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Nils Halberg, PhD
Principle Investigator Nils opened the lab in 2016 with the goal of better our understanding of how altarations to the physiological state affect tumors. The main focus so far has been to understand of obesity affect tumor initiation and progression in breast and pancreas cancers. Nils´ PhD work focussed on the mechanistic interaction between obesity and insulin resistance, in the lab of Philipp Scherer at UTSW, USA. He then continued his training in tumor biology thorugh the mentorship of Sohail Tavazoie at The Rockefeller University, New York, USA. the lab employs a mix of computational and wet lab biologist and primarily used system-wide approaches of mouse models and patient material. |
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Kelly Velasco, PhD
Researcher Kelly Velasco joined the Halberg lab in 2021. She is a cell and molecular biologist interested in deciphering the function of proteins that have an impact for human health but have not been yet fully characterized. She has participated in studies across a variety of topics (the malaria parasite (Plasmodium spp.), the ubiquitin system and the regulation of insulin secretion) and has therefore experience with different cellular models as well as useful techniques for the study of protein function. Currently, she is part of our hit-to-lead program to develop a novel targeted therapy against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Google scholar: https://scholar.google.no/citations?hl=en&user=u7UDxrkAAAAJ |
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Adam Truskewycz, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow Adam Truskewycz joined the Halberg lab in 2021. He is a materials scientist who holds a Bachelor of Biotechnology (Hons.) and plans to blend these two fields for developing biocompatible cancer targeting nano-theragnostic platforms. He has a diverse scientific research background using nanotechnology to combat environmental pollution, identify heavy metals in the environment, and effectively destroy antimicrobial resistant strains of bacteria and fungi. The development of fluorescent ultra-small ‘carbon quantum dot’ (CQDs) nanoparticles is central to his current research focus. These CQDs will be used to improve the properties of poorly soluble chemotherapeutics and will be combined with other nanocarriers for multi-functional cancer theragnostic platforms. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=A7-x8zYAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao |
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Line Petersen, M.Sc.
MSCA fellow with Philipp Scherer, UTSW M.Sc. University of Bergen 2015 Email: [email protected] Line Pedersen joined the Halberg lab in 2015 as a PhD student. Her project focuses on establishing animal models for studying the cancer-obesity connection in vivo. Line also applies metabolic analysis combined with modern molecular biology to understand underlying mechanisms of breast cancer tumorigenesis |
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Jianhua Han, PhD
Research Technician |
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Sina Thorsen Tackle
PhD Student (2020-2024) |
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Priscilia Lianto
Postdoctoral fellow (2023-2026) |
Martin Eide Lien
PhD Student ( 2023-2026)
Martin joined the Halberg lab in 2023 and specializes in computational and synthetic biology. His research focuses on the intersection of computers and biology, with particular interests in AI, bioengineering, computer vision, and drug design. He has successfully developed a diagnostic software tool for salmon and bioengineered E. coli cells, enabling the detection of lethal gas concentrations in land-based aquaculture farms. Martin aims to utilize computational tools to study and characterize the environment within the niches in of triple negative breast cancer , specifically identifying factors that contribute to tumor initiation in individuals with obesity
PhD Student ( 2023-2026)
Martin joined the Halberg lab in 2023 and specializes in computational and synthetic biology. His research focuses on the intersection of computers and biology, with particular interests in AI, bioengineering, computer vision, and drug design. He has successfully developed a diagnostic software tool for salmon and bioengineered E. coli cells, enabling the detection of lethal gas concentrations in land-based aquaculture farms. Martin aims to utilize computational tools to study and characterize the environment within the niches in of triple negative breast cancer , specifically identifying factors that contribute to tumor initiation in individuals with obesity
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Thomas Myhre Dale
PhD Student (2023-2027) Thomas joined the Halberg lab in 2024 as a PhD student. His project focuses on unraveling the mechanisms behind obesity-induced epigenetic remodeling in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. |
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Zonglai Liang
Post doc (2024-2027) I earned my PhD from UIB, conducting research at the Michael Sars Centre with a primary focus on the development of cell biology and cell neurobiology. By integrating various techniques, I elucidated the mechanism attributing the chloride channel to both embryo development and neuronal information sensation, offering valuable insights for tracing the functional evolution of the chloride channel |
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Ariell Thale Toftesund Longva
MD/PhD Student 2022-25 |
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Maren Austevik Bø
MD/PhD Student 2023-26 Maren is a MD/PhD-student, interested in the connection between lifestyle factors, metabolism and disease. In Halberg lab, she will try to identify the epigenetic enzymes which contributes to the obesity-cancer connection. Outside the lab she enjoys competitive running. |
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Oda Bellika Kjæmpenes
Master student ( 2023/24) Oda has a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from University of Bergen (2019-2022) and is currently in her last year of master in Biomedicine. She is interested in understanding more of how obesity impacts cancer development and how the tumor microenvironment effects the tumor progression. |
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Eric Holt
Master student (2023/24) Eric specializes in bioinformatics, working on epigenetics in obesity and cancer. He switched from amateur programming and physics to biology, aiming to contribute to aging research. He seeks to challenge the prevailing passive acceptance of aging as inevitable. |
Alumni
PhD Students
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Xiaozheng Liu
Then: PhD Student (2016-2020) Now: Post doc with Sarah Fendt, Leuven, Belgium |
Benedict Man Hung Choi
Then: PhD Student (2017-2020) Now: Post doc with Hani Goodarzi, UCSF, USA |
Pouda Panahandeh
Then: PhD Student (2015-2019) Now: Postdoc with Gunnar Mellgren (UiB) |
Post docs
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Anastasiia Rulina
Then: Postdoc (2017-2020) Now: Senior Scientist in Genome Editing, Astra Zeneca |
Cara Wogsland
Then: Post doc (2017-2020) Now: Senior Researcher Kinn Therapeutics |
Master Students
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Ghazal Lessan Toussi
Then: Master student (2022-2023) Now: Engineer with Carina Strell, UiB, Norgway |
Johanna Lepland
Then: Master student (2020-2021) Now: Research Analyst, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam |
Alex Williams
Then: Master student (2021-2022) Now: Engineer, UiB, Norway |
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Marcus Langeland Nygård
Then: Master student (2021-2022) Now: PhD Student with Susanne Mandrup, Univeristy of Odense, Denmark |
Susanne Benjaminsen
Then: Master Student (2018-2019) Now: Lab technician (Kinn Therapeutics) |
Kristine Monsen
Then: Master Student (2018-2019) Now: Pharmaq AS |
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Synnøve Aamold
Then: Master Student (2017-18) Now: Clinical Trials Coordinator, The University of Queensland, Australia |
Ishtiaq Siraji
Then: Technician (2017-2020) Now: PhD Student with Jim Lorens (UiB) |
Hilde Lien
Then: Master Student (2018-2019) Now: PhD Student with Camilla Krakstad (UiB) |
MD/PhDs
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Pahul Hanjra
Then: Fullbright Scholar (2017-18) Now: MD/PhD Student MD Anderson (USA) |