expertise in spectroscopic methods. Professor Cornett has served as a reviewer and editorial board member for numerous prestigious journals including Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Journal of Proteome Research, and Phytochemical Analysis, demonstrating his standing in the scientific community. His teaching portfolio includes Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, Advanced Analytical Chemistry, and Choice and Validation of Analytical Methods. He has also assessed qualifications for multiple assistant and associate professor positions at his institution.

• NMR Spectroscopy
• Drug Metabolism
• Pharmaceutical Spectroscopy
• +5 more

Tomas Laursen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, where he leads the Dynamic Metabolons research group within the Section for Plant Biochemistry. His work focuses on understanding the plasticity of biosynthetic membrane protein complexes (metabolons) for the production of phytochemicals in plants. Dr. Laursen's research spans plant biochemistry, biophysics, and metabolic engineering with a focus on: Organization and dynamics of enzyme complexes in plant metabolism Production mechanisms of bioactive plant compounds Cytochrome P450 systems and membrane protein behavior Engineering approaches to manipulate metabolic pathways His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on understanding how plants organize their metabolic pathways through enzyme complexes (metabolons), with particular attention to conformational dynamics of key enzymes and spatial organization within plant cells. His research bridges fundamental biochemistry with practical applications in metabolic engineering. Dr. Laursen has secured significant research funding including: Novo Nordisk Foundation Emerging Investigator grant (2019-2024) Danish Council for Independent Research - Sapere Aude Starting Grant (2018-2022) Novo Nordisk Foundation Postdoc fellowship (2017-2019) He maintains active collaborations with researchers across multiple institutions, including experts in single molecule microscopy, neutron reflectometry, cryo-electron microscopy, and membrane protein technologies. His research group offers student projects focused on protein design and metabolic engineering approaches for plant metabolite production.

• Plant Biochemistry
• Metabolons
• Phytochemical Production
• +5 more

Kenneth Thermann Kongstad is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology within the Faculty of Health and Medicinal Sciences at the University of Copenhagen. His research spans interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of analytical chemistry, spectroscopy, biochemistry, and pharmacology. He has established an endophyte research lab focused on discovering novel drug leads from microorganisms living within plants, a largely unexplored area in natural product research with significant potential. His work bridges analytical science with pharmacological applications through collaborations with the Pharmacotherapy Research section and other departments. Dr. Kongstad's educational background includes: PhD from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of Copenhagen, supervised by Prof. Jerzy W. Jaroszewski (deceased) and Dr. Manfred Spraul MSc. Eng. from Technical University of Denmark (DTU), with research conducted at University of Queensland, Australia under Prof. Rob Capon His primary research interests focus on the discovery of future drug leads from endophytic fungi, quantitative analysis of opioids for pharmacokinetic studies, and chemical characterization of bioengineered organisms. Dr. Kongstad specializes in advanced hyphenated NMR techniques ($$\text{HPLC-PDA-HRMS-SPE-NMR}$$) for natural product research and pharmaceutical applications. His work has developed innovative screening methodologies for semi-high-throughput analysis of plant extracts and identification of bioactive metabolites responsible for antifungal activity. He maintains active collaborations with research groups at Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (KU), Department of Bioengineering and Biomedicine (DTU) and various departments within KU. Analysis of Dr. Kongstad's recent publications reveals a strong focus on applying advanced analytical techniques to identify bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential. His work spans diabetes research (particularly $$\alpha$$-glucosidase inhibitors), cancer research (multidrug resistance reversal), and pain management (opioid pharmacokinetics). A common thread is the integration of sophisticated analytical methodologies with biological activity screening to accelerate drug discovery from natural sources, especially endophytic fungi and plant extracts. Dr. Kongstad has received professional recognition including: Teacher of the Year (2019) He has established significant research collaborations across multiple institutions and has been involved in multiple funded research projects, including the DSF-funded 'FungalFight' project and collaborative efforts to develop cell factories for producing carminic acid. His endophyte research lab serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research, bringing together expertise in natural product chemistry, pharmacology, and analytical science. He has also filed two patents related to cell factory development for carminic acid production. His laboratory focuses on chemical and biological characterization of endophytic fungi, with particular attention to compounds with antifungal, antidiabetic, and other therapeutic properties. The lab integrates advanced analytical techniques with biological screening to identify bioactive metabolites. Dr. Kongstad's team collaborates extensively with researchers specializing in pharmacokinetic modeling, contributing to the development of personalized medicine approaches. He has also maintained editorial roles for journals including Natural Product Research, Analytical Methods, and Journal of Separation Science.

• Analytical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Biochemistry
• +7 more

Huizhen Liu serves as Academic Coordinator in the Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. Her research focuses on molecular mechanisms of thapsigargin binding to calcium ATPases and related drug design principles. Her primary research interests include Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Biochemistry, with specialization in protein-ligand interactions, calcium signaling pathways, and structural analysis of ATPase inhibition. She investigates how natural compounds like thapsigargin disrupt cellular calcium homeostasis through precise molecular interactions with target enzymes. Analysis of her 2006-2013 publications reveals a concentrated research trajectory on thapsigargin analogs and their binding mechanisms. Her work integrates structural biology, computational modeling, and biochemical assays to map binding sites, optimize pharmacophores, and develop cytotoxic derivatives for potential cancer therapeutics. This consistent focus demonstrates deep expertise in translating molecular insights into drug design applications. Dr. Liu maintains active collaborations with leading researchers including S.B. Christensen, P. Nissen, and J.V. Møller at the University of Copenhagen, contributing to interdisciplinary projects that bridge basic biochemistry and pharmaceutical development.

• Medicinal Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Drug Design
• +3 more

Jørgen Holm Petersen serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen. His primary academic affiliation centers on the Section of Biostatistics, where he maintains an active research profile with over 240 research outputs and significant collaborative networks across international institutions. His research expertise spans specialized statistical methodologies including inter-rater agreement analysis, reference curve development, latent variable modeling, and variance components models. Current work focuses on Bradley-Terry models with variance components for estimation and inference, particularly in rater agreement contexts. His methodological innovations directly support clinical and epidemiological investigations across endocrinology, environmental health, and public health domains. Recent publication trends reveal strong engagement with endocrine development research (puberty studies, hormone assays), environmental carcinogenesis (PFAS/organochlorine exposures), and health disparities (long COVID, vaccination uptake). His statistical frameworks enable sophisticated analysis of complex human exposures and longitudinal health outcomes, frequently applied through collaborations with clinical researchers at Copenhagen University Hospital. Petersen actively contributes to academic discourse through lectures on biostatistical applications in diverse fields (astronomy, voice research, cosmology) and service on review committees. His methodological presentations address critical issues in clinical trial randomization, instrumental variable techniques, and rating scale modeling for observer variation. Professional activities include editorial roles, committee chairmanships (e.g., Assessment Committee since 2014), and extensive lecture contributions. His work bridges theoretical statistics with practical healthcare applications, particularly in developmental endocrinology and environmental epidemiology.

• Inter-rater agreement
• Reference curves
• Latent variable models
• +2 more