 
    Overview
Availability
- Professor Esteban Marcellin is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Chemical Engineering, Universidad Iberoamericana
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
- 
Systems and Synthetic BiologySystems and synthetic biology are powerful tools to guide the improvement of biological systems for producing fuels, chemicals, foods and biopharmaceuticals. Systems and synthetic approaches can be used to identify metabolic engineering targets and develop new production strains. Using data-driven approaches that take advantage of the tremendous growth in high throughput ‘-omics (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics) coupled with mathematical models we can better understand cells. The data gathered can be used to suggest potential metabolic engineering strategies (e.g. bottlenecks that can be targeted for knockout/up-regulation) to improve yields and productivity. Biological systems are refined and improved using biological data, leading to further iterative rounds of metabolic engineering to enhance production. Using gas fermentation, we are consuming greenhouse gases (CO and CO2) as feedstock for fermentation and converting those greenhouse gases into valuable fuels, chemicals and fuels. This allows us to decrease our dependence on finite fossil fuel resources and improves sustainability for Australia. Our projects aim at producing efficient cell lines to increase the yields and productivity of biological systems. In collaboration with leaders in the industry, such as Lanzatech, Amyris, Zoetis, Dow, CSL and Thermo-Fisher, we are applying systems metabolic engineering to enhance yields and increase the production scope of the advanced biomanufacturing sector. 
Works
Search Professor Esteban Marcellin’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Enhancing dairy-like aromas and reducing beany flavours in mould-ripened soy cheeses
Huang, Wenkang, Gumulya, Yosephine, Wätjen, Anders Peter, Marcellin, Esteban, Prakash, Sangeeta, Bang-Berthelsen, Claus Heiner and Turner, Mark S. (2025). Enhancing dairy-like aromas and reducing beany flavours in mould-ripened soy cheeses. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 443 111408, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111408
2025
Journal Article
Upstream considerations for gas fermentation processes
Resch, Michael G, Badgett, Alex, Krömer, Jens O and Marcellin, Esteban (2025). Upstream considerations for gas fermentation processes. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 95 103337, 103337-95. doi: 10.1016/j.copbio.2025.103337
2025
Journal Article
Inactivation of KhpB (EloR/Jag) in <i>Lactococcus cremoris</i> increases uptake of the compatible solute glycine-betaine and enhances osmoresistance
Xiang, Yuwei, Pham, Huong Thi, Gumulya, Yosephine, Liang, Zhao-Xun, Marcellin, Esteban and Turner, Mark S. (2025). Inactivation of KhpB (EloR/Jag) in Lactococcus cremoris increases uptake of the compatible solute glycine-betaine and enhances osmoresistance. Applied and Environmental Microbiology e00914-25, e0091425. doi: 10.1128/aem.00914-25
2025
Journal Article
Carbon assimilation and regulation by the phosphotransferase system in <i>Actinobacillus succinogenes</i>
Vallejo-Giraldo, Angélica, Fragoso-Jiménez, Juan Carlos, Martínez, Luz María, Hernández-Chávez, Georgina, Merino, Enrique, Martinez, Alfredo, Corona-González, Rosa Isela, Marcellin, Esteban, Vieille, Claire and Gosset, Guillermo (2025). Carbon assimilation and regulation by the phosphotransferase system in Actinobacillus succinogenes. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 136 (9) lxaf232. doi: 10.1093/jambio/lxaf232
2025
Journal Article
Advancing Australia’s food future: opportunities and challenges in precision fermentation
Gumulya, Yosephine, Peng, Huadong, Ebert, Birgitta, Johnson, Hope, van der Pols, Jolieke C., Bansal, Nidhi, Marcellin, Esteban and Turner, Mark S. (2025). Advancing Australia’s food future: opportunities and challenges in precision fermentation. Future Foods, 11 100630, 100630. doi: 10.1016/j.fufo.2025.100630
2025
Journal Article
Advancements and challenges in the bioproduction of raspberry ketone by precision fermentation
Gao, Peizhen, Sun, Hanzhi, Ledesma-Amaro, Rodrigo, Marcellin, Esteban and Peng, Huadong (2025). Advancements and challenges in the bioproduction of raspberry ketone by precision fermentation. Future Foods, 11 100606, 100606. doi: 10.1016/j.fufo.2025.100606
2025
Journal Article
Insights into lactose catabolism and its regulation in Actinobacillus succinogenes
Varela-Pérez, Nadia M., Vallejo-Giraldo, Angélica, Fragoso-Jiménez, Juan C., Martínez, Luz María, Hernández-Chávez, Georgina, Gutierrez-Rios, Rosa María, Martinez, Alfredo, Marcellin, Esteban, Vieille, Claire and Gosset, Guillermo (2025). Insights into lactose catabolism and its regulation in Actinobacillus succinogenes. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 136 (6) lxaf134. doi: 10.1093/jambio/lxaf134
2025
Conference Publication
CO(2)-metabolism: quantifying mixed carbon oxide and hydrogen gas fermentation by Clostridium autoethanogenum
Heffernan, James K., Nielsen, Lars K. and Marcellin, Esteban (2025). CO(2)-metabolism: quantifying mixed carbon oxide and hydrogen gas fermentation by Clostridium autoethanogenum. Inaugural UQ Biosustainability Hub Conference, Tangalooma, QLD, Australia, 7-9 May 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
CO(2)-Metabolism: Quantifying Mixed Carbon Oxide And Hydrogen Gas Fermentation By Clostridium Autoethanogenum.
