The lab focuses on microbial strain development in order to obtain products needed by society.

We are working on

1. Alginate and alginate-modifying enzymes using the alginate-producing bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens and Azotobacter vinelandii.
2. Omega-3-producing thraustochytrids for fish feed production.
3. Characterization of the interactions between nano-sized mineral particles and extracellular polymers from several bacteria, aiming at more sustainable processes for the mining industry.

Our approach include developing tools for genome editing and gene expression, expression and characterization of proteins, studies to elucidate how an interesting product is produced, followed by metabolic engineering to increase the expression of these products.

Projects

• NFR Digital Life/ Biotek2021: "AurOmega - Microbial production of omega-3 fatty acids - a model based approach" (2017-2021) (Per Bruheim, Eivind Almaas, Inga Marie Aasen, Helga Ertesvåg)
• NFR Frinatek “Nanomorphology effects on the bioactivity and chemical activity of metal oxides, sulphides, and silicates» (2018-2022) (Hanumantha Rao Kota, Irina Chernysova, Helga Ertesvåg)