Ekaterina Mishchenko

I graduated from the Murmansk State Technical University, Russia, as a microbiologist in 2009. After working in the bacteriology lab with the sanitary control of the environment and food supply, I worked in a research lab for biochemistry of marine organisms with proteins of fish and Arctic invertebrates. In 2012 I moved to Tromsø, Norway, to do a PhD in a field which was new and exciting for me – marine bioprospecting – discovery of novel and commercially interesting bioactive molecules in marine organisms. I studied the antibacterial activity of synthetic compounds that mimic some marine bioactive molecules in a close collaboration with another PhD project (in chemistry). Our interest was in the activity against the “bad bugs” – pathogens resistant to multiple antibiotics – and biofilms – sticky bacterial communities involved in chronic infections. As a researcher currently enrolled in the DigiBiotics, I will study the mode of action of novel molecules developed by the project team. Outside working time, hiking, baking and music are my favorite activities.