|
Nils Halberg, PhD.
Professor Email: nils.halberg@uib.no Google Scholar | UiB Website | ORCID Nils studied Sports Science (BSc) and Human Biology (MSc)at the University of Copenhagen (2001-2005). For his PhD he worked in the lab of Philipp Scherer at UTSW in Dallas, USA uncovering the mechanistic connection between obesity, adipose tissue hypoxia and insulin resistance (2005-2009). In 2009, Nils left the metabolism field to join Sohail Tavazoie´s lab at the Rockefeller University to study the molecular regulation of metastatic spread. Since 2015, Nils been running is own lab at the University of Bergen, Norway. His work has been supported by The Norwegian Research Council, The Norwegian Cancer Society, and The Novo Nordisk Foundation |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
Line Petersen, M.Sc.
MSCA fellow with Philipp Scherer, UTSW M.Sc. University of Bergen 2015 Email: Line.Petersen@uib.no 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 |
|
Jianhua Han, PhD
Research Technician |
|
Sina Thorsen Tackle
PhD Student (2020-2024) |
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
|
Ariell Thale Toftesund Longva
MD/PhD Student 2022-25 |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
Eric Holt
Master student (2023/24) |
Alumni
PhD Students
|
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
|
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
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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
|
Pahul Hanjra
Then: Fullbright Scholar (2017-18) Now: MD/PhD Student MD Anderson (USA) |