Norwegian version

Disease and Environmental Exposures

This research group is concerned with diseases and disorders that have a clear correlation to environmental factors both biotic and abiotic in origin.

The environment plays an important role in disease dynamics and in determining the health of individuals. The aetiology of a disease can often only be fully understood in the context of the interaction between host, agent and the environment. Our research group is interested in disease in its many aetiologies, from relatively well-understood communicable diseases to non-communicable ones where ‘causes of the cause’ need to be considered, such as in the cases of cancer, diabetes, and hypercholesteremia. Through our research we try to gain an understanding of pathogenesis and to identify routes of infection, predisposing factors and effective treatments.

Head of research group

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  • Members

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    • More about the research group

      We are a group of scientists with a background in experimental laboratory research working at the Department of Life Sciences and Health, OsloMet. We are pharmacologists, biomedical scientists, molecular biologists and microbiologists. In addition to our research we are involved in the teaching of subjects at bachelor's, master's and PhD degree levels, as well as mentoring of PhD candidates. We have access to dedicated research laboratories with state of the art equipment at the OsloMet campus, and at the campuses and localities of our partners. You can learn more about our activities and areas of interest from the list of present and recent research projects, including those pursued by our PhD candidates.

    • Research projects

      • Health effects of meat substitutes
      • Bacterial components and their effect on energy metabolism in human skeletal muscle cells
      • Nanoparticulate drug carriers for delivery of cutting-edge antimicrobials to biofilm
      • Prevalence of aminoglycoside phosphotransferase genes in the environment
      • Human papillomavirus genomic events and cancer
      • Exploring Fusobacterium spp. as non-invasive biomarkers for colorectal cancer screening: Examination of a Norwegian cohort using stool and colonic biopsies
      • Loss of stx from shiga toxin producing E. coli
      • Comparison of methods for sampling and detection of resistant bacteria from welfare technological aids in nursing homes
      • Plastic-degrading bacteria in the Norwegian environment: biochemical potential and genetic basis.
      • Studies on the environmental effects of drug release
      • Electrical stimulation of human myotubes as a model system for physical activity
      • Characterization of extracellular vesicles from human myotubes
      • Energy metabolism in human myotubes
      • The ability of hematology analysers to detect patological cells in blood
      • Evaluation of lipid tests relevant for point of care testing analysis in pharmacies
      • Improved compliance with antibiotic treatment through competence and skills transfer in pharmacies
    • PhD projects

      Ongoing

      • Improved compliance with antibiotic treatment through competence and skills transfer in pharmacies. PhD candidate: Yngvild Bergsholm Rochette. Project leader: Lene Berge Holm.
      • Bacterial components and their effect on energy metabolism in human skeletal muscle cells. PhD candidate: Ragna Husby Tingstad. Project leader: Vigdis Aas.
      • Nanoparticulate drug carriers for delivery of cutting-edge antimicrobials to biofilm. PhD candidate: Ahmed Amer. Project leader: Sanko Nguyen.
      • Exploring Fusobacterium spp. as non-invasive biomarkers for colorectal cancer screening: Examination of a Norwegian cohort using stool and colonic biopsies. PhD candidate: Thulasika Senthakumaran. Project leader: Hege Tunsjø.
      • Biocompatibility and safety of dental devices made from base metal alloys and digitally manufactured orthodontic resins. Project leader: Vigdis Aas.
      • Lacritin-incorporated nanoparticles as a new and improved treatment of dry eye disease. Project leader: Ellen Hagesæther.
      • CiRCle – Immune profiles in ColoRectal Cancer. Project leader: Hege Tunsjø.
      • Application of next generation sequencing and machine learning to decipher the effects of oral antibiotic treatment on dry eye disease. PhD candidate: Maria Naqi. Project leader: Colin Charnock.

      Recently completed

      • The ability of hematology analysers to detect patological cells in blood. Dr Heidi Eilertsen. Project leader: Tor-Arne Hagve.
      • An investigation of the presence of antibiotic resistance determinants and resistant bacteria in the Norwegian environment by examination of water treatment plant sludge. Dr Ingvild Falkum Ullmann. Project leader: Colin Charnock. 24.01.2020.
      • Exploring the Built Environment Microbiomes of Norwegian Kindergartens and Nursing Homes. Dr Anders Benteson Nygaard. Project leader: Colin Charnock. 03.04.2019.
    • Research collaborators

      • University of Oslo
      • University of Bergen
      • Akershus university hospital
      • Oslo university hospital
      • Norwegian institute of public health
      • Cancer registry of Norway
      • University of Toledo
      • University of Porto
      • University of Liverpool
      • University of Porto
      • The institute of molecular genetics, Montpellier