Rie Jønsson

Rie Jønsson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Science and Environment at Roskilde University. Her research focuses on microbial pathogenesis, bacterial virulence mechanisms, and the application of structural biology techniques to study microbial surface structures. She has contributed to understanding the role of bacterial fimbriae in adhesion and pathogenesis, as well as the antimicrobial potential of plant-derived compounds like cannabinoids. Her work bridges microbiology, structural biology, and clinical applications.

Key research interests include:

• Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enteroaggregative E. coli)
• Antimicrobial resistance mechanisms and alternative therapies
• Microbiome influences on human health (e.g., gut microbiota and fertility)
• Structural analysis of bacterial adhesins using techniques like SAXS

Recent work explores chronic wound infections, Pseudomonas adaptation in wounds, and the historical contributions of microbial taxonomists like Fritz Kauffmann. She has collaborated on interdisciplinary projects involving structural biology, pharmacology, and clinical microbiology. Her research has been published in journals like Scientific Reports, APMIS, and Biomolecules.

Notable contributions include the first antimicrobial characterization of cannabidiolic acid and the discovery of novel aggregative adherence fimbria variants in E. coli. Her PhD thesis (2017) established foundational work on enteroaggregative E. coli pathogenesis, using innovative models like the wax moth Galleria mellonella.