Adriana Krolicka

Introduction:

Adriana Krolicka is a senior researcher at the Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE) with over 15 years of experience in molecular ecology and environmental microbiology. Her work has examined the anthropogenic impacts of tourism, aquaculture, and oil & gas activities on aquatic microbial communities using environmental DNA and RNA. Adriana specialises in bioindicators, biosensors, and early-warning systems that connect molecular detection to real-world environmental monitoring and One Health surveillance.

Full Name:

Adriana Krolicka

Institutional Affiliation and Professional Experience:

Adriana is a senior researcher at the Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE) and has extensive experience spanning more than 15 years in the field of Molecular Ecology. Her early career was dedicated to research projects that explored the anthropogenic impact of activities such as tourism, aquaculture, gas, and oil extraction on microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems using environmental DNA and RNA. This foundational work provided her with a deep understanding of environmental microbiology and the effects of human activities on ecosystems. Adriana’s expertise lies in bioindicators, biosensors, and early warning systems.

Educational Background:

Adriana holds an MSc in Molecular Biology from the University of Gdansk, Poland, and a PhD in Molecular Ecology from the Warsaw University, Poland.

Role in the ODIN Project:

Adriana leads Work Package 3 (WP3) in the ODIN consortium, where she brings her deep expertise from NORCE to the heart of environmental pathogen surveillance. As WP3 lead, she is responsible for designing and delivering a mobile, semi-autonomous surveillance system to track human pathogens in environmental samples. She coordinates the development of the mobile lab, genomic detection tools, and training programmes, connecting her team’s molecular work to ODIN’s broader goals of early warning and One Health surveillance across sites in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

Work Package (WP) and Responsibilities:

Adriana is the leader of WP3, focused on developing a mobile surveillance laboratory, based in a vehicle for rapid and semi-automated genetic analysis of water samples.

Contribution of this Work Package to ODIN’s Overall Goals:

WP3 focuses on the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and the operationalisation of the mobile laboratory. Within WP3, an early warning system for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and human pathogens for various environmental samples was developed. This system currently employs a dual approach: a non-targeted method, incorporating metagenomics, alongside a targeted approach (qPCR) combined with an automated bioinformatic analysis and visualisation tool. This comprehensive strategy facilitated the full implementation of a One Health approach by providing a universal method for processing diverse environmental samples. WP3 also contributes to the overall goal of the project, which is training researchers to enhance the capacity for environmental surveillance.

Professional and Personal Interests:

Hobbies and Leisure Activities

Creating: painting, sculpting, experimenting in the kitchen, Outdoor activities, and Mushroom picking in autumn.

Future Research Aspirations:

Adriana would like to participate in research that serves the health and well-being of people and farm animals.

Contact Details:

Email: adkr@noreceresearch.no

LinkedIn: Adriana Krolicka

Google Scholar: Adriana Krolicka