Florian Pruckner is a researcher at the University of Southern Denmark. His work spans interdisciplinary domains including Biochemistry, Marine Biology, Synthetic Biology, and Molecular Biology, with a focus on biotechnological applications and eco-physiological adaptations in microorganisms. Research Interests: Terpenoid metabolism in marine diatoms, light-regime adaptations in phytoplankton, biosensor development in microalgae, and antiviral immunity mechanisms in plants. Email: flp@igt.sdu.dk
Mahesha Manjunatha Poojary serves as Associate Professor in Food Protein Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Food Science, a position he has held since January 2023 and advanced to Associate Professor on the Promotion Programme in September 2024. His career at UCPH spans postdoctoral research (2017-2018), tenure-track Assistant Professor (2018-2022), and current leadership roles in major research initiatives. His academic foundation includes a PhD in Chemical Sciences from the University of Camerino (2017) and an MSc in Chemistry from India's National Institute of Technology Karnataka (2011). International research mobility includes fellowships at RMIT University, DTU, and TU Dresden. Dr. Poojary's research centers on food protein chemistry with emphasis on microalgal biotechnology and analytical food science. His work systematically investigates protein oxidation mechanisms, Maillard reaction dynamics, and protein-polyphenol interactions using advanced LC-MS/MS and chromatography techniques. Current projects focus on valorizing food byproducts, improving dairy/plant-based product stability, and extracting high-value compounds from microalgae. Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal strong thematic concentration on protein modification pathways in food systems, cold plasma applications for grain proteins, and microalgal valorization strategies. These works demonstrate methodological rigor in chromatography and mass spectrometry while addressing industry-relevant challenges in sustainable food production. His scientific recognition includes five major awards: FOOD Junior Scientist (2020, 2021), The Nils Foss Talent Prize (2022), AOCS Early Career Travel Award (2023), and The Australia Awards-Endeavour Fellowship (2016). Dr. Poojary supervises four PhD candidates and leads four significant research projects totaling 56 million DKK in funding. Key grants include DFF-funded initiatives on dairy wastewater valorization using microalgae (Two-in-one project) and cold plasma effects on grain proteins (PROPLASMA), alongside Novo Nordisk Foundation's SEEDFOOD project where he serves as Co-PI and Theme Leader. His research operates within UCPH's Food Proteins group through strategic industry partnerships with Arla Foods, Teagasc Ireland, and academic collaborations with DTU and RMIT University, focusing on translating fundamental protein chemistry discoveries into sustainable food solutions.
Johan Andersen-Ranberg serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Science, specializing in the Section for Plant Biochemistry. His research focuses on developing sustainable production systems using algae, particularly Nannochloropsis oceanica, to create high-value molecules from carbon dioxide. His educational journey includes a PhD from the University of Copenhagen with thesis titled 'Biosynthesis of High Value Bioactive Natural Products,' an MSc in Applied Biotechnology from Uppsala University (thesis: 'Utilizing Synthetic Biology in Cyanobacteria'), and a BSc in Medicine and Technology from the Technical University of Denmark. He completed postdoctoral training at the University of California Berkeley in Prof. Krishna Niyogi's laboratory, characterizing genes involved in pigment biosynthesis in stramenophile algae. Andersen-Ranberg's research interests center on algae biosynthesis for sustainability, with a vision to establish Nannochloropsis oceanica as both an Earth-based sustainable production system and potential agricultural crop for space colonization applications. His work spans genetic engineering of eukaryotic algae, carotenoid biosynthesis, cytochrome P450 enzymes, and commercialization of engineered bioproduction hosts. Current projects include developing gene engineering tools for N. oceanica, studying pigment biosynthesis in eukaryotic algae, and creating production platforms for plant natural compounds used in non-lethal rodent pest control products. His publication record demonstrates consistent high-impact research output with recent articles in Nature Communications, Science Advances, Current Biology, and Trends in Plant Science. The research trends show a progression from fundamental biochemical characterization toward applied bioproduction technologies, with increasing focus on engineering approaches for sustainable manufacturing. His work bridges basic science with commercial applications, particularly in the areas of sustainable production systems that utilize solar energy and carbon dioxide. Andersen-Ranberg maintains active collaborations across international research networks, with external collaborations spanning multiple countries as indicated by his research output metrics. His work has been referenced in policy sources, picked up by numerous news outlets, and cited across various social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. His research has substantial academic impact with hundreds of Mendeley readers across his publications. His laboratory focuses on developing N. oceanica as a production system, leveraging its unique evolutionary position within the SAR supergroup that is responsible for over 40% of Earth's annual carbon dioxide fixation. The research group works on creating sustainable production platforms suitable for both terrestrial applications and potential use in long-duration space missions, such as Mars colonization efforts.
