Helix Lab Fellows, Class of Spring 2026

Project description

Sidestream from SCP often contain valuable components such as protein, nucleic acid, and other nutrients. Fractionation of these streams can improve the value of Unibio's final product and enable recover of key components through valorisation.
Unibio has a single cell protein product from fermentation with Methylocuccus capsulatus which is high in protein (>70% protein content) with over 1500 different proteins expressed and a current untapped potential for improvement of current product lines and new products.

Enzymatic treatment using DNase, RNase, protease and a combination can offer a targeted, mild and potentially scalable approach to fractionate these sidestreams, reduce nucleic acid content in the product and release free amino acid and other nutrients. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of enzymatic treatments to release valuable components from Unibio's SCP sidestream.

What was your motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow?

My motivation to become a fellow for helix lab is that I liked the idea of working by myself on something related to the industry in real life and not just learning it in the Academia. I wanted to get some "dirt on my nails". There's a saying says: ( Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I might remember. Involve me in and I will never forget ); that is exactly why I wanted to be a helix lab fellow. 

What is the most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow?

The most exciting part of helix lab is the whole Atmosphere. It pushes you forward and not allows you to fall under any circumstances. The supervisors, The Fellows, the staff, the industry, the lab work, the Follow-up, the networking, the visits to the biotech and biopharma sites .. Etc. it enlightens the spark inside you to give all you can and competing with yourself to be the best version of you every day. 

What perspectives do you see for your future after being a Helix Lab Fellow?

I have a dream of having my own biotech company, and its cornerstone is to get increasingly experienced with the technologies and processes to reinforce the capabilities and optimize the performance. Helix lab helped me to build up the foundation stone by giving me the chance to experience big biotech playmakers like Unibio and Novonesis and brilliant people from the Academia and DTU ,in particular, and Unibio and Novonesis Under the supervision of brilliant people who reinforced that dream. I became somehow experienced in DSP and Enzymes reactions during working in Unibio A/S as an innovation center and in helix lab on a lab scale with the enzymes from Novonesis A/S. I wish I could go forward with my future here in Kalundborg. 

Project description

Unibio’s project aims to transform fermentation monitoring by developing an ML-based soft sensor that replicates WTW probe measurements of NH4/NO3 in the fermentation broth. The sensor is designed to overcome challenges such as probe drift from fouling and downtime due to maintenance. Leveraging advanced deep learning techniques—including timeLLM and multimodal models—the solution will initially provide continuous, real-time measurements to ensure process stability. Subsequently, the model will evolve to forecast readings 30 minutes ahead, facilitating proactive process control and optimization. This Industry 4.0 approach integrates machine learning with process modeling to enhance fermentation efficiency and product quality. Students will manage the complete development cycle, from data collection and preprocessing to model creation and evaluation, ultimately supporting sustainable protein production by ensuring reliable monitoring even when physical sensors are offline or unreliable.

What was your motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow?

My main motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow is the opportunity to connect academic research with real industrial challenges in an environment that values innovation and collaboration. The program provides the ideal setting to apply the knowledge I have gained through my studies to practical problems, while learning from experienced professionals and fellow researchers. It is also the perfect environment to further challenge and develop my creative and innovative thinking.

Through this experience, I am gaining a versatile skill set that I can apply in many fields, from intelligent automation and system optimization to robotics, all of which are areas I am deeply passionate about. Beyond the technical aspects, being part of the Helix Lab community also allows me to grow personally and professionally in a dynamic and interdisciplinary setting.

What is the most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow?

The most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow is being part of a vibrant and diverse community where everyone supports and learns from each other. It is inspiring to work alongside people who share the same drive and ambitions, yet come from different academic backgrounds and perspectives. This creates an atmosphere rich in collaboration, creativity, and mutual development.

Beyond the academic and professional aspects, I also find it exciting to experience personal growth by adapting to new environments and challenges. As a philosophy, I like to continuously step outside my comfort zone and shake things up when needed, as that is where real learning and innovation happen. The fellowship fosters not only scientific curiosity but also resilience and openness to change, both of which are essential skills in life and in any future career.

What perspectives do you see for your future after being a Helix Lab Fellow?

I face the future with open arms and a willingness to take on new challenges. I would like to stay in Kalundborg if the right opportunity arises, but I am also ready to go wherever the wind takes me, and I will work hard to make the most of every path that opens ahead. However, my focus right now is on giving my best and delivering strong results during my time here, making sure I contribute meaningfully to the project and the Helix Lab community. Most importantly, whatever happens next, I will be proud to carry the Helix Lab name on my resume and to represent the experience and values it stands for.

