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Dr. Mikael Harju's core competence lies in environmental analytical chemistry, with a main focus on studying and reducing organic pollutants in Arctic and sub-Arctic ecosystems.  

As a researcher at NILU in Tromsø, he is driven by a desire to develop advanced, reliable methods for detection, quantification and assessment of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and new environmental pollutants. His work is specifically aimed at understanding how these pollutants interact with biotic and abiotic components of vulnerable ecosystems, where cold climates and unique ecological factors can influence how the pollutants are dispersed and decomposed. 

Throughout his career, he has specialized in improving analytical methods for sensitive matrices, such as fish and other biological material, to deliver data that is essential for environmental monitoring and risk assessments. His goal is not only to improve analytical precision, but also to contribute to public health and environmental policy through sound science. He is motivated by the opportunity to combine applied chemistry with ecosystem conservation efforts, and to protect these important areas and their communities from long-term pollution problems. 

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Dr Helene Lunder Halvorsen is a scientist at the Department of Environmental Chemistry and Health Effects and responsible for the Norwegian monitoring programme "Atmospheric contaminants" on behalf of the Norwegian Environment Agency. She is also involved in the reporting of organic contaminants under the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme EMEP.

She has a master's degree in Organic Chemistry (MSc) and completed her PhD at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oslo in 2023. In her PhD, she focused on regulated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and used air samples from Norway and Europe to investigate the occurrence, distribution and sources of POPs.

During her 13 years at NILU, she has gained much experience with air sampling and analysis of organic contaminants, with a particular focus on method development and quality assurance of data.

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Monika Strasser Englund is the administration coordinator in the Department of Environmental Chemistry and Health Effects at NILU.

As administrative coordinator, Englund is responsible for all the administrative work and plays a key role in tying together the various disciplines and departments into one business. She is an active partner and facilitator, and is systematic, service-minded, responsible and proactive.

She is also an employee representative on NILU's board.

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Nina Dahl is a laboratory coordinator and purchasing manager at the Department of Environmental Chemistry and Health Effects, at the Inorganic Section. She has worked at Nilu since 1991 in the same department.

Nina Dahl is responsible for:

• Registration of incoming samples.
• Purchasing and accounting.
• Completion of passive samplers.
• Safety delegate tasks.

Dahl has been involved in many of the tasks at Inorganic, and now works mostly administratively.

She finds motivation in the great collegial environment and her inspiring tasks.

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Erik Andresen is head of the section at NILU dealing with inorganic analyses. He is educated in chemical engineering at Sofienberg Technical College. Erik started in NILU's inorganic laboratory in 1989 as a chemical technician.

Erik has knowledge and experience with all the analysis methods. In 2007, he was hired as operations manager for his department. He was then employed as an engineer. The job involved customer contact, ordering analyses and reporting the analysis results to the customers.

Erik has been involved in starting up laboratories in five different countries. The job involves quality control of the analysis results before they are sent out to customers. Erik has a lot of experience in the following fields: analyses of cations and anions using ion chromatography, pH measurements in precipitation, analyses of precipitation dust, gravimetrically determination of PM2.5 and PM10 on filters, as well as determination of NO2, SO2 and NH3 using passive samplers.

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Dr. Elise Rundén-Pran is a senior scientist at NILU in the department of Environmental Chemistry and Health Effects. She is section leader for the Health Effects Laboratory and an ERT registered toxicologist.

She has extensive experience in toxicology, nanotoxicology, nanosafety, cell cultures, 3D-cellular models, nanogenotoxicology, DNA damage, intracellular cell death signaling, microscopy (confocal, TEM), immunohistochemistry, tissue slice cultures and neurodegeneration.

She was part of the Centre for Excellence in Molecular Neurobiology and DNA repair (UiO) for several years (PhD and Postdoc). She is experienced with human risk assessment and regulatory toxicology, partner leader in EURONANOMED II projects GEMNS and INNOCENT, and NILU project leader for several projects funded by EU and NFR. She has extensive experience in GLP, and is appointed member of the national committee for approval of European registered toxicologists (ERT), The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment, and member of the national expert group for toxicology.

The Health Effects Laboratory is certified for Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) for in vitro human toxicity studies. The laboratory is among the leading laboratories in Europe in nanotoxicology and nanosafety, and main areas of interest are genotoxicity, carcinogenicity in vitro, epigenetics, advanced in vitro models, regulatory aspects of nanosafety,  high-throughput approach to toxicity testing, intelligent testing strategy and adverse outcome pathways.

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Dr. Alexandra Misci Hudecova is a research scientist at NILU in the department of Environmental Chemistry and Health Effects with expertise in genetic toxicology, environmental health, and cellular biology. In addition to her academic research, Alexandra has professional experience in Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), working as a Quality Assurance (QA) manager. At NILU’s Health Effects Laboratory, which operates under GLP certification, she contributes to maintaining regulatory compliance, ensuring data integrity, and upholding rigorous laboratory quality standards. This experience has reinforced her commitment to high-quality, reproducible scientific research aligned with international regulatory frameworks. Alexandra is also trained in Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) principles, further supporting her commitment to responsible innovation and environmentally conscious research.

Alexandra earned her PhD studying the effects of Gentiana asclepiadea (willow gentian) extracts and silver nanoparticles on DNA damage/repair, adaptive responses, oxidative stress, antioxidant activity, and related cellular mechanisms in mammalian and human cells. Using a range of in vitro methods, she investigated oxidative DNA damage and cellular defense mechanisms, advancing knowledge on how natural compounds and nanomaterials interact with genomic stability and cellular defense systems.

Prior to joining NILU, Alexandra was a postdoctoral researcher at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) in Oslo. Her work focused on the impact of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on mice, including gene expression and behavioral studies. She explored neurodevelopmental and epigenetic consequences of maternal exposure to POPs, providing insights into strain-specific responses and maternal exposure outcomes with implications for environmental risk assessment.

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Dr Dorte Herzke is a senior scientist at the Arctic environment section in NILU’s Department of Environmental Chemistry and Health Effects located at Kjeller.

Herzke has a long-standing experience in development of analytical methods for determination of persistent organic pollutants as POPs, PFAS, microplastic and additives in environmental samples.

She has substantial expertise in biomonitoring and human exposure to environmental contaminants as well as conducting research on the fate of contaminants in the environment and the contribution to environmental and human exposure.

Herzke has been coordinating national and international research projects as well as acting as an adviser to national authorities. Contributing to the acceleration of our understanding on the drivers and impact of environmental pollution, in order to identify robust solutions, is one of her main motivations in her research.

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Ellen Katrin Enge completed her MSc degree in analytical chemistry at the University of Tromsø, with her master's thesis carried out at NILU in Tromsø in the period 1995–1997. After graduating, she was employed at NILU, first at the laboratory in Tromsø, and from 2001 at the laboratory at Kjeller.

Throughout her time at the department, Ellen Katrin has had several key roles, including Project Manager and Head of the section for test preparation. The section currently consists of 14 employees, including technicians, engineers and researchers. She also has a key role in the department's accredited laboratory activities.

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