Anna Schnürer

I am a Professor in Microbial Biotechnology with a strong commitment to contribute to the development of a more sustainable society through research on microorganisms and their metabolic potential. My academic background includes studies in chemistry at Linköping University, a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Uppsala University, and a PhD in microbilogy  at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). I currently lead a research group of 15 persons in anaerobic microbiology and environmental biotechnology and collaborate with national and international academic partners as well as stakeholders outside academia.

My research focuses on anaerobic microorganisms and microbial processes for converting organic residual streams into valuable products, including biogas, other energy carriers, chemicals, and feed. The research also encompasses microbial processes involved in methane formation in natural environments. I work at the interface of fundamental and applied science, driven by a strong commitment to developing a deep fundamental understanding of microbial functions and applying this knowledge to the design and optimisation of biotechnological processes. The main emphasis is on fundamental studies of microbial taxonomy, physiology, genetics, and ecology, complemented by applied research on anaerobic bioprocesses and integrated energy systems. Overall, my work spans from the isolation, cultivation, and characterisation of strictly anaerobic microorganisms to the operation of different bioreactors and the evaluation of both using a wide range of chemical and omics-based tools

A more detailed description of the research conducted within the research group can be found on our website:

Basic education includes the following courses

• Contaminated soils - risk assessment and remediation (MSc level, SLU, 15 hp)
• Natural resources for energy systems in a biogeochemical perspective (BSc, SLU, 10 hp)
• Biogas in the sustainable society (BSc, SLU, 7.5 Hp)
• Safe Nutrient Recycling (Msc, SLU, 15hp)
• On-site wastewater systems and resource recovery (Msc, SLU, 5 hp)

In addition to university-level courses, I also teach annually about the biology and operation of the biogas process at continuing education courses for personnel at biogas plants, consulting companies, advisors and farmers.

Syntrophic Acetate Oxidation: The Overlooked Driver of Methane Emissions

ACETOTECH - a novel biotechnological process for flexible and liked production of renewable bioenergy and biochemicals

StandUp for Energy

BSRC- biogas research competence center

Next generation surveillance of biogas processes using AI

Surplus Electricity to Biomethane via Intermittent Hydrogen Injection in Post-Digestion Systems 

Biogas production from fiberbanks: combining sediment remediation and energy production (RemErgy)

Combined dry and wet digestion for increased flexibility and profitability of energy and biofertiliser production in agriculture 

Do weeds and Japanese knotweed survive anaerobic digestion in biogas reactors? 

BEAR - Biogas Efficiency in Arctic Regions 

Optimization of the manure crust as a biofilter to mitigate emissions of greenhousgases and ammonia from manure storages

Risk evaluation of antibiotic resistance in biofertilisers using metagenomic analysis

Microbial Feed from Swedish Biogas – Business Models, Verification and Implementation in Aquaculture

Main supervsior

• Lisa Ahrens, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU (ongoing)
• Dries Boers, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU (ongoing)
• Hattem Ul Ghani, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU (ongoing)
• Andrea Carranza Muñoz, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU. Industrial PhD at IVL (PhD degree 2025)
• George Cheng, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU (PhD degree 2024)
• Ebba Perman, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU (PhD degree 2024)
• He Sun, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU (PhD degree 2021)
• Abhijeet Singh, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU (PhD degree 2021)
• Karin Eliasson, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU. Industrial PhD at The Rural Economy and Agricultural Societies (PhD degree 2019)
• Tong Liu, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU (PhD degree 2019)
• Kajsa Risberg, Department of Microbiology, SLU (PhD degree 2015)
• Li Sun, Department of Microbiology, SLU (PhD degree 2015)
• Jan Moestedt, Department of Microbiology, SLU. Industrial PhD at Tekniska verken AB.  (PhD degree 2015)
• Maria Westerholm, Department of Microbiology, SLU (PhD degree 2012)
• Lotta Léven, Department of Microbiology, SLU (PhD degree 2007)
• Karin Nyberg, Department of Microbiology, SLU (PhD degree in 2006)

Co-supervsior

• Meliania Angelotti, Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, SLU (ongoing)
• Filip Kozlowski, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU (ongoing)
• Florian Gabler, Department of Energy and Technology, SLU (PhD degree 2025)
• Eduardo Pinela, Department of Molecular Sciences, SLU (PhD degree 2025)
• Jia Hu, Department of Plant Biology, SLU (PhD degree 2023)
• Aprajita Singh, Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, SLU (PhD degree 2023)
• Jonas Ohlsson, Department for Molecular Sciences, SLU (PhD degree 2021)
• Lin Solli, Department for Chemistry, Biotechnology and Mathematics, UMB, Norway (PhD degree 2018)
• Rebecca Danielsson, Department for Animal nutrition and Management, SLU (PhD degree 2016)
• Lillemor Gustafsson, Department of Natural Sciences, Örebro University (PhD degree 2005) 
   

Full publication list can be found in Google Schoolar

For more information please follw me on LinkedIn