Kristensen’s research interests are related to how genetic variation affects occurrence of somatic alterations, gene expression patterns and genome wide copy number alterations in human breast and ovarian tumors (http://www.ous-research.no/kristensen/). Understanding inherited genetic variability and how it affects crucial biological pathways is likely to lead to new successful prevention and treatment strategies. The tumor initiation, progression and clinical presentation are directly dependent on its genetic and biochemical environment – the entire body. This work has lead to the communication of 265 scientific papers since 2002. She is a recipient of several national and international grants and awards, member of scientific and administrative boards in Norway and abroad and member of academic evaluating committees in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland. Current topics of research are in the field of genomic variation in relation to susceptibility, clinical presentation, treatment response and adverse side effects of treatment, gene regulation and proximal phenotypes (RNA expression and metabolic profiles) in breast cancer.