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Fergal O'FarrellView profile

Associate Professor

• Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Cancer Biology
• +7 more

Fergal O'Farrell is an Associate Professor and research group leader at the University of Bergen's Department of Biological Sciences. His work focuses on modeling human cancer progression using Drosophila melanogaster with particular emphasis on Ret proto-oncogene signaling and epithelial integrity mechanisms. He received his Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from Karolinska Institute (2008) following research on Drosophila peripheral nervous system development. Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institute (2008) Postdoctoral work at Wenner Gren Institute/Stockholm University Subsequent research at Oslo Cancer Institute Dr. O'Farrell's research investigates: Metastatic mechanisms in Drosophila Ret-tumor models LKB1's contextual oncogene behavior through vesicle trafficking Host autophagy's role in tumor growth and organ wasting Non-autonomous signaling between tumor cells and surrounding tissue Development of cancer prevention strategies through microenvironment manipulation Functional orthology between fly and human disease genes His research trends indicate strong focus on: Autophagy's dual role in tumor progression Receptor Tyrosine Kinase signaling pathways Genetic and pharmacological interventions in cancer models Translational applications of Drosophila research Scientific support includes: Norwegian Cancer Society personal funding CanCell SFF Center of Excellence resources Norwegian Research Council grant (2021) Teaching responsibilities at BIO include MOL200 Biochemistry and MOL213 Developmental Genetics . His lab maintains active collaborations through RDMM-Europe for Peutz-Jeghers syndrome research.

• Cancer Biology
• Immunology
• Autophagy
• +3 more

Kristine Pettersen is an affiliated researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), specializing in cancer biology and immunology. Her work focuses on the interplay between cancer cells, immune cells, and muscle cells, particularly in the context of cancer cachexia—a severe muscle-wasting syndrome. She investigates autophagy's role in tumor immunity and cachexia mechanisms, aiming to identify diagnostic markers and therapeutic strategies. Education: Dr. Philos. in Molecular Medicine (2016, NTNU). Research Group: Autophagy and Tumor Immunity. Teaching: HBIOT2031 - Molecular Diagnostics and Applied Bioinformatics. Key research themes include tumor microenvironment dynamics, systemic effects of cancer, and targeted interventions for cachexia. Her outreach includes public lectures on cancer-related muscle loss and its implications. Scientific contributions span over 10 peer-reviewed articles, highlighting her expertise in IL-6 signaling, autophagy regulation, and translational cancer research. Awards include the Cancer Society Prize for Young Cancer Researchers (2023).

• Cancer Cachexia
• Palliative Care
• Brain Tumors
• +1 more

Tora Skeidsvoll Solheim is a Professor and Consultant in Medical and Radiation Oncology at St. Olav's Hospital, affiliated with NTNU's Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine. Her clinical research focuses on cancer cachexia pathophysiology, classification, and therapeutic interventions. She leads studies on nutritional support, palliative care models, and glioblastoma treatments. Her work appears in high-impact journals including the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, and BMC Palliative Care. Solheim contributes to European clinical guidelines through ESPEN and ESMO, and coordinates multinational trials on cachexia management.

Arild Christian RustanView profile

Professor

• Energy Metabolism
• Mitochondrial Function
• Insulin Resistance
• +5 more

Arild Christian Rustan is a Professor in the Section for Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Biosciences at the University of Oslo's Department of Pharmacy. His research focuses on energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, metabolic switching, and insulin resistance in human skeletal muscle cells (myotubes) derived from normal, obese, or type 2 diabetic individuals. He teaches physiology, basic pharmacology, and pharmacotherapy across multiple courses in the 5-year master's degree program in pharmacy. Professor Rustan's research interests center on cellular metabolic regulation, with particular expertise in how skeletal muscle cells handle energy substrates under various physiological and pathological conditions. His work examines the effects of different fatty acids, exercise models, and metabolic stressors on cellular energy utilization, with significant implications for understanding obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic disorders. He employs primary human cell culture models to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying metabolic diseases. Analysis of Professor Rustan's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on metabolic regulation in skeletal muscle cells, with particular attention to lipid metabolism, glucose handling, and insulin signaling pathways. His research frequently explores how different nutrient conditions, genetic modifications, and disease states affect cellular energy utilization and metabolic flexibility. Professor Rustan has been actively involved in multiple collaborative research initiatives, including EU projects such as Lipgene Nutrigenomics (NuGo) and Mitoeagle (COST-action CA15203). He served as the Norwegian coordinator for the Polish-Norwegian Research Fund (OPI-EAA) and was a Management Committee member of MITOFOOD (COST-action FA0602). He leads the research group 'Energy Metabolism in Health and Disease (MetHealth)' which investigates fundamental aspects of cellular energy metabolism and its dysregulation in disease states. His laboratory employs various cellular models, particularly human skeletal muscle cells, to study metabolic pathways and their responses to different physiological and pathological conditions, with ongoing research spanning from basic mechanisms to potential therapeutic applications.

