Affiliation: Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Kristina Wornell is a microbiologist with a primary research focus on the development of a route to industrial production of high value products by bacteria. Kristina has received her training at Auckland University of Technology, where she received a PhD in anaerobic bacteria of the fish gut, and the University of East Anglia, where she completed a BBNet funded project on bio-production of acrylic acid utilising anaerobic bacteria. Her expertise is in the development of novel methodology for culture of anaerobic bacteria and production of high value products. Kristina’s research portfolio includes a diverse set of microbiology research projects, from large scale seaweed fermentation, to microbial production of acrylic acid, and determination of DMSP production and degradation pathways in sediment residing microorganisms. Her work has a focus on anaerobic bacteria, with associated publication in the development of novel methodology, specifically designed for in vitro work with anaerobes. Her various roles have included research work on microbiota profiling, culture method development, genotyping and phenotypic identification of production and degradation pathways, with the end goal being industrial production of high value bacterial products.