All news
- The Svedberg Prize 2021 to Ville Kaila at DBB 2022-03-29 The prize is awarded to a successful biochemist or molecular biologist who is active in Sweden and who has not turned 40 during the year that the prize is awarded.
- His software has taken the life sciences to a new level 2022-03-29 The GROMACS computer software developed by Erik Lindahl’s research group to simulate the molecules of life, is used all around the world to study different processes in our cells. He is using the software to solve a medical riddle: how can substances like alcohol and narcotics cause our nerve cells to disfunction?
- Scientists show how a salt transporter linked to hypertension and diabetes works 2022-03-16 NHA2 is a protein spanning the membrane in kidney and β-cells that absorbs salt and its activity is linked with hypertension and diabetes in humans. The transporter-protein exchangers the movement of sodium ions across cell membranes with the movement of protons. Researchers at Stockholm University have now determined what the protein looks like and how the protein adapts to the membrane. These findings shed new light into this important biological mechanism, and provide a basis for structural-based drug discovery.
- Researchers at SU and Imperial College show how Photosystem II can produce reactive oxygen species 2022-02-08 Photosystem II (PSII) is a key enzyme in photosynthesis that produces oxygen by capturing sunlight. The reaction couples to the reduction of plastoquinone, which in turn is used for the synthesis of biomass by fixation of CO2.
- The world's most dangerous poison can be of great benefit as a drug 2022-02-02 Pål Stenmark sees botulinum toxin – the world's most dangerous poison – as a lego building kit he can change so that it gets new features. One goal is to develop new and more effective drugs, including for pain. Through molecular genealogy, he has also found a new family of botulinum toxins, where a variant can fight malaria mosquitoes.
- Several researchers includig Christian Broberger at DBB have been elected new members of the Academy 2022-01-25 At the General meeting on 12 January several prominent researchers were elected new members of the Academy's Classes for biosciences, geosciences and the Class for humanities and outstanding services to science.
- Basic research for the benefit of ALS patients 2022-01-21 By understanding why certain nerve cells and the muscles they control are resistant to fading in the deadly disease ALS, it is possible to create new possibilities for treatments. Researchers at Stockholm University are now trying to identify and transfer the properties of these resistant nerve cells.
- New version of the SignalP signal peptide predictor 2022-01-04 A new version of the widely used SignalP predictor has been published in Nature Methods, as a result of a collaboration between Danish researchers and Gunnar von Heijne at DBB. The new method is based on Protein Language Models, a powerful machine-learning approach that has not previously been applied in this field. SignalP 6.0 has been tailored to predict five different kinds of signal peptides and can be applied to metagenomic data of unknown species provenance.
- Cell Boundaries: How Membranes and Their Proteins Work 2022-01-04 By Stephen H White, Gunnar von Heijne, Donald M Engelman
- Researchers at DBB explore the functional dynamics of an ancient membrane-bound hydrogenase 2021-12-01 Biological energy conversion is based on membrane-bound proteins that convert chemical or light energy into an electro-chemical gradient across a biological membrane. The primordial archaea convert energy by membrane-bound hydrogenases (Mbh) that produce hydrogen gas (H2) and couples this to proton pumping and Na+/H+ exchange across the archaeal membranes. However, the molecular principles of its redox-driven ion-transport mechanism remain puzzling and of major interest for understanding bioenergetic principles of early cells.
- Christian Broberger awarded council professorship by the Swedish Research Council 2021-11-25 The Swedish Research Council has decided on council professorships in medicine and health. Of the three new professorships, one is awarded to Stockholm University.
- Researchers granted funding from the Swedish Cancer Society 2021-11-25 Six researchers at Stockholm University including David Drew, Einar Hallberg and Mats Nilsson at DBB are granted grants corresponding to a total of SEK 18.6 million from the Swedish Cancer Society.
- First high-resolution structure of neurofibromine paves the way for cancer research 2021-11-03 Three researchers at Stockholm University and SciLifeLab, together with a researcher at the Institute of Genetic Epidemiology in Innsbruck, have developed the first high-resolution structure of the human protein and tumor inhibitor neurofibromine, using cryo-electron microscopy. The study was recently published in the journal Nature and provides a greater knowledge of how neurofibromine works.
