Research

The research at the Marine Biological Sections covers numerous basic and applied aspects in marine biology:

Aquatic microbiology
Functional biology of marine animals and plants
Fish and invertebrate physiology
Climate change biology
Aquaculture and bioproducts
Coral reef biology
Diversity, phylogeny and evolution of metazoans and protists

The research involves numerous national and international collaborations, including exchange of students and staff, and takes place in a wide range of systems, ranging from polar to tropical habitats.

Anders Garm
Research in marine sensory ecology and neuroethology with focus on
1) visual systems in starfish and cubomedusae, and
2) how advanced behaviour is controlled by simple nervous sytems
Bent Vismann
Research in marine invertebrate physiology with focus on
1) the effect of low oxygen on the energy metabolism,
2) filter feeding bivalves including toxic algae and energetics and
3) aquaculture
Jens T. Høeg (Emeritus)
Research on larval biology and reproductive systems in selected marine animals with focus on
1) The adaptive significance of reproductive systems under various ecological conditions
2) The evolution of larval development and metamorphposis in barnacles and related groups
3)The biology of marine parasites including larval forms with still unidentified adults
John Fleng Steffensen
Research on fish physiology with focus on:
1) Optimizing growth of fish in aquaculture
2) Global change physiology – from the Arctic to the tropics
3) Physiological adaptations to hypoxia, hypercapnia and temperature
4) Exercise physiology of fish – from individual to schools.

Katrine Worsaae
Research in comparative morphology of marine invertebrates with focus on
1)nervous system evolution and development, and
2) origin and systematics of meiofauna organisms – using a range of advanced imaging techniques combined with molecular phylogenetics and transcriptomics
Lasse Riemann (Head of Section)
Research on marine bacterioplankton ecology with focus on
1) the importance and ecology of heterotrophic N2 fixing bacteria and
2) regulation and importance of bacterial community composition.
Mathias Middelboe
Research in marine viral ecology with focus on
1) the role of viruses on prokaryotic diversity, evolution and nutrient cycling
2) the use of viruses to control bacterial pathogens in aquaculture.
Michael Kühl
Research on microbes, biofilms, plants and symbioses with focus on:
1) Microbial life and biogeochemistry at interfaces
2) Microenvironmental controls of cell behavior, interaction and activity in microbial communities, symbioses and aquatic plants
3) Imaging and microsensor techniques for mapping physical and chemical microenvironments and metabolic activity at high spatio-temporal resolution
4) Bio-optics and photobiology of aquatic phototrophs
Niels Daugbjerg
Research on molecular systematics and ecology of phytoplankton with focus on
1) diversity of marine and freshwater dinoflagellates and
2) acclimation to changes in temperature, salinity and pH.
Niels-Ulrik Frigaard
Research in ecophysiology and bioengineering of photosynthetic microorganisms.
1) understanding metabolic pathways related to photosynthesis and biosynthesis of native and nonnative metabolites.
2) Practical applications of photosynthetic microbes and their pigments and other metabolites.
Per Juel Hansen
Ecology and physiology of marine protists. Currently, focus is on
1) discovering new toxins in marine microalgae and study their effects on the marine food web and
2) The role of mixotrophy in marine protists