The Norwegian food research institute, Nofima, has appointed Erik-Jan Lock as the new Research Director for Nutrition and Feed Technology. "Nofima has really achieved a lot in recent years and I am looking forward to being part of the team. I find their all-round approach to working with food and having highly skilled people all the way down the line very attractive", he said. Lock, who is currently Head of Research for Food and Nutrition at the Institute of Marine Research of Norway will take up his new position in March.
In addition to his current position at the Institute of Marine Research, Erik-Jan Lock is also an adjunct professor at the University of Bergen. He has an MSc in Aquaculture and Fisheries from Wageningen University and a Ph.D. in Fish Physiology from Radboud University Nijmegen. He started at NIFES in 2007, and, since then, has worked in several fields such as mineral nutrition and new food resources.
"My background is within nutrition research and policy advice, and I look forward to work closer with industry actors to shape the transition to a more sustainable food chain. I believe my background fits in well with what Nofima stands for in terms of food from farm to fork", he said.
For her part, Bente Torstensen, Division Director for Aquaculture at Nofima, claimed she looks forward to having Erik-Jan as Research Director. "He has broad experience from the field of research he will lead, and knows the subject area and the means of production very well. His know-how related to the development of new food areas fits very well with our Long-Term Plan for Research, in which sustainable food is an important focus area", she stated.
Nofima is a Norwegian leading food research institute that conducts research and development for the aquaculture industry, the fishing industry, and the food industry. It is owned by the Norwegian State through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries – which has a majority shareholding -; the Foundation for Agricultural Food Research; and the company Akvainvest Møre og Romsdal AS.
In addition to its aquaculture division, Nofima also has food and seafood divisions. All three work closely together so that the different industries can benefit from their combined expertise. The institute has approximately 400 staff across departments in five locations in Norway. In 2021, it worked on 626 different projects for customers from 29 countries and had a turnover of NOK 677 million.