- Press release: Gunnar von Heijne awarded the Celcius medal by the Swedish Society of Science 2021-11-01 At the Royal Swedish Society of Science's anniversary on the 30th of October at Uppsala Castle, the Celsius medal in gold was awarded to Professor Gunnar von Heijne, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Stockholm University.
- Structure of the native pyruvate dehydrogenase complex reveals the mechanism of substrate insertion 2021-09-08 The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex is a multienzyme complex of megadalton size that converts pyruvate into acetyl-coenzyme A, thereby linking glycolysis to the citric acid cycle and to the biosynthesis of fatty acids. In a new study from DBB, scientists for the first time, reveal how the lipoyl domains interact with the core of a pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, to insert substrate into the active site. The study is published in Nature Communications.
- AlphaFold 2 and SciLifeLab: advancing structural biology beyond protein folding 2021-08-27 That artificial intelligence has the potential to aid researchers and speed up scientific processes should come as no surprise by now. The speed of things, however, baffle even the most experienced. The AlphaFold 2 tool has been said to have the possibility of sparking a medical revolution and transforming structural biology, but is it really that life-changing and are the predictions accurate enough?
- Eva Hedlund lab takes the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge for Stockholms University 2021-07-02
- Revealing how the cell uptakes sugar 2021-05-06 Over half of our drugs impact proteins found on the cell membrane. These include the membrane proteins that regulate uptake of sugar by cells. Wallenberg Scholar David Drew is breaking new ground by adding to our understanding of the structure and function of transport proteins.
- Stockholm University receives four ERC Advanced Grants 2021-04-23 Four researchers at Stockholm University including Christian Broberger at DBB are awarded prestigious ERC Advanced Grants. Their areas of research are within theater studies, neurochemistry and physics.
- A glimpse into the formation of a mitoribosome 2021-04-19 An assembly intermediate of the ribosomal large subunit in mitochondria reveals 22 associated factors that cooperatively organize its biogenesis.
- Several prizes awarded to DBB scientists by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. 2021-04-15 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (KVA) rewards seven researchers for their work in physics, chemistry, medicine and economic sciences, as well as for initiatives that have promoted Swedish research. Three of the researchers come from the department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Stockholm University.
- What I cannot create, I do not understand – exploring proteins by artificial design 2021-03-30 Researchers in the Ville Kaila Lab at Stockholm University and Technical University of Munich have designed artificial proteins that show how proteins stabilize essential charged networks while folding into their exact three-dimensional shape. The study was published in the prestigious Nature Communication-journal.
- Electron cryo-microscopy sheds light on how bioenergy makers are made in our body 2021-02-22 Using advanced infrastructure at SciLifeLab and Stockholm University, scientists uncover how the body’s energy makers are made. A new paper published in Science by Alexey Amunts’ laboratory with an international team of researchers reports the molecular mechanism of membrane-tethered protein synthesis in mitochondria.
- Mapping energy conversion in cells 2021-02-10 Billions of years of evolution are behind the ingenious protein machinery in nature’s cells, which captures and converts energy. Ville Kaila is conducting a detailed study of the structure and function of the proteins to learn more about the energy conversion process. That knowledge may eventually result in therapies for diseases where the powerhouses of the cells fall short.
- Arrhenius plaque award 2020 to Professor David Drew 2021-02-05 On Wednesday 24 February at 18:00, David Drew, professor in biochemistry at Stockholm University, will receive the Arrhenius plaque 2020.
- Cell powerhouses offer potential for new drugs 2021-01-27 In this project the researchers want to understand every detail of processes that are absolutely essential for all life. An added bonus may be the development of new drugs for tuberculosis and other diseases.
- “Being on the Nobel Committee is probably one of the best things you can do as a Swedish researcher” 2021-01-21 Gunnar von Heijne is one of Sweden’s most cited researchers in the field of biochemistry and is known for his research on membrane proteins. He has also been a member and chairman of the Nobel Committee for chemistry. But it all started with an enthusiastic chemistry teacher in high school.
- Bioenergetics: New features of ATP synthase 2021-01-18 An intricate organisation of the ATP synthase in mitochondria is reported in two cryo-EM studies that illuminate the structural basis for its oligomerisation.
