Welcome to Møbjerg Lab

Our research is focused on fundamental research questions that span disciplines within biology, integrating studies from the molecular to organismic level, addressing how animals evolve and adapt to their environment.

Currently we focus on tardigrades (water bears) and cryptobiosis, a state of latent life, where metabolism may come to a reversible standstill. We investigate molecular, anatomical and physiological adaptations that enable tardigrades to thrive in extreme and changing environments. The overall aim is to elucidate the mechanisms that underly extreme adaptations, such as cryptobiosis, and to understand how they evolved.

Our research methodology includes advanced microscopy and imaging techniques, experimental physiology, and various molecular methods including genomics/transcriptomics. Fieldwork is an important part of our work.

 

See profile at Google Scholar.

 

Comparative Anatomy

Zoophysiology

Experimental Animal Models in Research and Industry

Herpetology

PhD courses at the August Krogh Club

Master and Bachelor projects: We offer projects within cryptobiosis and environmental stress tolerance in tardigrades. Please contact Nadja Møbjerg for further information.

 

 

 

 

 

Contact

Møbjerg Lab
Cell Biology and Physiology
August Krogh Building, 3rd floor
Universitetsparken 13
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark

Nadja Møbjerg
Email: nmobjerg@bio.ku.dk

Media & Outreach

Debate on Extreme Stress Tolerance in the Animal Kingdom, BLOOM Festival and the Danish Society of Engineers (IDA), Sept 2023. Podcast (In Danish) available here.

Discussion of tardigrades with Danish radio and TV host, Huxi Bach on DR P1 radio show “Ubegribeligt” (English: “Incomprehensible”), Sept 2023. Podcast (In Danish) available here.

UCPH Press Release, Aug 2023. Denmark is crawling with the world's most resilient creature.

Entanglement in a qubit-qubit-tardigrade system, Dec 2022. 

Discussion of tardigrades with Danish radio host Peter Løhde, Radio 4, Oct 2022. Podcast (In Danish) available here.

Tardigrades on Danish DR P1 radio show “Vildt Naturligt”, Nov 2021. Podcast (In Danish) available here.

New tardigrade species selected for WoRMS top-ten marine species of 2020, March 2021. 

Interview - The Guardian, March 2021.Tardigrades: nature's great survivors:

Interview - The Scientist, Jan 2021. Tardigrades’ List of Super Powers Grows Ever Longer.

Interview - Danish Natur|DR, Jan 2020. Verdens mest hårdføre dyr bliver også ramt af klimaforandringerne.

Thermotolerance experiments on active and desiccated states of Ramazzottius varieornatus emphasize that tardigrades are sensitive to high temperatures, Jan 2020.