Helga Ertesvåg

Helga Ertesvåg serves as Research Professor and Adjunct Professor at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science within the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), with additional affiliation at Nobipol. Her career spans industrial biotechnology research since 1987, transitioning from SINTEF (1987-2004) to NTNU (2005-present), where she maintains active laboratory and teaching responsibilities.

Her educational foundation includes a Master's degree (1987) and PhD (1994), both earned at the University of Trondheim, AVH. These qualifications underpin her technical expertise in microbial systems engineering.

Dr. Ertesvåg's research focuses on fundamental and applied biotechnology of industrial microorganisms, particularly investigating alginate biosynthesis pathways in Pseudomonas fluorescens and Azotobacter vinelandii. She specializes in characterizing alginate-modifying enzymes, designing novel enzyme properties, and developing bacterial and thraustochytrid platforms for producing omega-3 fatty acids (DHA/EPA). Her work extends to studying bacterially produced surfactants for mineral flotation applications and examining A. vinelandii encystment mechanisms, with technical proficiency in cloning, homologous recombination, genetic tool development, enzyme purification, and genome mining.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2019-2024) reveals concentrated research trajectories in three interconnected domains: (1) alginate biosynthesis and modification through epimerase engineering, (2) lipid metabolism optimization in thraustochytrids for DHA/EPA production, and (3) biopolymer applications in environmental separation processes. This body of work demonstrates consistent innovation in microbial systems engineering with industrial translation potential.

She actively mentors Master's and PhD students while teaching Biochemistry II and the doctoral course BT8120, contributing to academic training in biotechnology. Her laboratory work integrates genetic engineering, biochemical characterization, and omics approaches to advance microbial bioproduction capabilities.