Tor Erik RustenView profile

Associate Professor

• Autophagy
• Cancer Biology
• Cell Reprogramming
• +3 more

Tor Erik Rusten is an active Associate Professor at the Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Oslo. His research focuses on the intersection of autophagy, cancer biology, and tumor-host interactions, with particular expertise in Drosophila melanogaster models. Dr. Rusten's primary research interests center on autophagy mechanisms and their role in cancer development. His work investigates how cellular degradation processes like autophagy influence tumor growth, particularly through tumor-host interactions where cancer cells manipulate surrounding tissues for nutrients. He has made significant contributions to understanding selective autophagy pathways, organelle homeostasis, and the molecular mechanisms connecting autophagy to cancer progression. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on the role of autophagy in tumor metabolism and host tissue wasting. His research demonstrates how tumors exploit autophagy pathways in host tissues to mobilize nutrients for their growth, with important implications for understanding cancer cachexia. His work spans from fundamental cellular mechanisms to translational applications in cancer therapy. Dr. Rusten leads the Tumor-Host Biology research group, which investigates the complex interactions between tumors and their surrounding environment. His laboratory combines Drosophila genetics with advanced imaging techniques and mammalian cell models to uncover fundamental principles of tumor biology that are conserved across species.

• Allergy-related disease prevention
• Immunological components of breast milk
• Clinical trials
• +4 more

Melanie Rae Simpson is an Associate Professor at the Department of Public Health and Nursing , Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Her research focuses on allergy-related disease prevention, breast milk immunology, and clinical trials. Education: PhD in Medicine (NTNU, 2018), Masters in Medical Statistics (Newcastle University, 2015) Key Research Areas: Allergy prevention, microbiota development, maternal-child health, probiotics, clinical trial endpoints Recent Article Trends: 2025 work includes studies on domestic violence and psychiatric care; 2024 research spans cancer cachexia endpoints, PCOS outcomes, and music therapy for delirium.

• Nutrigenomics
• Diet and Cancer
• Cancer Cachexia
• +3 more

Svanhild Margrethe Arentz Schønberg is a Professor and Head of the Department of Health Sciences Ålesund at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of dietary factors, particularly omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), in cancer progression and cachexia. Education: Cand.Scient. in Chemistry (1989), University of Trondheim Doctor scientiarum in Biochemistry (1997), NTNU Research Interests: Nutrigenomics and dietary influence on cancer Mechanistic studies of omega-3 PUFAs in colon, gastric, and retinal cancers Molecular pathways in cancer cachexia Article Trends: Her peer-reviewed work spans in vitro and in vivo studies on omega-3 fatty acids' anti-tumor effects, ER stress modulation, autophagy induction, and lipid metabolite analysis. Keywords include Cancer Research, Biochemistry, and Nutrigenomics.

Ole BoyeView profile

Research Fellow

• Law and Technology
• Sociology of Law
• Public International Law
• +3 more

Ole Boye is a Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Oslo, affiliated with the Faculty of Law and the Department of Public and International Law. His research focuses on intersections of law and technology, sociology of law, and public international law. He contributes to the Law and Technology (JOT) research group and the Sociology of Law research group. His current project, Modeling Human Multi-Organ Interaction in Disease Cancer Cachexia (MORGI) , explores legal and interdisciplinary dimensions of healthcare and biomedical ethics. While no specific academic awards or publications are listed, his work bridges legal theory with practical applications in health law and technological governance. He holds a student affiliation with the Faculty of Law, though his primary role is as a research fellow.

• Clinical Nutrition
• Cancer Cachexia
• Malnutrition in Oncology
• +3 more

Trude Rakel Balstad is an Associate Professor and Authorized Clinical Nutritionist at UiT The Arctic University of Norway's Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences. She leads the Clinical Nutrition Research Group and teaches the master's course ERN-3000 in Clinical Nutrition. Her research focuses on cancer cachexia, malnutrition in oncology, and nutritional support in palliative care. Key interests include clinical trial endpoints for cachexia, biomarkers, and patient quality of life. Her work spans 15+ recent articles (2020–2025) addressing cachexia endpoints, parenteral nutrition in advanced cancer, and barriers to malnutrition diagnosis. She collaborates internationally, contributing to systematic reviews and validation studies of nutritional assessment tools. Balstad is also involved in translational research combining exercise, nutrition, and anti-inflammatory therapies for cachexia management. No scientific awards listed. Active in curriculum development and interdisciplinary teams like the MENAC trial group. Leads research initiatives on clinical nutrition practices and patient-centered care in oncology settings.