Project description

At Novonesis, we produce a wide range of industrial enzymes and microorganisms based on fermentation technology. Besides the physical conditions as temperature, pH, stirring etc., many different factors contribute to the outcome of a fermentation. Some factors are related to the fermentation media such as level of nutrients and carbon source, while other factors are related to the biological process, e.g. accumulation of metabolic components, product formation and morphology.

The project proposal consists of an "Evaluation of Variation and Productivity of Alcalase II" using different measurements and technologies. The current process seems to be sensitive to media preparation and process conditions. The current process indicates a shift during the fed-batch phase, where productivity significantly changes. A deeper understanding of the variation and productivity, might lead to a more balanced culture, resulting in a more robust, predictable, cost effective and higher yielding process.

What was your motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow?

My motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow was to collaborate with industry to tackle a challenging problem and to explore the different companies contributing to biotechnology on a global scale. In addition, I saw this fellowship as an opportunity to strengthen my network.

What is the most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow?

Besides the amazing amenities Helix Lab offers, the most exciting part of being a fellow is getting the chance to deep dive into the company you are working with and to meet the whole Helix Lab community.

What perspectives do you see for your future after being a Helix Lab Fellow?

The perspectives I see for my future are to insert myself in industry. I would prefer working with fermentation scaling and optimization but am aware that life holds many surprises along the way.

Project description

In the pharmaceutical industry, stainless steel welds must be flawless; yet, manual visual inspection suffers from significant subjective variation worldwide. To address this challenge, an ongoing project is developing an AI-based inspection system. By utilizing deep learning and Explainable AI (xAI), the project aims to create a digital assistant that not only evaluates a weld but transparently highlights the visual evidence behind its decisions. The primary objective is to keep the human inspector in the loop while minimizing subjective variation and ensuring strict compliance with rigorous ISO standards. Ultimately, this implementation will minimize delays and inconsistencies that cause production stops or, in the worst-case scenario, overlooked defects that threaten product safety and patient health. While the current development phase is specifically focused on pharmaceutical applications, the underlying technology is designed to be highly scalable. In the future, this solution can be adapted for other industries with zero-margin-for-error quality standards, such as offshore energy, biotechnology, and food production.

What was your motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow?

My primary motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow is the unique chance to combine academic rigor with real-world industrial application. I have always aimed to work closely with the industry while maintaining a strong passion for research—with the ultimate goal of doing an Industrial PhD. To me, this fellowship is the ideal way to transform the often monotonous and theoretical master’s thesis process into a dynamic, hands-on learning experience that creates actual value for the industry.

What is the most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow?

For me, the most exciting part turned out to be the community, both socially and academically. The social environment provided crucial motivation during the long phases of writing, while the diverse mix of backgrounds and nationalities offered a constant exchange of knowledge. It was a space where you were always gaining new perspectives and being constructively challenged. Another major highlight was the events. When you spend six months deeply immersed in research, having the opportunity to step away and attend company visits, industry events, and social gatherings is fantastic. It allows you to engage directly with the industry while strengthening the bonds within the community.

What perspectives do you see for your future after being a Helix Lab Fellow?

Following my time at Helix Lab, my primary focus is to gain as much hands-on industry experience as possible while remaining open to exciting new opportunities. My future goal is to always be in a role where I can maintain my current steep learning curve—specifically, a position that requires me to stay up to date with the latest advancements in AI, much like my current project. In the near future, I aspire to transition into an advisory role that allows me to dedicate time to exploring research and state-of-the-art (SOTA) technologies. Ultimately, to perfectly combine these practical and academic ambitions, I plan to pursue an Industrial PhD if the right opportunity comes up.

Project description

This project explores the design and simulation of a quadruped-based deployment strategy for an aerial
inspection drone. The focus is on robotics and control, enabling the quadruped to safely transport and
deploy the drone in complex industrial environments. Simulation will be used to test mobility, stability, and
deployment strategies. Computer vision and potentially machine learning will complement these efforts by
estimating the 6D pose of the drone that allow the quadruped's robotic arm to precisely grasp, pick up, and
place the drone.

