Ulrike SchimpfResearcher
About me
Ulrike studied food chemistry at the Technical University in Berlin (Germany). She earned her doctor of natural sciences degree in biology with specialization in biochemistry from the Humboldt University of Berlin (Germany) in 2014. Ulrike was working as team and research project leader (PI) in Germany at a private research institute from 2008 to 2016 in the fields of biotechnology and biomedicine, receiving the Biogas Innovation Award in 2012. After moving to Sweden, she became postdoc fellow in 2017 and was researcher from 2018 to 2023 at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) where her work focused on biopolymers for medical applications. In 2019, she became shareholder of Cirqle Biomedical and founded USCB Consulting in 2021. Since 2023, Ulrike continues her research as principal investigator at the Stockholm University. Read more here.
Ulrike is KEMIKUMs head of technical operations since 2025. Support her group provides includes:
- Laboratory safety
- Security
- IT
- Facility maintenance and renovations
- Janitorial service
Member of the Swedish Association of Professional Scientists, Swedish Chemical Society, International Mycological Association and the Laboratory Safety Network of the Stockholm University.
Board and management group member of the department.
Teaching
Teacher:
KE2351 Risk analysis and risk management for chemical engineers 7.5 hp
(KTH Royal Institute of Technology)
KZ7108 Chemical methods for environmental analysis 5.0 hp
(Stockholm University)
KZ7107 Bioanalytical chemistry 10 hp
(Stockholm University)
Courses teached in: Biopolymers, Introductory and technical chemistry
Research projects
Publications
A selection from Stockholm University publication database
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Topical reinforcement of the cervical mucus barrier to sperm
2022. Ulrike Schimpf (et al.). Science Translational Medicine 14 (673)
ArticleRead more about Topical reinforcement of the cervical mucus barrier to spermClose to half of the world’s pregnancies are still unplanned, reflecting a clear unmet need in contraception. Ideally, a contraceptive would provide the high efficacy of hormonal treatments, without systemic side effects. Here, we studied topical reinforcement of the cervical mucus by chitosan mucoadhesive polymers as a form of female contraceptive. Chitosans larger than 7 kDa effectively cross-linked human ovulatory cervical mucus to prevent sperm penetration in vitro. We then demonstrated in vivo using the ewe as a model that vaginal gels containing chitosan could stop ram sperm at the entrance of the cervical canal and prevent them from reaching the uterus, whereas the same gels without chitosan did not substantially limit sperm migration. Chitosan did not affect sperm motility in vitro or in vivo, suggesting reinforcement of the mucus physical barrier as the primary mechanism of action. The chitosan formulations did not damage or irritate the ewe vaginal epithelium, in contrast to nonoxynol-9 spermicide. The demonstration that cervical mucus can be reinforced topically to create an effective barrier to sperm may therefore form the technological basis for muco-cervical barrier contraceptives with the potential to become an alternative to hormonal contraceptives.
Show all publications by Ulrike Schimpf at Stockholm University
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