• Oncology
• Nutrition
• Medical Sciences
• +6 more

Professor Asta Bye is a faculty member at Oslo Metropolitan University in the Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, where she serves as Head of Studies. Her academic work focuses on several key healthcare areas including oncology, nutrition, medical sciences, geriatrics, and neurology, with particular emphasis on aging, health, and welfare. Professor Bye's research interests span across multiple critical healthcare domains. She specializes in cardiac rehabilitation with a focus on digital health interventions, cancer cachexia and nutritional aspects of cancer care, and healthcare transitions for older patients moving between hospital and municipal care settings. Her work integrates clinical practice with innovative technological solutions to improve patient outcomes, particularly in long-term follow-up care. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on applying digital tools in cardiac rehabilitation, with multiple longitudinal studies examining the effectiveness of app-based follow-up systems. She also has significant contributions to cancer nutrition research, particularly regarding malnutrition diagnosis in cancer patients and the validity of dietary assessment methods in cancer cachexia. Her work bridges clinical practice with research methodology, emphasizing patient-centered outcomes across geriatric, oncological, and cardiac care settings. Professor Bye leads several research projects including App-based follow-up post cardiac rehabilitation , Crosscare-Old: A Cross Sectoral Approach to High Quality Healthcare Transitions for Older People , and Long-term follow-up of cardiac patients with a smartphone-application . Her work has resulted in numerous scientific publications, textbooks, and research reports that contribute significantly to nursing education and clinical practice in multiple healthcare domains.

Inger Anine AunanView profile

Research Fellow

• Molecular mechanisms in cancer cachexia
• Molecular Biology
• Molecular Medicine

Inger Anine Aunan is a PhD student and Research Fellow at the University of Oslo's Faculty of Medicine, affiliated with the Xenobiotics and metabolism research group. She holds a Bachelor of Science in molecular biology from the University of Bergen and a Master of Science in molecular medicine from NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology). Her primary research focus is on the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer cachexia, a complex syndrome involving progressive muscle wasting and metabolic dysfunction. Education Background: BSc in Molecular Biology (University of Bergen) | MSc in Molecular Medicine (NTNU). Current Position: Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Oslo's Faculty of Medicine. Research Group: Xenobiotics and metabolism. Affiliations: Listed as a student within the Faculty of Medicine. No scientific awards or publications are explicitly listed in the provided texts. Her academic work appears focused on early-stage research in cancer-related metabolic pathways.

• Biostatistics
• Medical Statistics
• Epidemiology
• +8 more

Jan Porthun is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Health Sciences , Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Gjøvik Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. His work spans Biostatistics, Medical Statistics, Epidemiology, and Osteopathy , with a focus on clinical trial methodology, cardiovascular research, and anatomical/physiological studies. Educational Background : MSc in Medical Biostatistics (Heidelberg), Diploma in Clinical Trials (Graz), MSc in Osteopathy (Danube University Krems), MSc in Paediatric Osteopathy (University of Wales). His research explores threshold estimation in survival data (via the cutpoint R-package ), cardiac wasting in cancer patients , and osteopathic interventions . Collaborations include institutions in Norway, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Recent publications highlight geospatial variations in healthcare (neuroimaging, referrals), cardiovascular biomarkers , and clinical endpoints in oncology . He contributes to methodological advancements in biostatistics and osteopathy. Scientific Affiliations : Member of the International Society for Clinical Biostatistics (ISCB), International Biometric Society (IBS), Society for Clinical Trials (SCT), German Society for Medical Computer Science, Biostatistics and Epidemiology (GMDS) e.V.