- Molecular structure creates new possibilities to combat antibiotic resistance 2021-01-18 New research, funded by the Swedish research council and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW), has revealed for the first time a large fully intact component of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis machinery in Gram-negative bacteria. This new structure from the model organism E. coli provides a structural context to over a decade’s worth of previous biochemical studies and creates new possibilities in the development of novel therapies to combat the growing global problem of infections due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The study is published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.
- Scientists show how a molecular machine works to regulate our cell’s internal pH and sodium levels 2020-10-28 Scientists at Stockholm University in Stockholm have established a mechanism by which our cells fine-tune their internal pH and sodium levels. Using cryo electron microscopy they have determined the first 3D-structure of a so-called “sodium/proton exchanger” that carries out this task. Ever since the discovery of these transport machines by Peter Mitchell in the 1970s we finally have a molecular picture of this fundamental process carried out in most, if not all, cells. Their findings could help in the development of anticancer drugs in particular.
- Structural basis of mitochondrial translation 2020-10-16 Researchers from DBB have been able to provide functional details about the mitochondrial translation by analyzing mitoribosomes with bound messenger and transfer RNA, and nascent polypeptide. The two studies, published in eLife and Nature Communications, reveal new mitoribosomal components and suggest how the expression of our genetic information is coordinated in mitochondria.
- Molecular structure of mammalian mitochondrial complex I reveals substrate reduction principles 2020-10-16 The respiratory complex I is a gigantic redox-driven proton pump that initiates cellular respiration in mitochondria — the powerplants of our cells. Moreover, dysfunction of complex I has been linked to half of all human mitochondrial disorders, but the molecular mechanism remains one of the most puzzling unsolved questions of bioenergetics.
- SciLifeLab researchers contribute to interactive 3D COVID-19 exhibition 2020-10-09 SciLifeLab Fellow Alexey Amunts (Stockholm University) and his team have been collecting and interpreting newly available cryo-EM datasets to be used in a virtual interactive 3D exhibition about COVID-19. The datasets were dissected into different levels of information and sent to Interspectral AB, the company who then creates the 3D presentation. The goal is to facilitate communication of complex data to the public in an attractive and educative way.
- Wallenberg grant for research on aggression 2020-09-30 How is aggression controlled in the brain and what methods can we use to influence it? These are some of the questions that Christian Broberger, professor of neurochemistry, hopes to get answers to during a five-year project that now receives SEK 20.4 million from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.
- A roadmap for gene expression in mitochondria 2020-09-02 A new study from the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics reveals the molecular connectivity of processes implicated in the synthesis of proteins within mitochondria. The study is published in the scientific journal Molecular Cell.
- A ribosome odyssey in mitochondria 2020-08-31 The ciliate mitoribosome structure provides new insights into the diversity of translation and its evolution.
- Unexpected differences between rats and mice gives new insight into the male parental brain 2020-08-24 By making use of an unexpected species difference between rats and mice, scientists have identified a system in the brain that controls how males behave when they become fathers. A central component in this system is the hormone, prolactin, which has previously been shown to prepare the female for motherhood. The researchers were also able to control how much interest the males took in their offspring by experimental manipulations.
- Faculty guidelines and recommendations during the ongoing Corona outbreak 2020-08-07 Faculty of Science established guidelines and recommendations for teaching, deviations from established curriculum, VFU as well as dissertations and licentiate seminars during the ongoing Corona outbreak (in swedish)
- Congratulations Agneta Norén, Teacher of the Year 2020! 2020-06-26 For the third year running, the "Teacher of the Year" award goes to the Chemistry Section! This year, the well-deserved winner is named Agneta Norén, who teaches biochemistry on the Bachelor's program in chemistry.
- New intermediate steps of gene expression are characterized in human mitochondria 2020-06-12 Researchers from DBB and Karolinska Institute visualized early steps on the initiation pathway of translation in human mitochondria. The study published in Nature Communication involved cryo-EM, fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy, and single-molecule imaging.
- SSF funded Research Center in Plant Biotechnology 2020-06-08 The lab of Alexey Amunts will be part of a new SSF Research Center for Future Advanced Technology for Sustainability
- Honorary Doctorates at Stockholm University 2020 2020-04-21 Stockholm University has chosen this year’s honorary doctors, all of whom have contributed in distinctive ways to the University’s activities in research and education. One of them, John Rubinstein (University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children, Canada) was nominated by DBB.
