Microbial insights into Indigenous Greenlandic foods - Exploring bacterial communities in animal-source foods and gastrointestinal materials, and human gut microbiota responses to an animal-based diet

PhD defence by Mads Bjørn With Bjørnsen

Assessment Committee

Associate professor Morten Tønsberg Limborg, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen (Chairperson)
Dr Joshua David Evens, Danish Technical University
Dr Erin McKenney, North Caroline State University

Supervisors

Head of Department Anders Johannes Hansen
Associate Professor Aviaja Lyberth Hauptmann

Department

Globe Institute

Graduate Programme

Health and Medical Sciences

Place

The defence is conducted as a hybrid defence.

To attend the defence in person:
Building: Mærsk Tårnet (Panum), Bygning 7, Room: Foredragssalen 7.15.92,
Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 København N

To attend the defence online:
Please follow the link to attend the defence online: https://ucph-ku.zoom.us/j/61866456609
MeetingID, if relevant: 618 6645 6609

Email address to gain access to the thesis: mads.bjornsen@sund.ku.dk.
You will either receive a copy of the thesis or be informed where you can read a physical copy.
Recipients of copies of the thesis are not allowed to share or distribute it due to copyright compliance.

Short description of the thesis

This PhD thesis investigates the bacterial communities associated with Indigenous Greenlandic animal-source foods and explores changes in the human gut microbiota during an animal-based diet. Using DNA-based methods, the research characterizes the microbial composition of these foods, examines the contribution of intestinal material to an experimental fermentation and its potential use in contemporary cuisine, and tracks gut microbiota changes during a transition from a Western diet to one based on Indigenous Greenlandic foods. The findings reveal distinct bacterial communities across different foods and shifts in gut bacterial composition during dietary change. Together, these studies broaden our understanding of microbial diversity in Indigenous Greenlandic foods and the human gut, highlighting the scientific relevance of Indigenous food practices.