Elisabeth Kommisrud

Elisabeth Kommisrud is a Professor of Reproductive Biotechnology at the Department of Biotechnology, University of Inland Norway (INN), within the Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology. She has been employed at INN since 2013 and maintains her office in Hamar, Room 2N1287. Her research focuses on animal reproduction with significant applications in both agricultural and aquaculture industries.

Professor Kommisrud earned her veterinary degree from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Medicine, where she later also completed her doctorate. Her professional journey includes positions as a municipal veterinarian in Meland Municipality, station veterinarian in Geno, researcher at Norsvin, and research manager at Geno and SpermVital.

Kommisrud is an internationally recognized researcher whose work spans reproductive biotechnology across multiple species including swine, cattle, and fish. Her research group investigates sperm quality, oocyte development, embryo production, and innovative reproductive technologies. She has made significant contributions to understanding biomarkers of sexual maturity, fertilization processes, and the application of advanced technologies like deep learning in reproductive assessment. Her work bridges fundamental science with practical applications in livestock breeding and aquaculture.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on comparative reproductive biology across species, with particular emphasis on porcine and bovine reproduction, as well as fish reproduction. Her research integrates molecular biology, metabolomics, and advanced imaging techniques to address fundamental questions about reproductive efficiency. A notable trend is the increasing application of computational methods, including deep learning, to traditional reproductive assessment methods.

• Høgskolen i Innlandets research prize (2018, group award)
• Høgskolen i Innlandets research prize (2023, personal award)
• Norwegian Agricultural Cooperative Innovation Prize (2016, with SpermVital CEO)

Professor Kommisrud leads the six-year Zygote research project, supported by the Research Council of Norway and Innlandet County Municipality, with INN as project manager collaborating with SINTEF, Oslo University Hospital, OsloMet, Simula, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, as well as industrial partners including Geno SA, Norsvin R&D, SpermVital AS, Klosser Innovasjon AS, NCE Heidner, and TYR. She also serves as INN's representative and Principal Investigator at the Center for Research Excellence (SFF) CRESCO. Her leadership has been instrumental in establishing spin-off companies SpermVital AS and Cryogenetics AS, demonstrating the commercial application of her research.

Her research group operates within the Department of Biotechnology at INN's Hamar campus, with strong collaborative ties to industry partners and other research institutions. The group has developed specialized expertise in reproductive assessment technologies and has contributed to several patents in the field of reproductive biotechnology.