Lene Jespersen

Primary fields of research

• Biotechnology
• Food microbiology
• Fermentation
• Microbial ecology
• Indigenous fermented food products
• Microbial biodiversity
• System biology for starter cultures
• Microbial interactions within the human GI tract
• Capacity building in developing countries

CV

Education:

Lene Jespersen (born 1962) was educated at The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (MSc, Food Science 1989), and Industrial PhD Fellow (1994), collaboration between Alfred Jørgensen Laboratory Ltd., The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University and The Danish Academy of Technical Sciences.

Employments:

2013-: Professor, Microbial Ecology and Food Fermentation, Department of Food Science, KU.

2008-2013: Professor (mso), Global Food Microbiology, Department of Food Science, LIFE/KU.

2008-2009: Head of Section (Food Microbiology), Department of Food Science, LIFE

1995-2008: Associate Professor at The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University/The Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Food Science (IFV), Food Microbiology.

1989-1995: Research Scientist, Alfred Jørgensen Laboratory Ltd., Frederiksberg, Denmark. Research and development within food microbiology, physiology of eukaryotic cells, fermentation and innovative analyses for estimation of eukaryotic cellular behaviour. Responsible for supply, research and development of brewing- and dairy starter cultures. Consultant for the international food and beverage industries.

Theses

Jespersen, L. Use of Fluorescence Staining and Flow Cytometry for Analysis of Brewing Yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). PhD thesis (defended 1994).

Jespersen, L.  Penicillium roqueforti’s biokemiske egenskaber i relation til produktion af blåskimmelost (Biochemical Properties of Penicillium roqueforti in relation to Production of Blue Cheeses). MSc thesis (1989).

Major scientific research projects

Project leader/Coordinator on several national and international research projects funded by the Danish Council for Strategic Research, the Ministry of Food, Agricultures and Fisheries, Danish Food Industry Agency, the Danish Dairy Research Foundation, Danida (Enreca, RUF, FFU), Chr. Hansen, Danisco/Dupont, FOSS, Arla Food Innovation, Thise Dairy, Maersk, FØTEK, LMC (Centre for Advanced food Studies).  WP leader on the EU FP6-IPproject: “PathogenCombat” as well as on several national funded projects.

Patent:

Jespersen, L. and Holm, C. (2002) Method for differential analysis of bacteria in a sample. International Publication Number WO 02/057482 A2

Awards:

KU-LIFEs Erhvervspris 2011 (KU-LIFE Industrial Prize 2011)

Main posts:

University committees at KVL/LIFE/KU

2012-: Member of Science Council for development activities (KU)2006 - 2012: Member of the Academic Council, KVL/LIFE/KU

2006-2012: Member of FIU (Research and Innovation Council), KVL/LIFE (KU)

2006-2008: Member of KINU (the International Committee), KVL/LIFE

2004-2012: Member of the UFAG group at KVL/LIFE/KU coordinating research activities related to the developing countries

2003-2004: Member of the Board for Developing Countries, KVL

2003-2008: Member of FOKO (Research Coordination, advisory board), LMC

2003-2008: Member of the Board, IFV, KVL

2002-2008: Chairman for the research committee, IFV, KVL

1999-2001: International coordinator, IFV, KVL

Scientific committees

2007-: Commissioner at the International Commission on Yeasts (ICY), representing Denmark

2006: Member of the working group on the Strategy for Developing Countries, IFV, KVL

2005: Member of the working group on nutrigenomics, LMC

2004: Member of the working group on food safety and quality. A national research strategy on food biotechnology (“Sunde, sikre og velsmagende fødevarer gennem bioteknologi”, Direktoratet for Fødevareerhverv, 2004)

2002: Member of the program committee on “Food technology, safety and quality”, The Directorate for Food, Fisheries and Agri Business, The Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries

2000: Chairman for the committee for preparation of the strategy for biotechnology at IFV, KVL

Reviewer for international journals and research councils

2005-: Member of the editorial board on FEMS Yeast Research

2003-2008: Member of the editorial board on International Journal of Food Microbiology

2003-2010: Referee for the Research Council of Norway

Teaching

Course responsible for the MSc course ‘Microbiology of Fermented Food and Beverages’

The MSc course 'Yeast Physiology and Applications'