Niels Daugbjerg is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology within the Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen. His research focuses on marine biology with specialization in protist systematics and microalgal ecology. He maintains an active research program with numerous recent publications and international collaborations across multiple countries. His primary research interests include molecular systematics of protists, ultrastructure of marine nano flagellates, and biodiversity and biogeography of microalgae. Daugbjerg investigates the phylogeny and evolutionary history of dinoflagellates through nucleotide sequencing of clonal cultures and single-cell PCR of nuclear-encoded genes (LSU and SSU rRNA), along with mitochondrial gene sequences. His research spans global environments from freshwater to marine ecosystems. Another major project examines the microalgal community in Ikka-fjord (southwestern Greenland), using light and transmission electron microscopy combined with molecular methods to characterize microalgae in open water and attached to ikka columns. Analysis of Daugbjerg's recent publications reveals a strong focus on Arctic marine protists, phytoplankton community dynamics, nutrient cycling, and the effects of environmental changes on microalgal populations. His work spans taxonomic descriptions of new species, physiological studies of algal responses to environmental conditions, and investigations of large-scale ecological patterns in marine systems. Daugbjerg has served as editor for prominent journals including Phycological Research (2014-2016) and Phycologia (2006-2008). He organized the 12th international conference on harmful/toxic algae in 2006. His research has received media attention, including coverage of his winter expedition to Ikka Fjord in 2008 and contributions to Nyhedsministeriet. His work has been referenced in policy sources, Wikipedia pages, and social media platforms, demonstrating its broader impact beyond academic circles. Through his ORCID profile (0000-0002-0397-3073) and extensive research output (142 publications), Daugbjerg maintains active collaborations across international boundaries, contributing significantly to our understanding of marine microbial ecosystems and their responses to environmental change.
Poul Erik Jensen is a Professor in plant based food biochemistry at the Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, with over 25 years of experience in research and education. He serves as group leader for the research group 'Plant based foods and biochemistry' and has held various academic positions at the university since 1998. His educational background includes a Ph.D. (1993) and M.Sc. (cand.agro) (1989). He previously served as Head of Section for Molecular Plant Biology (2007-2019) and Head of Copenhagen Plant Science Centre (2013-2019). Jensen's research focuses on plant biochemistry, molecular biology, and biotechnology with five primary areas: structure and functionalization of plant seed storage proteins; microalgae for protein and lipid production; metabolic engineering of photosynthetic organisms for flavor, color, and taste compounds; redox enzymes driven by light; and synthetic biology in food science. His work bridges fundamental plant science with practical food applications. His recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on plant-based food systems, with particular emphasis on pea protein applications, metabolic engineering in cyanobacteria, photosynthesis research, and consumer acceptance of novel food sources like microalgae. These works span food chemistry, biophysics, synthetic biology, and plant physiology journals. Professor Jensen has been active in academic service with 33 recorded activities including 20 lectures and oral contributions, 6 external teaching activities, and various committee memberships. His teaching portfolio includes 'Plants for foods - processing and functionality' (MSc), 'Biochemistry 1' (BSc), and 'Fundamentals of Beer Brewing and Wine Making' (MSc). He leads research connecting plant biochemistry with food technology, particularly focusing on sustainable protein sources and innovative food systems through both traditional plant science and cutting-edge synthetic biology approaches.
Niels-Ulrik Frigaard is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Science, specializing in Marine Biology. His research laboratory focuses on the ecophysiology and bioengineering of photosynthetic microorganisms including cyanobacteria, microalgae, and anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria. His research interests center on photosynthetic mechanisms, CO 2 metabolism, and metabolic strategies of photosynthetic microbes. Frigaard investigates how these organisms can be utilized for practical applications in CO 2 capture and biosynthesis of metabolites including pigments, sugars, and other compounds. His methodologies integrate genetic and physiological techniques with biochemical and molecular analyses applied to both laboratory cultures and natural/engineered microbial communities. His publication portfolio demonstrates significant contributions to photobiotechnology, with research spanning from fundamental photosynthetic mechanisms to applied biotechnology. Recent work shows increasing focus on carbon capture applications and metabolic engineering of cyanobacteria for bioproduct synthesis. Dr. Frigaard maintains an active research program with substantial scholarly output, as evidenced by numerous high-impact publications and citations across diverse platforms including Scopus, Mendeley, and Wikipedia. His work has been featured in major news outlets and referenced in patents, indicating significant real-world impact. He leads the Frigaard Lab at the University of Copenhagen, which investigates photosynthetic microorganisms through integrated approaches combining genetic manipulation with physiological and biochemical analyses. The lab maintains strong collaborative networks across multiple countries and research domains.