- Mobile phone can contribute to simple virus testing 2020-04-14 Professor Mats Nilsson at Stockholm University is leading one of the projects focusing on covid-19, which now receives funding from SciLifeLab and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The project is about developing a quick and easy test for viruses, where the mobile phone can become an important tool.
- Information for students and staff about the coronavirus 2020-03-26 Stockholm University is monitoring the situation and follows the information and recommendations of the Swedish Public Health Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding this matter.
- Biochemist at Stockholm University new member of KVA 2020-03-18 Martin Högbom, professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Stockholm University, becomes one of six new members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. "I was surprised and, of course, very happy when I got the message. KVA is a key player in strengthening the role of science in society, which is more important than ever," says Martin Högbom.
- Athena and Zoom - digital alternatives for online education 2020-03-17 The Stockholm University Senior Management Team has 16 March decided that Stockholm University to the greatest extent possible will change to online teaching and examination as a way to contribute to reducing the spread of the new coronavirus and still be able to continue our activities. The transition will take place as soon as possible, based on each department’s different possibilities for switching to digital or alternative teaching methods.
- How heat shock proteins communicate information across large distances 2020-03-16 The Kaila Lab at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Stockholm University in collaboration with research groups in Germany, have revealed how the cellular stress protein, the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), uses chemical energy from ATP molecules to help other proteins find their correct three-dimensional structure in the eukaryotic cell.
- Cryo-EM reveals unexpected diversity of Photosystems 2020-03-11 Annemarie Perez Boerema from Alexey Amunts lab reconstructed the atomic models of new forms of Photosystem I in collaboration with scientists from Israel and China. The studies, published in two Nature Plants articles, expand on the fundamental understanding of how bioenergetic complexes are assembled and regulated in the photosynthetic membranes of cyanobacteria and algae.
- Göran Gustafsson Prize winners from Stockholm University 2020-03-02 Hiranya Peiris, professor of physics and David Drew associate professor of biochemistry are awarded the Göran Gustafsson Prize 2020. The prize is one of Sweden's most prestigious awards for younger researchers, awarded annually to researchers who are no more than 45 years old in the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry, molecular biology and medicine.
- Scientists discover how malaria parasites import sugar 2020-01-30 Researchers at Stockholm University has established how sugar is taken up by the malaria parasite, a discovery with the potential to improve the development of antimalarial drugs. The research is published in the scientific journal Nature.
- Structure of a mitochondrial ATP synthase 2020-01-24 SciLifeLab researchers Alexander Mühleip and Alexey Amunts from Stockholm University solved the structure of a mitochondrial ATP synthase with native lipids.
- An intricate sensor system to balance protein production in mitochondria 2020-01-24 A new study by scientists from the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics indicates the molecular wiring of a feedback loop to regulate synthesis of a mitochondrial encoded protein. The study is published in the scientific journal Molecular Cell.
- Mitochondrial ultrastructure facilitates ATP production in mitochondria by kinetic coupling 2020-01-24 A new study by scientists from the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics indicates how the mitochondrial ultrastructure enables efficient energy conversion. The study is published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA).
- Protein machine by which cyanobacteria concentrate carbon dioxide from the atmosphere revealed 2020-01-24 For the first time, researchers from Stockholm University together with collaborators from Germany and Japan have solved the atomic structure of the photosynthetic complex I – the protein responsible for the carbon concentration process in the atmosphere. It is a step towards understanding how photosynthesis, the driving force behind all aerobic life on Earth, works at cellular level.
- Mastery Rubric for Bioinformatics published in PLoS ONE 2019-12-11 - A tool to support design and evaluation of career-spanning education and training.
- Alexey Amunts has been selected to EMBO Young Investigator Programme 2019-11-13 Stockholm University group leader and Head of the SciLifeLab Research Community Programme Alexey Amunts has been selected as an EMBO Young Investigator. The prestigious four-year programme identifies some of Europe’s promising young researchers and provides academic, practical and financial support to help them realize their potential as world-class researchers.
- SciLifeLab-South Korea collaboration 2019-11-04 Stockholm University and SciLifeLab Cryo-EM training project travels to South Korea and delivers results through international collaboration.
- Vivek Singh has been awarded the best poster prize at the EMBO-FEBS international conference. 2019-11-04 The meeting takes place once a year, gathering leading researchers in the field of mitochondrial biology. Vivek’s work entitled ‘Atomic Structure of Human Mitochondrial Ribosome’ was selected out of 85 poster presentations, based on research excellence, innovation, communication, and clarity.
