Molecular Parasitology & Mitochondrial Biochemistry

Description of Research Group

How microbes interact with their hosts plays an important role in human and animal health. Especially the microbes in the gut are of crucial importance. We are interested in how these microbes affect human and animal health. Our research includes important human and animal pathogens but also focusses on microbes and nutrition and their role in food security.

Adaptation of microbial eukaryotes to low oxygen, as found in the gut for example, featured in several high impact publications (Nature (2003) 426, 172-176, Current Biology (2008) 18, 580-585, Current Biology (2014) 24, 1176-1186 and PLoS Biology (2017) 15(9) e2003769) and included major human pathogens such as Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica and Blastocystis. We hope that understanding their unusual biochemistry might lead to new drug targets. Recently, we started working with the Academic Hospital here in Stavanger where we collaborate with the Gastroenterology department on studying the role of the gut microbiome in inflammatory bowel disease or IBD.

Our lab uses a variety of techniques to answer our research questions. Molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics and next-generation sequencing methods are routinely used.

Technology, expertise and equipment

Molecular biology, cell biology, anaerobic biochemistry, bioinformatics and next-generation sequencing.