He is recognized for his work on the development of cereal endosperm and research on foods with increased nutritional content[7][8] and for leading Norway´s contribution to the sequencing of bread wheat chromosome 7B as part of the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium where Olsen´s group at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences sequenced chromosome 7B.[9][10] Olsen´s research on endosperm has been widely referenced in subsequent studies.[11][12]
The work on the sequencing of bread wheat chromosome 7B has been described in international science media, such as Nature, The Atlantic, Phys.org and Science and Aftenposten as a key step toward understanding the wheat genome[13][14][15] and helping scientists develop better, more resilient and potentially less allergenic crop varieties, with possible long-term benefits for global food security.[16][17][18]
Olsen's team identified hundreds of wheat genes, including many linked to allergenic proteins, highlighting the potential for improved crop varieties.[13][19][20]
Odd-Arne Olsen is educated in genetics from the University of Oslo (UiO) with a PhD in agricultural science from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NLH now NMBU). He worked in the Norwegian biotechnology program at UiO and NLH for a decade, and from 2001 at the companies Pioneer Hi-Bred DuPont and Monsanto in the USA, before returning to the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU).[21][22][23]
Books and Science Communication
He is the editor of Endosperm: Developmental and Molecular Biology, a comprehensive volume on cereal endosperm published by Springer.[24]
He is also the author of the book På genjakt etter mer og bedre mat (2024),[25] which provides a comprehensive overview of plant biotechnology, including methods of genetic modification and gene editing, with examples drawn from industrial applications and research history in Norway and internationally.[26][27][28]
Olsen´s research focused on the development of cereal endosperm.[35][36] including the genetic regulation of aleurone cell development, the role of the cytoskeleton in endosperm morphogenesis.[37] Olsen and his collaborators demonstrated that ADP-glucose for starch synthesis in barley endosperm is produced in the cytosol rather than in the amyloplasts, a discovery that later formed the basis for patents.[38][39] He also led studies that revealed the essential role of DEK1 in several developmental processes, including in the moss Physcomitrium patens.[40]
Olsen´s research group at NMBU contributed to the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium by sequencing wheat chromosome 7B in collaboration with Graminor and several national and international partners.[41] Using the new reference genome, Olsen´s research group mapped seed-borne allergens and immunoresponsive proteins across bread wheat´s 21 chromosomes[42] and provided light on the origin of wheat [43] and characterized transcriptome of wheat endosperm.[44]
↑biovitenskap, Universitetet for miljø-og; Solem, Trond (2008-06-03). "- Genmaten vil komme". www.forskning.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2025-12-16.
↑Hagen, Jon Georg (2008-09-04). "Forgiftet av GMO-mat". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2025-12-16.
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