- Ville Kaila to be awarded the Sven and Ebba-Christina Hagberg foundation prize 2019-10-29 The Board of Sven and Ebba-Christina Hagberg's foundation has decided to award Dr Stéphanie Robert at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Umeå and Dr Ville Kaila at Stockholm University the foundations personal prize and a research grant, for a total of SEK 425,000 each.
- Finding out more about the cell’s energy factories 2019-10-29 New opportunities for the development of drugs against tuberculosis and an increased understanding of how the cell’s energy factory works. These topics are highlighted when Martin Högbom and his research team take a closer look at the energy factories in the bacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis.
- Eminent research on flu antigens took Robert Daniels back to USA 2019-10-24 Intellectual freedom and the opportunity to start his own research group once lured Robert Daniels to Stockholm University and the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. After nine years of eminent academic research, he landed a prestigious job in the US. Still, his focus is the same: to apply basic membrane protein folding principles to modernize and improve the antigens in seasonal influenza vaccines.
- Gunnar von Heijne to receive 2020 Anatrace Membrane Protein Award 2019-09-09 Gunnar von Heijne, Professor of theoretical chemistry at Stockholm University and Director of the SciLifeLab National Cryo-EM Facility, has been named the recipient of the The Biophysical Society’s 2020 Anatrace Membrane Protein Award.
- BrightFocus Foundation grant awarded to Henrietta Nielsen at DBB 2019-08-27 Assessment of Associations Between a Molecule in the Blood, Behavior and Alzheimer’s Disease Related Changes Inside the Brain
- First new protein structure solved using micro-crystal 3D electron diffraction 2019-08-12 In collaboration with scientists at the Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, the Högbom laboratory at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics has solved a new protein structure using a method called micro-crystal 3D electron diffraction, MicroED.
- SciLifeLab, Stockholm University and AstraZeneca use cryo-EM to advance biomedicine 2019-08-07 Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics/SciLifeLab Fellow Alexey Amunts and his team in collaboration with AstraZeneca unravel the molecular details of the extracellular region of the receptor tyrosine kinase RET involved in cell signalling.
- Building Xbrane Biopharma 2019-08-05 On the Nature Bioengineering Community webpage Xbrane's co-founder Jan-Willem de Gier tells how in 2007 Xbrane was conceived at DBB and how it matured into a biosimilar developer.
- Botox cousin can reduce malaria in an environmentally friendly way 2019-07-02 Researchers at the universities in Stockholm and Lund, in collaboration with researchers from the University of California, have found a new toxin that selectively targets mosquitos. This can lead to innovative and environmentally friendly approaches to reduce malaria. The results are presented in an article published in Nature Communications.
- Scientists discover how to “sweeten” proteins for drug development 2019-06-03 Scientists led by David Drew at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University have established how a sugar called “sialic acid” is delivered into Golgi organelles. The outcome is likely to be able to engineer cells with a better capacity for sialic acid delivery, which could improve the potency of many drugs that are decorated by sialic acid.
- Gunnar von Heijne honorary doctor in Valencia 2019-04-08 Gunnar von Heijne, professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and director of the cryo-electron microscopy facility at SciLifeLab, has been appointed honorary doctor at the University of Valencia.
- Molecular basis for the variability of mitoribosomes revealed 2019-02-14 Mitochondrial ribosomes are known to be highly variable across species, but the molecular basis for this phenomenon was not known. The analysis published in Molecular Biology and Evolution uncover a fundamental evolutionary mechanism that drives the increasing diversity. The interdisciplinary study was led by Alexey Amunts in collaboration with researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School.
- An engineered botulinum toxin with improved medicinal potential 2019-01-17 The botulinum neurotoxin is a common medicine for the treatment of a wide range of neuromuscular disorders, including muscle spasms, overactive bladder, cervical dystonia, and cerebral palsy (CP), as well as chronic migraine, and hyper-sweating. A team from Stockholm University, in collaboration with Ipsen Bioinnovation and Harvard Medical School, has now determined the molecular details of why a botulinum toxin variant, that they have designed, has enhanced receptor-binding properties. This engineered toxin shows great promise as a drug candidate.
