Veronika K. Pettersen
Job description
Microbiologist exploring the human gut microbiome in health and disease, affiliated with the Host-Microbe Interaction and Paediatric Research groups. Position funded by Centre for New Antibacterial Strategies.
Positions
- 2022- Førsteamanuensis (Associate Professor) at Host-Microbe Interactions and Pediatric Research Groups, Department of Medical Biology, UiT
2020-2021 NFR-financed researcher, Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT - 2018-2020 Visiting researcher, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada
- 2013-2017 Postdoctor, Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Bergen, Norway
- 2008-2012 PhD fellow, Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Education
- PhD Biotechnology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- MSc Biotechnology, Technical University of Denmark
- Biochemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, Czechia
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Research interests
I explore metabolite and protein signatures of the gut microbiome to understand its functions. I am interested in how the microbiome mediates colonization resistance against pathogens, how it is linked to cancer development, and how it is formed in infancy. I use the knowledge of these essential gut microbiome functions to formulate strategies for disease prevention.
We are looking for participants in our study on gut microbiome of children and youth - Do you want to participate ?
https://en.uit.no/project/microtromso_en/Participation
CURRENT PROJECTS
Gut Microbiome-based Biomarkers to Prevent Infections by Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria in Infancy
funded by Helse Nord RHF
The microbial community living in the human intestine provides first-line defence against enteric pathogens. Exploiting symbiotic bacteria for pathogen suppression is a viable alternative to the use of antibiotics in preventing infections.
This research project leverages two cohort studies of term infants to describe the biochemical impact of antibiotics and probiotics on their gut microbiome. The first is a randomized clinical trial co-led by the Paediatric Research group in Tromsø (UiT/UNN), which investigates the effects of probiotic therapy in Tanzanian children and its potential to prevent infections by ESBL-producing Enterobacterales (ProRIDE: Probiotics to Reduce Infections and Death and Prevent Colonization with ESBL- producing bacteria). The second study is a prospective, observational pilot study of infants with suspected symptoms of infection during the 1st week of life leading to antibiotic therapy (IMPALE: Impact of Antibiotics on the Neonatal Metabolome). The aim of both studies is to describe changes in faecal metabolites and microbial composition in association with antibiotic/probiotic use, drug-resistant strain colonization, and a risk of infection.
Compositional and metabolic changes of the gut microbiome in childhood cancers
funded by Barnekreftforeningen, Thorfinns gavefond til barnekreftforskning”and Erna og Olav Aakres stiftelse
The project is a collaboration between the Paediatric Research group at UiT, Norwegian Childhood Cancer Biobank, and researchers from the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis at the University of Oslo.
The gut microbiome has been implicated as a possible driver and regulator of cancer pathogenesis. Producing small molecules and metabolites that act both locally and systemically, the gut microbiome may promote or suppress cancer generation and progression. Although several studies have reported associations between microbial alterations and different types of cancers, the gut microbiome has not been systematically characterized in childhood cancer.
This project explores the compositional variation of the gut microbiome in paediatric cancer patients. By using DNA sequencing methods and metabolite profiling, the researchers will characterize features of the gut microbiome associated with cancer diagnoses in children. The goal is to describe microbiome-based markers that discriminate cancer cases from healthy controls and microbial metabolites that can serve as diagnostic biomarkers in therapeutic explorations.
Infant Gut Microbiome Acquisition: Off to a Healthy Start
funded by The Centre for Advanced Study (CAS) at The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
This project connects experts in microbiology, clinical science, epidemiology, and bioinformatics, which together discuss a roadmap for translational microbiome research. A sequence of workshops critically examines current microbiome-focused mother-child population studies, analytical and computational approaches for mining microbiome data, and experimental models for defining causality. In a subsequent research stay, a core group of researchers will formulate review manuscripts based on the workshops and develop joint proposals investigating mother-to-child microbial transmission, drivers of infant gut microbial colonisation, and the impact of antibiotic use on this process.
PAST PROJECTS:
Early-life gut fungal dysbiosis in pediatric asthma development
Proteomic characterization of Escherichia coli
A Combinatorial Mutagenesis Approach to Improve Microbial Expression Systems
Teaching
MBI-2003 IMMUNOLOGI, FARMAKOLOGI, EPIGENETIKK OG MIKROBIOLOGI
MBI-3014 INFECTION, INFLAMMATION AND IMMUNITY
MBI-8005 ADVANCED ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE COURSE
