https://www.researchgate.net/lab/Inge-S-Fomsgaard-Lab 

fb.me/Fomsgaard.lab.Natural.Product.Chemistry 

https://twitter.com/NaturalProdChem

My research area is chemical compounds (small molecules) that are present in agricultural crops or in the agricultural environment. I have built the team "Natural Product Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry" (see "Further information") and am the team leader. My team conducts research into a)secondary metabolites in agricultural crops, with properties as alternative crop protection products and as health-promoting substances, b) fate of pesticides in the environment and c) agricultural and environmental metabolomics. 

My research into the natural chemicals of agricultural crops encompasses investigations into the presence of the compounds under varying cultivation conditions and under stress effects; the excretion of natural chemicals from agricultural crops; sorption, transformation leaching of natural chemicals in soil; the effect of natural chemicals on the microbial environment in soil; uptake and metabolisation in humans and animals; health effects; isolation and structural elucidation. We deal with natural chemicals from agricultural crops and use state-of-the-art mass spectrometry (LC-MSMS, LC-MSQTRAP, LC-TOF, GC-TOF and LC-MS-DAD).

Team Natural Product Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry has built a strong specialization within benzoxazinoid chemistry (quantitative analysis, metabolism, structural elucidation, effects, synthesis, isolation). Benzoxazinoids are a group of natural compounds that occur in the majority of cereal crops and a few monocotyledonous plants. 

My research is interdisciplinary in collaboration with: agronomists, biologists, pathologists, molecular biologists, veterinarians, weed scientists, microbiologists, statisticians, medical doctors.

Current and former Team members

Current project participation or - leadership

Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BioNI) -A novel high‐throughput platform integrating wheat genetics, natural product chemistry and microbial ecology approaches to improve sustainable crop production. 2022-2025. Novo Nordisk Foundation. WP leader

InterPhyt - Interspecific phytochemical defense exchange. The Danish Council for Independent Research – Technology and Production. 2021-2024. WP-leader.

Stable or fertile - solving the soil C-N dilemma by exploiting the legume rhizosphere. The Danish Council for Independent Research – Technology and Production. 2020-2023. WP-leader 

Transfer of biochemical defense between plant species. Villum Experiment. 2021-2022. WP leader 

Elucidation of chemical interactions between cover crops grown in mixture with importance to weed suppression. - PhD project, Hossein Hazrati, 2018-2021. Supervisor.  

Uptake and metabolization of pesticides and phytochemicals in honey bees: toxic or health sustaining effects? - PhD project, Hamidreza Ardalani, 2017-2021. Supervisor.

Recently finalized project participation or - leadership

Identification of new naturally occurring benzoxazinoids and discerning the role of known benzoxazinoids in prostate cancer and auxin activity. - PhD project, Bina Bhattarai, 2017-2020. Supervisor.

Clever plant roots design their associated microbiome to prevent disease. What are the mechanisms behind? - The Danish Council for Independent Research – Technology and Production, 2016-2019. Workpackage leader. 

Use of targeted, semi-targeted and untargeted mass spectrometry for the elucidation of the influence of small molecules on interactions between Arabidopsis and the rhizosphere microorganisms. - PhD project, 2017-2020, Kourosh Hooshmand.

Arming honeybees with nature's pharmacy. - Individual postdoc project Nanna Hjort Vidkjær. The Danish Council for Independent Research – Technology and Production, 2016-2019. Supervisor.

Root-protected grass. - Green Development and Demonstration Programme. 2015-2019. Work package leader.

Organic cotton for Employment, Growth and Environment. - Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 2015-2019. Work package leader. Supervisor for PhD student Innocent Eclou

Pyretroids in private homes. - Danish Environmental Protection Agency. 2015-2018. Project leader.

RyeproC. Whole grain rye as a functional food for suppression of prostate cancer –elucidating the role of benzoxazinoids and other bioactive constituents. -The Danish Council for Independent Research | Technology and Production Sciences, 2013-2018. Project leader. Supervisor for postdoc Stine Krogh Steffensen.

Master thesis projects

I am offering Master's thesis topics related to our courses or our current externally funded projects. Tutoring takes place in collaboration with my postdocs and PhD students.

Course coordination:

• Agricultural ecotoxicology (in Danish)(bachelor) (autumn)

• Bioactive Molecules in Agroecology (MSc Summer University) (PhD course) 8-19 August 2022. 7-18 August 2023

  PhD course massespektrometri: Hands-on LC-MSMS analytical chemistry of small molecules (phytochemicals, contaminants and primary metabolites) (PhD-summerschool, 13-24 June 2022). 12-23 June 2023. Available instruments in our PhD summer school are LC-MSMS, LCMS-QTRAP, LC-TOF and GC-TOF. Experienced technicians, PhD students/postdocs together with external experts will give thorough guidance in the lab. 

Comments from participants in our 2021 Hands-on LC-MSMS course

• I really enjoyed the practical experience of the course, it provided insights that I would not have acquired with theoretical knowledge.
• Furthermore, it was of great help that we could bring our own samples for analysis
• It is really nice, that both lab technicians PhD’s and senior VIPs take part in the teaching and that you are able to discuss things with all of them.
• Superb research atmosphere with diverse experts and very committed students.
• Very polite communication
•