- David Drew receives ERC Consolidator Grant 2018-12-17 David Drew at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, has been awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant. He and his team will study how the cell maintains a healthy working environment. The aim of the research is to establish how a family of proteins required for transporting nutrients and ions in and out of the cell are being turned on-and-off. The outcome is likely to bring us closer to understanding the role of these transporting machines in the human body for the benefit of human health.
- Nobel Laureate in Chemistry visited Stockholm University 2018-12-11 George P. Smith, one of the Nobel Laureates in Chemistry 2018, visited Stockholm University and the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. He held a lecture for PhD students and answered questions about his research and how his interest in chemistry began.
- Structure reveals new routes to target tuberculosis 2018-12-06 New research has revealed the structure of a large respiratory complex from a closely related species of the deadly human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which infects the lungs. This new structure provides many routes to develop novel therapies to combat this deadly disease. The study is published in the scientific journal Nature Structural and Molecular Biology.
- Accumulation of undegraded peptides in mitochondria and chloroplasts conveys toxic signals 2018-11-20 Researchers from Stockholm University in collaboration with scientists from La Trobe University in Melbourne, University of Western Australia in Perth and Karolinska Institute discovered that accumulation of undegraded peptides in mitochondria and chloroplasts as a result of lack of the organellar peptidases triggers the activation of the classical plant defense response in the absence of a pathogen.
- Marta Carroni at DBB has been named one of the 2018 female innovators. 2018-11-20 Marta Carroni at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics has been one of the 2018 female innovators named by the Italian Association of Women Inventors and Innovators (ITWIIN) for her contributions to the development of electron cryo-microscopy in Sweden.
- New inflammation inhibitor discovered 2018-11-16 A multidisciplinary team of researchers from Karolinska Institutet, University of Texas, Uppsala University and Stockholm University have developed an anti-inflammatory drug molecule with a new mechanism of action. By inhibiting a certain protein (OGG1), the researchers were able to reduce the signals that trigger an inflammation. The study is published in Science.
- A radical new way to make DNA 2018-11-01 New research reveals that Mycoplasma pathogens make DNA in a unique way that may protect them from our immune response. The result could provide new avenues to combat the pathogens that utilize this strategy. The study is published today in the scientific journal Nature.
- Three researchers receive EU-funding from MSCA 2018-10-25 Three researchers at Stockholm University have been awarded funding from Marie Skłodowska Curie (MSCA), which is EU´s Research Mobility Program. The projects are in the fields of biochemistry and biophysics, molecular bioscience and astronomy.
- New method for the interactions of membrane proteins with ligands and lipids 2018-10-23 Researchers from Stockholm University have developed an assay (GFP-TS) that has enabled them to understand how lipids influence the stability of membrane proteins. This method can further be applied for elucidating the function of orphan membrane proteins and for the development of novel drugs against them.
- How electric fields in living cells control the currents of life 2018-08-13 In living organisms energy is provided in a process that involves separation of charges across membranes by large membrane-protein complexes. The voltage that is maintained across these membranes is equivalent to an electric field strength of about 100 000 V/cm. How these large field strengths influence the function of the membrane-imbedded protein complexes has until now remained unknown.
- Three researchers at Stockholm University receive ERC Starting Grants 2018-08-07 Three researchers at Stockholm University, including Alexey Amunts at DBB receive the prestigious Starting Grant from the European Research Council, ERC. Project funding amounts to up to 1.5 million euros each.
- Protein research facilitates discovery of neurodegenerative diseases 2018-07-20 Since 2015, the research project Protein Quality Control, led by researcher Tara Hessa at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Stockholm University has been conducted. The research project, which is ongoing until 2020, focuses on mapping the cause of malignant proteins in the cell membrane. The research results can make it easier to detect chronic and neurodegenerative diseases at an early stage.
- New mechanism to detoxify oxygen radicals 2018-06-28 Superoxide is a reactive oxygen species that causes damage to proteins, lipids and DNA and is implicated in many diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders.
- A new puzzle piece to control the aging and age-related diseases 2018-06-27 A basic discovery of how the cellular functions are connected to control aging is presented in the journal Cell Metabolism. The study shows that an increasingly deteriorating communication between the cells' organelles is an important cause of aging. The discovery is the result of a collaboration between five research groups at the Universities of Stockholm and Gothenburg including the research group of Martin Ott at DBB.