Heffernan, James K., Gonzalez Garcia, R. Axayactl, McCubbin, Timothy, Kopke, Michael, Valgepea, Kaspar, Nielsen, Lars and Marcellin, Esteban (2025). CO(2)-Metabolism: Quantifying Mixed Carbon Oxide And Hydrogen Gas Fermentation By Clostridium Autoethanogenum.. The Carbon Recycling Network Conference 5, Cheshire, United Kingdom, 9-12 March 2025.
2025
Conference Publication
Understanding the sensory gap between no and low alcohol (NOLO) wine and traditional wine
Li, Huanhuan, Smyth, Heather, Bekker, Marlize, Rudge, Raisa and Marcellin, Esteban (2025). Understanding the sensory gap between no and low alcohol (NOLO) wine and traditional wine. NZOZ Sensory and Consumer Science Symposium, Palmerston North, New Zealand, 19-21 February 2025.
2025
Journal Article
Isolation of an exopolysaccharide-producing Weissella confusa strain from lettuce and exploring its application as a texture modifying adjunct culture in a soy milk alternative
Huang, Wenkang, Yang, Shuyu, Wätjen, Anders Peter, Gumulya, Yosephine, Fernández-Pacheco, Pilar, Marcellin, Esteban, Prakash, Sangeeta, Bang-Berthelsen, Claus Heiner and Turner, Mark S. (2025). Isolation of an exopolysaccharide-producing Weissella confusa strain from lettuce and exploring its application as a texture modifying adjunct culture in a soy milk alternative. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 428 110992. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2024.110992
2025
Conference Publication
Protein identification and binding capacity of Pseudomonas putida to critical metals
Webster, Luke J., Palfreyman, Robin, Gillane, Rosemary, Soto, Fernanda, Marcellin, Esteban and Villa-Gomez, Denys (2025). Protein identification and binding capacity of Pseudomonas putida to critical metals. 63rd Annual Conference of Metallurgists (COM 2024), Halifax, NS, Canada, 19-22 August 2024. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-67398-6_202
2024
Journal Article
Autotrophic adaptive laboratory evolution of the acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum delivers the gas-fermenting strain LAbrini with superior growth, products, and robustness
Ingelman, Henri, Heffernan, James K., Harris, Audrey, Brown, Steven D., Shaikh, Kurshedaktar Majibullah, Saqib, Asfand Yar, Pinheiro, Marina J., de Lima, Lorena Azevedo, Rodriguez Martinez, Karen, Gonzalez-Garcia, Ricardo A., Hawkins, Grant, Daleiden, Jim, Tran, Loan, Zeleznik, Hunter, Jensen, Rasmus O., Reynoso, Vinicio, Schindel, Heidi, Jänes, Jürgen, Simpson, Séan D., Köpke, Michael, Marcellin, Esteban and Valgepea, Kaspar (2024). Autotrophic adaptive laboratory evolution of the acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum delivers the gas-fermenting strain LAbrini with superior growth, products, and robustness. New Biotechnology, 83, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.nbt.2024.06.002
2024
Journal Article
Biosynthesis of novel non-proteinogenic amino acids β-hydroxyenduracididine and β-methylphenylalanine in Escherichia coli
Gillane, Rosemary, Daygon, Dara, Khalil, Zeinab G. and Marcellin, Esteban (2024). Biosynthesis of novel non-proteinogenic amino acids β-hydroxyenduracididine and β-methylphenylalanine in Escherichia coli. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 12 1468974, 1-11. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1468974
2024
Conference Publication
Understanding the sensory gap between no and low alcohol (NOLO) wine and traditional wine
Li, Huanhuan, Bekker, Marlize, Rudge, Raisa, Marcellin, Esteban and Smyth, Heather (2024). Understanding the sensory gap between no and low alcohol (NOLO) wine and traditional wine. Crush 2024, Adelaide, SA Australia, 25 - 26 September 2024.
