Dorinde Mechtilde Meike Kleinegris serves as an Associate Professor in marine biotechnology with a 20% position at the Department of Biological Sciences (BIO) within the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Bergen. She maintains dual affiliations with both the University of Bergen and NORCE Climate and environment at NORCE Norwegian Research Center AS, where she contributes to marine biotechnology research initiatives. Her work bridges academic research and practical applications in sustainable aquaculture systems. Her research focuses on marine biotechnology with particular emphasis on microalgae cultivation systems, circular bioeconomy applications, and aquaculture waste valorization. Dr. Kleinegris investigates nutrient recovery from aquaculture effluents through microalgal biofilms, fish sludge utilization, and the development of sustainable microalgae production systems for food and feed applications. Her work integrates environmental engineering principles with biological systems to create closed-loop solutions for the aquaculture industry, with special attention to Norwegian conditions and scalability challenges. Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent focus on practical applications of microalgae technology. Her research spans from fundamental studies of microalgal physiology and microbiome interactions to applied techno-economic analyses and waste valorization strategies. A significant portion of her work addresses the integration of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) with microalgae production, demonstrating how these systems can be optimized for nutrient recovery and environmental sustainability. Her research has evolved from basic cultivation techniques to comprehensive circular economy approaches that consider economic viability alongside environmental benefits. Dr. Kleinegris actively participates in research projects that translate laboratory findings to industrial applications. She has been instrumental in the National Algaepilot Mongstad initiative, which demonstrates scalable microalgae production for aquaculture feed. Her work on the SLAM-DUNK project specifically addresses the conversion of aquaculture sludge into valuable microalgal biomass, creating sustainable value chains from waste streams. These projects receive funding from multiple sources including the Research Council of Norway, Innovation Norway, and European Union programs. Her laboratory and field work focuses on pilot-scale microalgae cultivation systems, particularly those integrated with aquaculture operations. The National Algaepilot Mongstad facility serves as her primary research platform, where she tests various microalgal strains under Norwegian climatic conditions. Her team investigates strain selection, cultivation parameters, harvesting techniques, and downstream processing to optimize the entire production chain for both economic and environmental performance.