- Robert Daniels have been awarded Teacher of the Year 2018 2018-06-27 Robert Daniels at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics will be appointed teacher of the year 2018 for his creativity in teaching, which ables his students to experience and test different biochemical processes.
- Grant from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to investigate sepsis 2018-06-27 By diagnosing infections in a simple and effective way many human lives can be saved. Mats Nilsson, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Stockholm University/SciLifeLab, and his research group have now been granted more than 1 million SEK by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a method for examination of children with sepsis.
- Astrid Gräslund at DBB has been awarded the prestigious Bror Holmberg-medal 2018-05-24 Astrid Gräslund, Professor Emeritus in Biophysics at Stockholm University, has been awarded the prestigious Bror Holmberg-medal for her outstanding research to map the processes that cause proteins to fold incorrectly in the brain and form senile plaques in for example, patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The ceremony takes place at the Chemical Association, Lund University on the 24th of May. (further info in Swedish)
- The 2018 Cancer Society Junior Investigator Award is granted to Alexey Amunts at DBB 2018-05-24 Amunts from Stockholm University and SciLifeLab is one of the four early career investigators that were selected to receive a six-year research support. “Our research group studies how proteins are synthesized folded and assembled into functional multicomponent membrane complexes that drive the cellular energy production. These processes are reported to be upregulated in cancer,” explains Amunts.
- Dr. Anna Forsby has been awarded The Björn Ekwall Memorial Award 2018 2018-05-21 Associate professor Anna Forsby, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Swetox is the recipient of the Björn Ekwall Memorial Award for the year 2018 in recognition of her scientific achievements in the field of cellular neurotoxicology and development of non-animal test methods.
- Small membrane proteins regulate respiration in mitochondria 2018-03-22 Energy conversion in living organisms is carried out by large protein complexes composed of multiple components. Small regulatory proteins control this process by changing the distance between these components and modulating their activities. In a recent publication, the structure of such a small regulatory protein was determined, revealing surprising features that are tightly linked to its function.
- A biological switch regulates the amounts of DNA building blocks 2018-02-02 The enzyme that produces DNA building blocks continues to amaze. The latest surprise is that the enzyme’s on/off switch is positioned at a completely novel site in some marine bacteria. Evolution has once again used an existing component in a new way.
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation is awarding the 2018 Novozymes Prize to Gunnar von Heijne. 2018-01-29 He is awarded for his scientific breakthroughs in studies of membrane proteins. The Prize is accompanied by DKK 3 million.
- The cryoelectron microscope has opened researchers' eyes on a whole new atomic level. 2018-01-22 Alexey Amunts at DBB and SciLifeLab in Solna has been investigating the molecular structure of ribosomes in mitochondria and chloroplasts for years. Now a new opportunity has opened: visualization using cryoelectron microscopy. (Read article in Swedish)
- Merge of the Departments of Neurochemistry and Biochemistry & Biophysics 2018-01-08 As decided by the University Board on December 1 2017, the Department of Neurochemistry and the Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics has from January 1 2018 merged into one department.
- Extension grants for Wallenberg Scholars resp. Wallenberg Academy Fellows at DBB 2017-12-07 Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW) have made decisions about grants within two calls.
- Proof of Concept Grant-Life science to Daniel Daley at DBB 2017-10-24 The Swedish Research Council has taken decisions on applications within Proof of Concept Grant – Life science.
- Prize to biochemist Pål Stenmark at DBB 2017-10-19 The Board of Directors of Sven and Ebba-Christina Hagberg Foundation has decided to award Pål Stenmark at Stockholm University and Anna Överby Wernstedt at Umeå University the foundations personal prize and a research grant totaling 425,000 SEK each.
- Wallenberg grant increase knowledge about elementary particles and cells' molecular lives 2017-09-29 How can the microcosm of co-acting protein molecules of the cell be stable and function as well as it does? How can the Higgs boson, against current theories, be so easy? Two research projects at Stockholm University supported by Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, seek the answers.
- A new Botulinum Neurotoxin discovered 2017-08-03 The first new Botulinum Neurotoxin in almost half a century has been discovered by researchers at Stockholm University and Harvard Medical School. Botulinum toxins are widely used to treat a growing list of medical conditions. The article has been published in Nature Communications.