Project description

This project explores membrane-based separation to recover valuable nutrients from enzyme production residues. By efficiently recovering nutrients such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs), ammonium, and phosphorus, the process supports circular economy principles and reduces waste. In collaboration with Novonesis, the research focuses on optimizing VFA separation for biopolymer production while assessing broader nutrient recovery strategies for reuse in industry. The project demonstrates how advanced resource recovery can enhance sustainability and efficiency in industrial bioprocessing.

Project description

This project seeks to define the typicity of Danish Solaris wines via the lens of consumer expectations and perception. Through surveys and in-person tasting sessions at Dyrehøj Vingaard, the MSc student will investigate how domestic and international audiences view Danish Solaris wines, whether Dyrehøj has a distinctive identity, and how winery visits shape these perceptions. The findings will advance academic understanding of typicity while providing practical insights to strengthen the branding and marketing of Danish wines.

What was your motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow?

One of the main reason i chose to study at Denmark and move to Kalundborg to do my master thesis project was that I was not only expecting to gain academic knowledge, but also to experience a different way of live. I have always imagined a studying journey as a chance to experience a lifestyle similar to FRIENDS, where people from different backgrounds, spending time together, creating memories, and gradually becoming like a small family. 

What is the most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow?

The most exciting part is we are living together like a real community, supporting each other and share different experiences. We are not just like academic colleagues, we are more like real friends.  

And the city Kalundborg also really welcome and inclusive. It make me feel accepted. I really appreciated all the efforts made by everyone at Helix lab. Their efforts have made us feel welcomed, supported, and connected. Because of them, this experience has become much more than an academic journey; it has become a meaningful part of my personal growth.

What perspectives do you see for your future after being a Helix Lab Fellow?

Use my motto by Irish writer Joyce in his book A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: “To live, to err, to fall, to triumph, to recreate life out of life!". So for me, studying as Helix lab fellow is not only about achieving something perfect, but about truly living, give me the unique opportunity to step outside my familiar world, and discover who i am when i placed in a new context.  

In the future, after being a Helix lab fellow, through daily life, friendships, challenges, and personal reflections, I can learn how to understand, how to adapt, and how to define my own values. I have the confidence, experience and courage to meet future’s challenges and adventures. I think this is the most valuable perspective i can see as a Helix lab fellow.

Project description

An API manufacturing process consists of three primary stages at a facility level: fermentation, recovery, and purification. The purification area comprises several process sections, including reaction and separation steps, with chromatography extensively used as a unit operation for separation.
For improvement and optimization projects, including troubleshooting and technology transfer, advanced process understanding of unit operations proves beneficial. However, unexpected behaviour can be seen when changes are applied to the upstream.
In this MSc thesis, we aim to expand knowledge in challenging separation schemes, such as capture chromatography, by an experimental approach to collect and evaluate generated data with new production conditions. Initially, baseline experiments will be performed to reproduce the current state in production. Subsequently, different process paramenters could be changed to evaluate the performance of different future states. 

What was your motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow?

My motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow was strongly connected to my previous work experience. Having worked before, I really value being in a professional environment where people collaborate and learn from each other. When I saw the opportunity to join Helix Lab, I immediately saw it as a gold mine.

What is the most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow?

The most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow is definitely the opportunity to collaborate closely with industry and work on real challenges. It is motivating to know that the work we do has practical relevance.
Interestingly, the most exciting part can also be the most challenging part: solving problems. I have learned so much technically and professionally, but also personally. I have had the chance to meet wonderful people, work in a supportive environment, and enjoy the balance of both learning and having fun. That combination makes the experience truly rewarding.

What perspectives do you see for your future after being a Helix Lab Fellow?

After being a Helix Lab Fellow, I see myself moving forward with more confidence. This experience has given me the opportunity to spend explore new challenges, new projects, and unfamiliar situations. Before this, I was sometimes hesitant when facing the unknown. But through this journey, I have learned that most challenges can be understood and solved when approached with curiosity, persistence, and the willingness to learn. Because of that, I now feel more prepared to take on future opportunities without holding myself back. I see myself being more open to challenges.

Project description

At Novo Nordisk, ELISA is used to detect residual Host Cell Proteins (HCP) from the fermentation process. The project aims to develop a QC-friendly Near Infrared (NIR) method to measure water content in dried samples quickly and easily, improving the efficiency of ELISA analysis. This involves building a robust Partial Least Squares (PLS) model to correlate the NIR spectrum with water/protein content, accommodating all sample variations. The finalized NIR method will help ELISA technicians conduct analyses more efficiently.

