EXPERTISE
Profile
Marit F. M. Bjorbækmo holds a Ph.D. in marine ecology from the University of Oslo, Department of Biosciences. One of her main interests is to investigate eukaryotic diversity (microeukaryotes/protists, prokaryotes, and fungi) and their functionality from a holobiont perspective - i.e., a larger host organism and all the other (micro)organisms associated with this host. Marit has worked with a broad variety of sample types, ranging from environmental samples (eDNA) from water, sediments, faeces, and soil, to various host organisms such as seaweeds, marine invertebrates, plant roots, and fish. In ecosystems, no organism can be considered as a standalone entity. Seaweeds for example harbour a wide diversity of microorganism both inside and on the surface of their tissues, which influences the seaweed host health. Marit has broad experience with molecular lab work and has used metabarcoding (Illumina MiSeq amplicon sequencing) in most of the scientific projects she has been involved in, but she also has experience with other sequencing technologies (from Sanger sequencing to Illumina HiSeq andOxford Nanopore Technology). Marit is currently involved in several projects at NIVA where she investigates microorganisms associated with seaweeds (rockweeds and kelps) in both farmed (aquaculture) and wild (natural) populations.