• Clinical Nutrition
• Sports Nutrition
• Body Composition
• +3 more

Rasmus Dahl Jakobsen serves as a University Lecturer in Clinical Nutrition at UiT The Arctic University of Norway's Faculty of Health Sciences in Tromsø. An authorized clinical nutritionist (KEF), he teaches bachelor's and master's level courses while supervising nutrition-related theses. His research centers on clinical nutrition with specific focus areas including body composition and metabolic health, sports nutrition, and energy drink impacts. He investigates dietary assessment validity in cancer cachexia, pediatric caffeine exposure, protein supplement efficacy, and debunks sports nutrition myths through evidence-based analysis. Publications reveal a strong trend toward translating complex nutritional science for public consumption, particularly regarding energy drinks and sports supplements. His work bridges academic research and practical health communication, frequently addressing misconceptions in athletic nutrition through both scholarly articles and public engagement initiatives. As an active member of the Clinical Nutrition Research Group, Jakobsen participates in knowledge dissemination events like Forskningsdagene (Research Days). His teaching portfolio includes leadership roles in core nutrition courses such as ERN-2010 (Communication, Psychology and Practice), ERN-2014 (Nutrition, Health and Disease 1), and ERN-3000-2 (Clinical Nutrition 2), where he shapes future nutrition professionals through comprehensive curriculum development.

Inger Olaug OttestadView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Cancer
• Malnutrition
• Cachexia
• +3 more

Inger Olaug Ottestad serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Section for Clinical Nutrition at the University of Oslo's Faculty of Medicine. Her academic work centers on the critical intersection of nutrition and clinical care, with particular focus on cancer-related malnutrition and cachexia. She maintains an active research profile with numerous recent publications in high-impact journals. Dr. Ottestad's research interests span cancer nutrition, malnutrition and cachexia, diet and cancer relationships, clinical nutrition practice, and interprofessional collaborative learning. Her work demonstrates a consistent focus on improving nutritional care for vulnerable patient populations, particularly those with cancer or elderly individuals experiencing malnutrition and frailty. She has contributed significantly to systematic reviews examining endpoints in cancer cachexia clinical trials, highlighting her leadership in establishing standardized assessment methods in this specialized field. Her recent publications reveal a clear research trajectory focused on nutritional assessment in clinical settings, particularly regarding cancer cachexia, malnutrition diagnosis barriers, and nutritional interventions for specific populations including the elderly and postpartum women with obesity. Her work frequently appears in journals such as Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, Clinical Nutrition Open Science, and Geroscience, indicating her strong standing in both oncology nutrition and geriatric nutrition research communities. As an educator, Dr. Ottestad is responsible for a 4-week hospital internship and serves as course responsible for ERN4030: Advanced Clinical Nutrition 1. She also lectures on multiple courses including Introduction to Clinical Nutrition, Physiology and Medical Biochemistry, Preventive Nutrition, and Master's level clinical nutrition courses. She is actively involved in the SamPraks working group, which develops interprofessional collaborative learning across multiple healthcare disciplines including nutrition, pharmacy, medicine, dentistry, psychology, nursing, and theology. Dr. Ottestad maintains active research collaborations with Oslo University Hospital, Norwegian School of Sports Sciences, NTNU, University of Tromsø, and University of Bergen, demonstrating her integration within Norway's broader healthcare research ecosystem. Her work on the QuaNuT study examining nutritional care for malnourished patients across multiple university hospitals highlights her commitment to improving clinical practice through evidence-based research.

• Nutrigenomics
• Cancer Research
• Diet and Disease
• +4 more

Svanhild Margrethe Arentz Schønberg serves as Department Head at the Department of Health Sciences Ålesund within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). With a distinguished career spanning over 30 years, she leads research at the intersection of nutrition science and cancer biology. Her academic foundation includes a Cand.Scient. in Chemistry (1989) from the University of Trondheim and a Doctor Scientiarum in Biochemistry (1997) from NTNU. Her research program focuses on nutrigenomics and cancer metabolism , particularly investigating how omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids influence cancer cell behavior. Key interests include: Molecular mechanisms of DHA/EPA in colon cancer models Cancer cachexia and nutritional interventions ER stress and autophagy pathways in fatty acid-induced cytotoxicity Translational applications for enhancing conventional cancer therapies Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals consistent focus on colorectal cancer models with strong emphasis on molecular mechanisms (ER stress, autophagy), translational applications (chemotherapy enhancement), and nutritional interventions (omega-3 fatty acids). Her work bridges basic science and clinical applications, with increasing focus on patient-derived models and palliative care contexts in recent years. As Department Head and active researcher, she maintains robust supervision of doctoral candidates and postdocs. Current projects include: Translational Research in Lung Cancer and Palliative Care (TLCPC) EPCRC consortium on symptom management Salmon oil chemotherapeutic potential studies Her laboratory serves as a hub for nutrigenomics research at NTNU's Ålesund campus, providing state-of-the-art facilities for molecular oncology studies while fostering collaborations across clinical and basic science domains. The research environment emphasizes both technical excellence and translational impact, preparing students for diverse careers in academic medicine and pharmaceutical research.