What was your motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow?

My motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow is driven by the unique opportunity to bridge academic knowledge with real industrial applications. Coming from a background in biotechnology and chemical engineering, I am particularly inspired by Helix Lab’s focus on close collaboration between students, universities, and industry partners such as Novo Nordisk. This setting provides not only the chance to apply my technical skills in practice but also to learn how scientific innovation translates into real-world impact.

I am eager to challenge myself in this environment, contribute to meaningful research, and grow both professionally and personally as part of the Helix Lab community.

What is the most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow?

For me, the most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow is becoming part of a collaborative and inspiring community that extends beyond the laboratory. I look forward to exchanging ideas with other Fellows, learning from experienced scientists, and contributing to a culture built on curiosity and innovation.

What also excites me is the chance to experience Kalundborg’s rapidly growing biotechnology ecosystem — to witness how an entire city evolves around industrial biotechnology and sustainable production, while forming both professional and social connections along the way.

What perspectives do you see for your future after being a Helix Lab Fellow?

After completing my Fellowship — and thereby graduating from my Master’s degree — I hope to use this experience as a strong foundation for a confident transition into my professional career. The Fellowship provides firsthand insight into what it means to take responsibility as an engineer: working independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment, and building lasting connections within the biotechnology sector.

Looking ahead, I envision a career at the intersection of biotechnology and industrial innovation, where I can apply research to real-world challenges and continue to grow as both a scientist and an engineer. And who knows — perhaps my journey will continue in Kalundborg, whether through a PhD position or an industrial role within its rapidly evolving biotech community.

Project description

About 10% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the transportation sector are caused by the construction of roads. According to recent studies, this amounts to 5% of the total GHG emissions in the European Union and about twice as much as the aviation sector. Production of bitumen is one of the largest environmental burdens of asphalt and renewable alternatives such as the plant-based polymer lignin are therefore being explored.

A life cycle analysis revealed that the replacement of naphthenic bitumen with kraft lignin (lignin derived from the production pulp and paper from wood) could lower the climate change impact of asphalt with 30-70%.

This project aims to assess how lignin produced by Meliora Bio should be stored and handled for use in bitumen for asphalt applications.

What was your motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow?

''What I cannot create, I do not understand” this line by Richard Feynman sums up exactly why I chose to be a master’s fellow at Helix Lab. I’m not motivated by research that will stay elegant on paper, but the real motivation comes from building, breaking, validating, and improving ideas until they survive in reality. I think Helix Lab sits precisely at that intersection, where strong fundamentals are expected, but impact is non‑negotiable. I want my thesis to live in a space where there are real constraints and decisions are made based on the data available. This fellowship is my way of turning curiosity into contribution, and theory into something that actually works outside the lab thus directly applicable in an industrial environment. 

What is the most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow?

Friends and family often ask, what it means to be a fellow at Helix, what exactly we do and most importantly 'How is it different?'. The truth is, there's no single answer! It's a combination of people, pressure, and purpose. I'm surrounded by cohort that thinks sharply and challenges idea without an ego. Living alongside other fellows creates a rare mix of focus and fun; progress feels collective rather than solitary. At Helix, there is genuine care and personal attention in how fellows are supported, both technically and as people.

The rhythm of the fellowship is equally energizing. Thursdays are something I personally look forward to whether it is visiting companies and seeing industry from the inside or slowing down together at a winery to share great conversations (and even better wine). And when the week needs a lighter note after tedious lab work, ton of literature review or sadly some failed experiments, meme nights and music bingo at Skøl remind me that serious research and genuine fun are not opposites. That balance, rigor, community, and joy is what makes the Helix experience memorable and deeply human.

What perspectives do you see for your future after being a Helix Lab Fellow?

I see myself stepping forward with much more clarity both in terms of what I want to work on and how I want to work. The fellowship has helped me to build more than technical depth, judgment, ownership, and confidence in navigating real industrial complexity. I expect to leave Helix prepared to take on roles where research is not isolated but also lies in decision‑making be it as an industry researcher, engineer, or a bridge between development and strategy.

Last but not at all the least an opportunity to live and work in Kalundborg feels tangible not distant, very few locations offer such a rare concentration of industrial exposure, where companies coexist with a tight‑knit community and an openness to collaboration. That balance is something I value and want to grow within. 

