Six Questions for the New Professor Meet Dorte Bekkevold

How do you expect your research area at the institute to develop as a result of your professorship?
“I expect the professorship to strengthen the standing of my research field and give me better opportunities to attract funding from a broader range of sources,” says Dorte Bekkevold.

I’d now like to take a big step back in time and ask where your interest in marine life began.

“I’m not actually particularly interested in the sea as such. What fascinates me is the evolution of all living organisms: the processes and dynamics that determine which organisms are found where, when, and as a result of what evolutionary history.

“The timescale is fascinating, both in terms of geological time and the more recent period, during which humans exert all kinds of pressures, directly and indirectly, on the natural world.

“Like many biology students, I probably started university with a rather vague idea that I was going to ‘save the animals and the planet’. But during my studies I became captivated by the evolutionary processes that underpin all life around us.

“And what is truly remarkable is that these processes can be studied and understood through analyses of the genetic variation that exists within and between individuals, populations and species.

“This knowledge of DNA variation is central to my genomics research. It can also, and importantly, be applied to the management of aquatic resources and the protection of vulnerable populations, helping to ensure that we do not lose valuable biodiversity and that we maintain the sustainable use of our shared resources, both nationally and internationally.

“So perhaps the circle comes full circle after all: I do feel that I’m helping to ‘save the animals and the planet’ – just without the wellington boots.”

Why is marine research important?
“Research into aquatic biodiversity and the underlying genetics of individual species is important in its own right. We are increasingly gaining insight into the importance of distinct populations within a species, their distribution, and how they interact.

“Genomics research has provided groundbreaking new insights into the significance of inherited adaptations in local populations. For example, herring that spawn in Danish waters are not physiologically capable of spawning in either the North Sea or the Baltic Sea. Thanks to genomics research, we now know precisely which genes are responsible for this.” (Suitable as a LinkedIn quote.)

“This knowledge becomes even more important in light of the major changes that we are already witnessing, and expect to see in the future, as a result of climate change.

“As water temperatures rise, can we expect local lumpfish populations in the Kattegat to adapt genetically, or will they be replaced by other populations that are better adapted to the new conditions, or disappear altogether?

“Genomics research helps us answer questions such as these. The molecular and analytical methods I use are generally applicable and not specific to aquatic species. This also means that knowledge generated anywhere in the world, and across a wide range of species, is relevant to my research.

“As a result, scientific papers on everything from the kākāpō in New Zealand to sprat in the Irish Sea can be important to my work.”

How will your research field, through this new professorship, contribute to a better and more sustainable world?
“My ultimate goal is to promote the importance of considering biodiversity within species when managing aquatic resources sustainably and ensuring their conservation, both now and in the long term. This has wide-ranging implications, from deciding which populations of sea trout should be used in river restocking programmes to the management of North Sea herring stocks.

“To achieve this, we need both new analytical and technological methods and the provision of robust, internationally recognised knowledge and data. It is very much a long-term endeavour, but also an exciting one to be part of,” concludes Dorte Bekkevold.

She considers her career path somewhat unusual for a researcher, having spent her entire academic career to date at a single institution: what is now DTU Aqua in Silkeborg.

“After completing my PhD, I was offered a postdoctoral position abroad. Fortunately, I was also offered a position in Silkeborg, which I decided to accept,” she says with a smile.