2024
Conference Publication
Understanding the sensory gap between no and low alcohol (NOLO) wine and traditional wine
Li, Huanhuan, Bekker, Marlize, Rudge, Raisa, Marcellin, Esteban and Smyth, Heather (2024). Understanding the sensory gap between no and low alcohol (NOLO) wine and traditional wine. QSA NextGen Ag Symposium 2024, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 6 September 2024.
2024
Journal Article
Adaptive laboratory evolution of Clostridium autoethanogenum to metabolize CO2 and H2 enhances growth rates in chemostat and unravels proteome and metabolome alterations
Heffernan, James, Garcia Gonzalez, R. Axayactl, Mahamkali, Vishnu, McCubbin, Tim, Daygon, Dara, Liu, Lian, Palfreyman, Robin, Harris, Audrey, Koepke, Michael, Valgepea, Kaspar, Nielsen, Lars Keld and Marcellin, Esteban (2024). Adaptive laboratory evolution of Clostridium autoethanogenum to metabolize CO2 and H2 enhances growth rates in chemostat and unravels proteome and metabolome alterations. Microbial Biotechnology, 17 (4) e14452, e14452. doi: 10.1111/1751-7915.14452
2024
Journal Article
Harnessing metabolic plasticity in CHO cells for enhanced perfusion cultivation
Nöbel, Matthias, Barry, Craig, MacDonald, Michael A., Baker, Kym, Shave, Evan, Mahler, Stephen, Munro, Trent, Martínez, Verónica S., Nielsen, Lars K. and Marcellin, Esteban (2024). Harnessing metabolic plasticity in CHO cells for enhanced perfusion cultivation. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 121 (4), 1371-1383. doi: 10.1002/bit.28613
2024
Journal Article
A universal molecular control for DNA, mRNA and protein expression
Gunter, Helen M., Youlten, Scott E., Reis, Andre L. M., McCubbin, Tim, Madala, Bindu Swapna, Wong, Ted, Stevanovski, Igor, Cipponi, Arcadi, Deveson, Ira W., Santini, Nadia S., Kummerfeld, Sarah, Croucher, Peter I., Marcellin, Esteban and Mercer, Tim R. (2024). A universal molecular control for DNA, mRNA and protein expression. Nature Communications, 15 (1) 2480, 1-13. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46456-9
2024
Conference Publication
CO(2)-metabolism: quantifying mixed carbon oxide and hydrogen gas fermentation by Clostridium autoethanogenum
Heffernan, James K., Gonzalez-Garcia, R. Axayactl, McCubbin, Timothy, Köpke, Michael, Valgepea, Kaspar, Nielsen, Lars K. and Marcellin, Esteban (2024). CO(2)-metabolism: quantifying mixed carbon oxide and hydrogen gas fermentation by Clostridium autoethanogenum. Gas fermentation conference 2024, Gladstone, QLD Australia, 21-25 February 2024.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Esteban Marcellin is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy Profitable Upcycling of GM Biomass from Precision FermentationPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Dr Yosephine Gumulya 
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Doctor Philosophy Modelling cyanobacterial metabolism for the production of high-value productsPrincipal Advisor 
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Doctor Philosophy Engineering Eubacterium limosum for Enhanced CO2 Fixation via rational genome-scalePrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Dr James Heffernan, Dr Birgitta Ebert 
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Doctor Philosophy Optimizing Mixed Gas Fermentation for Enhanced Biofuel ProductionPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Dr James Heffernan, Dr Yosephine Gumulya 
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Doctor Philosophy Bioprocess engineering and systems biology for optimised production of terpenoids in cyanobacteriaPrincipal Advisor 
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Doctor Philosophy Greenhouse Gas Fermentation and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)Principal Advisor Other advisors: Dr James Heffernan, Dr Lars Puiman 
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Doctor Philosophy Accelerating the design of cell lines for biologic productionPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Dr Marianne Gillard, Professor Timothy Mercer 
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Doctor Philosophy Optimizing Gas Fermentation for the Valorization of Mixed Gases into High-Value Bio-ProductsPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Dr James Heffernan, Dr Lars Puiman 
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Doctor Philosophy Biological CO2 and H2 utilization for sustainable animal feed productionPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen, Dr James Heffernan 
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Doctor Philosophy Multi-one-carbon conversion in the aerobic carboxydotroph Hydrogenophaga pseudoflavaPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Dr James Heffernan 
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Doctor Philosophy Designing a Programmable Food Ingredient Library via Precision Fermentation in Yarrowia lipolyticaAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Huadong Peng 
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Doctor Philosophy Influence of structurally different polysaccharides and their interactions with saliva and tannins on mouthfeel in wineAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Marlize Bekker, Dr Huadong Peng, Professor Heather Smyth 
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Doctor Philosophy EnzOnomy - an enzyme-based production pipeline for the bioeconomyAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Professor Damian Hine, Professor Gary Schenk 
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Doctor Philosophy Redesigning Carbon Flux: Growth-Coupled Lignin Valorisation and the Emergence of Synthetic Chemolithoheterotrophy in Pseudomonas putidaAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Birgitta Ebert 
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Doctor Philosophy Metabolic modelling of microbial co-cultures for biotherapeutic productionAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Lars Puiman, Associate Professor Adrian Oehmen 
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Doctor Philosophy Microbial fatty acid derivative production from CO2-derived C2 intermediatesAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Birgitta Ebert 