Project description

This project investigates the use of tailored enzymes to streamline the CIP process for UF membranes. The current three-phase CIP is resource- and time-intensive. By integrating enzyme-based cleaning, we aim to reduce the process to two phases, decreasing water and chemical use while shortening cleaning time. The work will assess cleaning efficiency, membrane recovery, and operational feasibility under industrial conditions, with the goal of enabling a more sustainable and efficient UF operation.

What was your motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow?

For me, the motivation to become a Helix Lab Fellow came from wanting to do my master’s thesis with a company. Since I completed my bachelor’s in India and then moved directly into my master’s, I had limited industrial exposure, so this felt like a great chance to understand how industry really works. I liked the idea of working on a real company problem, learning their pain points, and trying to contribute to something meaningful. Since the project was in downstream processing, which is an area I am really interested in, and involved equipment I want to understand better, it honestly felt like an easy choice. And of course, the free housing definitely made the decision even more attractive, so that was a pretty nice bonus too.

What is the most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow?

The most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow is getting to work on a real industry problem and figuring out how to approach it through experiments. I really enjoy thinking about experimental design and then using the different lab equipment available to test ideas properly. Helix Lab also has a very strong support system. The lab technicians are always helpful and can guide you toward the right equipment or setup when you want to try something new, which makes a big difference. Another great part is the community with the other fellows. Since everyone is going through a similar experience, it is easy to share ideas, ask for input, and also just relax together after a long day in the lab. Whether it is coffee breaks, dinner, table tennis, the gym, or even a bit of PS5, it makes the whole experience both exciting and enjoyable.

What perspectives do you see for your future after being a Helix Lab Fellow?

Being a Helix Lab Fellow has been a great learning curve for me. It has helped me understand how industry operates in real life and how large the scale can be, which is something I had only imagined before. Working on my thesis in this environment, along with the company visits and daily exposure to industrial thinking, has given me experience that feels very relevant for my future. I also feel that the fellowship has given me extra tools and practical skills that will help me stand out when I start my career. More than anything, it has made me feel more confident and excited about joining the workforce.

Project description

Understanding bacterial responses to environmental changes is crucial for controlling growth and behavior. Mechanical forces influence cell membrane composition, stress regulation, and growth patterns. This project aims to develop a mechanobiological profiling approach using biomechanics, microbiology, and mass spectrometry techniques.

The objective of the project is to investigate how mechanical forces impact bacterial cultures under varying environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, pH) by characterizing cell membrane structure changes and analyzing protein profiles in response to chemical and mechanical stresses.

The expected outcomes is a comprehensive mechanobiological profiling approach to characterize bacterial cultures under varying environmental conditions.

What was your motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow?

My motivation for becoming a Helix Lab Fellow was that I wanted to try something different from the familiar university environment. I saw it as an opportunity to meet new people, expand my network, and get a better feeling for what kind of career path I would like to pursue after my studies. A big part of that motivation was the chance to work with an industrial partner and experience a thesis project that was not only connected to the university, but also to a company setting. I hoped that being part of Helix Lab would give me new perspectives, both professionally and personally, and help me understand how I could use my background in biotechnology engineering outside the classroom.

What is the most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow?

The most exciting part of being a Helix Lab Fellow is that you have your own thesis project, but you are not alone in the process. You are surrounded by other students who are at the same stage, working on their own projects and facing many of the same challenges. That creates a very special environment, because everyone understands what it means to be in the middle of a thesis project.

I also really enjoy the community around Helix Lab. We all live together and come from different countries, cultures, and academic backgrounds, which makes the experience both social and professionally inspiring. Even though we each have our own project, there is always someone to discuss ideas with, ask for input, or share the ups and downs of the process. For me, that combination of an individual thesis project, a strong community, and close contact with industry is what makes the fellowship especially exciting.

What perspectives do you see for your future after being a Helix Lab Fellow?

Before becoming a Helix Lab Fellow, I knew that I was interested in industry, but it was still a bit abstract to me what that could actually look like after my studies. Being part of Helix Lab has made that future feel more concrete. It has shown me that I enjoy environments where science is not only something you study, but something that is used, discussed, developed, and connected to real challenges.

It has also made me more aware that I am motivated by working with people, exchanging ideas, and being part of projects where different perspectives need to come together. I do not see my future as being limited to one specific role, but I know that I would like to work in a setting where I can use my scientific background while also being close to collaboration, development, and practical problem-solving. In that way, Helix Lab has helped me understand more clearly what kind of professional environment I would like to move toward after my degree.