- New method helps fighting future pandemics 2017-07-07 By developing a new technique for labeling the gene segments of influenza viruses, researchers now know more about how influenza viruses enter the cell and establish cell co-infections – a major contributing factor to potential pandemic development.
- Bacteria from hot springs solve mystery of metabolism 2017-06-27 Combustion is often a rapid process, like fire. How can our cells control the burning process so well? The question has long puzzled researchers. Using bacteria from hot springs, researchers from Stockholm University now have the answer.
- New insights into the toxin behind tetanus 2017-06-27 Tetanus toxin is the neurotoxin that causes lockjaw. Many are vaccinated, but tetanus still kills tens of thousands of people per year worldwide. Researchers from the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, led by Dr Pål Stenmark, have now uncovered the poison’s structure. For the first time, the way the poison is constructed has been revealed.
- 75 million in Wallenberg grant extension to Gunnar von Heijne 2017-05-04 Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation decided in April to grant an extension of SEK 75 million to Gunnar von Heijne, professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, and Siv Andersson, professor at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University for The activities at Wallenberg Advanced Bioinformatics Infrastructure (WABI).
- Alexey Amunts receives the 2016 Lennart Nilsson Award 2017-02-10 For his pioneering work in the current “resolution revolution,” Alexey Amunts has received this year’s Lennart Nilsson Award. He is a researcher in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Stockholm University and head researcher at the Cryo-EM Laboratory at SciLifeLab.
- Alexey Amunts get support from the Ragnar Söderberg Foundation 2017-02-10 Ragnar Söderberg Fellowships in Medicine are awarded by the Ragnar Söderberg Foundation and supports promising young researchers at the beginning of their career, facilitating the establishment of a research group and enabling independence. The granted researchers get SEK 8 million for 5 years. (Further information in Swedish).
- Researchers at DBB publish in Nature Chemical Biology on Recycling protein building blocks 2017-02-10 An international team of researchers led by Pedro Teixeira, Beata Kmiec and Elzbieta Glaser from the Department of biochemistry and biophysics, Stockholm University, has used the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to study the degradation process of peptides generated during biosynthesis of chloroplastic proteins, i.e. targeting peptides, and uncovered an enzymatic cascade that degrades these fragments to single amino acids.
- ERC Consolidator Grant to Martin Högbom 2017-02-10 Martin Högbom at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, have been awarded the ERC Consolidator Grant. He and his team will study how proteins uses metals to achieve complex chemical reactions. The aim of the research is to better understand the chemical reactions that among other things are important for the conversion to green industrial processes and green energy systems. (Further information in Swedish)
- David Drew at DBB leads research on salt transporters 2017-02-10 Researchers from Stockholm University and University of Oxford have examined how and why certain lipids stick together salt transporters found in cell membranes, and why others helps to lubricate their movements. These findings open the possibility to develop new treatments for certain types of cancer and high blood pressure. The results were recently published in the scientific journals Nature and Nature Communications. (Further text in Swedish)
- Stockholm University announce a sponsored research agreement with Ipsen 2016-08-19 Stockholm University announces that it has initiated a research collaboration on structural studies of novel engineered botulinum toxins with Ipsen, a global specialty driven pharmaceutical group. Under the terms of the agreement, Ipsen will fund research in the laboratory of Associate Prof. Pål Stenmark at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, with a focus on structural biology, protein design and the biophysical properties of novel engineered botulinum toxins.
- Insight into bacterial cell division 2016-06-07 One approach to fight bad bacteria is to better understand how they divide and multiply. In each bacterium, a large protein complex – called the divisome – governs cell division. The divisome assembles in the middle of the cell to divide the cell and later disassembles to recycle the proteins. A group of scientists at Stockholm University, together with collaborators at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) showed for the first time how this big protein complex inside living E. coli cells disassembles after each round of division.
- Grants from the European commission to DBB 2016-06-07 The European commission has decided to fund an international training network that focusses on the molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial gene expression. Among the fourteen groups from Europe are Alexey Amunts and Martin Ott from DBB.
- Piecing together the cells “elevator-like” mechanism for sodium 2016-06-07 Researchers from Stockholm University have pieced together how sodium is transported into and out of our cells. This could be a potential benefit for the development of novel treatments against some forms of cancer and hypertension. The results are published as an article in the scientific journal Nature Structure and Molecular Biology.
