Lena van Giesen

Lena van Giesen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at NTNU, affiliated with the Faculty of Natural Sciences. Her research focuses on cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying sensory perception in marine invertebrates, particularly coral larvae and cephalopods. She leads the van Giesen Lab, which explores how animals adapt to environmental changes through sensory biology. In 2022, she received an ERC Starter Grant to study larval settlement in the coral Lophelia pertusa, a cold-water coral species critical to deep-sea ecosystems.

Her research integrates techniques like electrophysiology, transcriptomics, and behavioral analysis to investigate sensory systems in organisms such as octopuses and cnidarians. Key projects include uncovering chemotactile receptors in octopus suckers and understanding coral-larval biofilm interactions. She collaborates with institutions like NINA and Human Technopole, Milan.

Teaching responsibilities include courses on animal ecophysiology, advanced physiology, and ecotoxicology. Her work bridges fundamental biology with conservation, addressing challenges posed by climate change and anthropogenic impacts on marine life.

• ERC Starter Grant (2022): Focus on coral larval ecology
• Lab facilities: Cold-water coral lab, NTNU Sealabs, electrophysiology setups
• Collaborators: Johanna Järnegren (NINA), Jose Davila-Velderrain (Human Technopole)