He studied natural history and theology at Royal Frederick University from 1823 and completed a cand.theol. degree in 1828.

In 1831 he was appointed vicar to Kinn Church on the Norwegian north-west coast; eight years later he transferred to Manger, just north of Bergen.

Finally, in 1854 he was named professor of zoology at the University of Oslo (at that time Christiania) where he remained for the rest of his life.

Søedyrenes Naturhistorie ("Contributions to the Natural History of Marine Animals"); a second followed in 1835 – Beskrivelser og Iagttagelser over nogle mærkelige eller nye i Havet ved den Bergenske Kyst levende Dyr af Polypernes, Acalephernes, Radiaternes, Annelidernes og Molluskernes Classer ("Descriptions and Observations of some strange or new animals found off the coast of Bergen, belonging to the ...").

He was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1855.