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Doctor Philosophy Towards the sustainable discovery and development of new antibioticsAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Zeinab Khalil 
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Doctor Philosophy Using synthetic biology to accelerate critical metals recovery from mine wasteAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Yosephine Gumulya, Dr Denys Villa Gomez 
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Doctor Philosophy Accelerating the extraction of critical metals such as rare earth elements and gallium from red mud tailings.Associate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Denys Villa Gomez 
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Doctor Philosophy Engineering robust microbial hosts for precision fermentationAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Yosephine Gumulya, Professor Mark Turner 
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Doctor Philosophy Isolation and optimisation of phosphate-solubilising fungi for agricultural applicationsAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Professor Susanne Schmidt, Dr Axa Gonzalez 
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Doctor Philosophy Engineering biology of yeast for sustainable fragrance production through precision fermentationAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Axa Gonzalez, Dr Huadong Peng 
Completed supervision
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2025 Doctor Philosophy Pathway engineering and systems biology for optimised isobutanol production in gas-fermenting acetogens: From strain enrichment to identification of metabolic limitationsPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen, Professor Gary Schenk, Dr Axa Gonzalez, Dr James Heffernan 
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2024 Doctor Philosophy Production of the Mannopeptimycin Antibiotic and Other Unknown Biosynthetic Gene Clusters from Streptomyces hygroscopicusPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Dr Zeinab Khalil 
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2023 Doctor Philosophy Systems metabolic engineering for one-carbon (C1) utilization metabolismPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Honorary Professor Zhiguo Yuan 
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2023 Doctor Philosophy Modelling and characterising life and death of mammalian suspension culturesPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen, Dr Veronica Martinez Salazar 
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2023 Doctor Philosophy Sustainable fuel and chemical production via Gas Fermentation: exploring CO2 metabolism by Clostridium autoethanogenumPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen, Dr Axa Gonzalez 
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2022 Doctor Philosophy Cell Line Development for High Density Culture of CHO Cells in Perfusion: Applications of Apoptosis ResistancePrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Professor Peter Gray, Dr Veronica Martinez Salazar 
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2021 Doctor Philosophy Insight into acetogens metabolism through the use of thermodynamic metabolic flux analysisPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen 
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2020 Doctor Philosophy Understanding toxin production in Clostridium tetani: a systems approachPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen 
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2019 Doctor Philosophy From waste to chemicals: On the metabolism of Clostridium autoethanogenum and PHB production from gas fermentationPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen 
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2018 Doctor Philosophy Metabolic Engineering of propionibacteria's Wood Werkman cycle in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiaePrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen, Professor Mark Turner 
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2018 Doctor Philosophy Exploring the metabolism of propionibacteria using genome-scale modellingPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen 
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2017 Doctor Philosophy Understanding high propionic acid production in PropionibacteriumPrincipal Advisor Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen 
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2025 Doctor Philosophy Systems biology-guided cell line engineering for production of therapeutic proteins with complex post-translational modificationsAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Lucia Zacchi, Professor Benjamin Schulz 
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2024 Doctor Philosophy Mechanisms of osmoresistance in industrial Lactococcus cemorisAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Huong Thi Pham, Professor Mark Turner 
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2023 Doctor Philosophy Exploring Metabolic Demands of High Cell Density Chinese Hamster Ovary Cell Culture - Studying Apoptosis Resistance in Perfusion CultureAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Veronica Martinez Salazar 
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2023 Doctor Philosophy Production of liquid chemicals from C1 feedstocks using Eubacterium limosumAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Dr Bernardino Virdis 
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2022 Doctor Philosophy Sf9 cell line engineering to improve baculovirus expressionAssociate Advisor 
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2016 Doctor Philosophy Understanding CHO cells biology for enhanced biopharmaceutical production: a comparative transcriptomic and proteomic approachAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Professor Peter Gray, Professor Lars Nielsen 
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2015 Doctor Philosophy Quantitative bacterial phosphoproteomicsAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen 
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2014 Doctor Philosophy Characterisation of the Saccharopolyspora erythraea metabolic switch: a systems approachAssociate Advisor Other advisors: Professor Lars Nielsen 
Media
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