Researchers at NTNU’s Department of Biotechnology and Food Science study fundamental questions, as well as issues with practical applications
Biotechnology relies on the use of cells or part of cells in the production of knowledge, products and services.
Food Science combines biology, chemistry, physics and engineering to study the nature of foods, the principles of processing and the utilization of food resources.
About the department
Biotechnology relies on the use of cells or part of cells in the production of knowledge, products and services, and includes the use of gene technology and other methods in molecular biology to produce useful products for use in research, medicine, agriculture and industry.
Researchers at NTNU’s Department of Biotechnology and Food Science study both basic questions as well as problems with practical applications. We are particularly interested in finding new applications for our national marine resources, as exemplified by advanced biotechnological applications of alginate from seaweeds/bacteria, chitin/chitosan from crustaceans and fish gelatine. We are also working on isolating new marine microorganisms that can produce medicines and other valuable substances, and we employ gene technology and modern analytical methods to understand and optimize processes in bacteria.
Biotechnology and Food Science Research
Research at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science is structured into four scientific divisions. For further details please see below.
Analysis and Control of Microbial Systems
Contact Person: Olav Vadstein
- Environmental Biotechnology
- Microbial Ecology
Principal Investigators: Ingrid Bakke, Olav Vadstein
Biopolymers and Biomaterials
Contact Person: Berit Løkensgard Strand
- Applications of Biopolymers and Biomaterials
- Carbohydrate Based Biomaterials
- Carbohydrate Structure–Function Relationships
- Enzymatic and Chemical Tailoring of Biopolymers
Principal Investigators: Berit Løkensgard Strand, Bjørn E. Christensen, Catherine Taylor Nordgård, Finn L. Aachman, Gudmund Skjåk-Bræk, Kurt Draget, Marit Sletmoen
Food Science
Division Leader: Jørgen Lerfall
- Quality of raw materials and products, including quality changes through processing
- Marine lipids, proteins and peptides, biopolymers, metabolites and pigments
- Shelf life and food chain knowledge
- Stability of marine lipids
- Food safety, food microbiology, biofilms, hygienic design and development of hygienic processing equipment
- Rest raw materials, new raw materials (seaweed) and sustainable production
Principal Investigators: Turid Rustad, Anita Nordeng Jakobsen, Alexander Dikiy, Jørgen Lerfall, Eva Falch, Lisbeth Mehli, Eirin Marie Skjøndal Bar
Microbial Biotechnology
Division Leader: Trygve Brautaset
- Alginate Biosynthesis
- Bioenergy
- Controlled Expression of Genes and Pathways
- Metabolomics, Fluxomics
- Synthetic Biology
- Systems – Network Biology
Principal Investigators: Eivind Almaas, Martin F. Hohhmann-Marriott, Helga Ertesvåg, Per Bruheim, Rahmi Lale, Trygve Brautaset
