Sigbjørn Lien

Sigbjørn Lien is a Professor in Genetics at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), affiliated with the Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences within the Faculty of Biosciences. He is a leading figure in genomics research, particularly in aquaculture and salmonid species, and has played a pivotal role in establishing the Centre for Integrative Genetics (CIGENE) as a national and international hub for genomics innovation.

His research focuses on functional and comparative genomics, genome evolution, and the genetic architecture of complex traits. He explores how transposable elements and structural variations contribute to adaptation following whole genome duplication events in salmonids. His work integrates cutting-edge long-read sequencing, pangenome construction, and functional annotation to understand biodiversity and phenotypic variation.

Lien leads or co-leads several major research initiatives, including the NRC-ToppForsk project TRANSPOSE and the EU-H2020 project AQUA-FAANG, both aimed at advancing functional genomics in aquaculture species. These projects reflect a strong trend toward integrative, systems-level approaches to genome biology, emphasizing functional annotation, epigenetic mapping, and cross-species comparisons in commercially important fish.

His scientific recognition includes leadership in prestigious, competitively funded projects such as:

• NRC/NMBU-ToppForsk: TRANSPOSE
• EU/RIA-H2020: AQUA-FAANG
• The Aqua Genome Project
• LiceRESIST
• REWired
• DigiSal
• GenoSysFat

Through the FAASG (Functional Annotation of All Salmonid Genomes) initiative, he has fostered international collaboration to standardize genome annotation across salmonid species. His advisory role is evident through supervision embedded in large-scale projects and leadership at CIGENE. Although specific grants are not itemized, the scale of his projects (totaling over 120 MNOK) indicates substantial funding from national and European sources.

He is central to the Centre for Integrative Genetics (CIGENE), which has grown from a small molecular biology lab into Norway’s premier SNP genotyping facility and a key player in global genomics research. The lab specializes in high-throughput genotyping, genome assembly, and functional genomics, serving both academic and industrial partners in agriculture and aquaculture sectors.