Professor Lauersen's research interests are shared between the fundamental understanding of gene regulation and metabolism in eukaryotic organisms and the use of synthetic biology to enable sustainable biotechnology with microalgae. Algae are fascinating organisms and can serve as elegant platforms for the development of sustainable biotechnological processes using light and CO2 to generate high-value as well as bulk consumer products. His research leverages the future-focussed technologies collectively known as synthetic biology and metabolic engineering to enable eukaryotic algal genetic engineering aimed at broadening their use as model organisms and green industrial work-horses. He is interested in the use of microalgae as model organisms to probe the nature of eukaryotic genetic regulation, carbon metabolism, and to translate this fundamental understanding into sustainable light-driven green biotechnology concepts.