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All newshttps://www.umu.se/A RSS feed provided by Umeå Universityen-usSun, 06 Sep 2026 23:51:34 +0200https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-university-recognised-internationally-for-its-work-on-health-and-well-being_12191985/<description>How can universities contribute to better health and well-being for students and staff? This was one of the key questions at FISU World Forum 2026 in Östersund. As Sweden's only certified Healthy Campus university, and one of only a few worldwide to achieve the highest certification level, Platinum, Umeå University was invited to share its experiences. Several of the university's initiatives were also recognised as international best practices.</description><pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2026 11:46:36 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><p>Around 150 university representatives from across the globe participated in the FISU World Forum 2026. The forum was organised by FISU, the International University Sports Federation. This year's forum had a particular focus on Healthy Campus, FISU's programme and certification framework for health and well-being at universities.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Recognised as best practices</h2><p>During the forum, FISU presented its new collection of outstanding Healthy Campus examples, known as "best practices". Several of Umeå University's initiatives and approaches were highlighted as sources of inspiration for universities around the world.</p><p>Among the initiatives recognised were the School of Sport Sciences' health promotion event Health on Campus, the Student Health Service's work to support mental well-being, the International Office Buddy Programme for international students, and the main campus walking routes designed to encourage physical activity.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Experiences from Umeå University featured in an international panel</h2><p>During the forum, Joakim Abrahamsson, psychologist at the Student Health Service, participated in a panel discussion together with representatives from the University of Doha for Science and Technology and the University of Calgary, which, like Umeå University, have achieved Platinum status within Healthy Campus. The discussion focused on what characterises a healthy campus and which approaches and conditions contribute to long-term success in promoting health and well-being.</p><p>– It was incredibly valuable to share our experiences with universities from around the world. This meeting showed that many higher education institutions face similar challenges, but also that we have come a long way at Umeå University by working strategically over time and making collaboration a central part of our approach, says Joakim Abrahamsson.</p><p>During the panel discussion, Joakim highlighted that one of the key success factors behind Umeå University's Healthy Campus work has been its connection to the university's broader sustainability efforts.</p><p>By integrating health and well-being into its strategic sustainability work, the university has been able to establish a long-term and systematic approach in which physical activity, mental health, social inclusion and sustainable development reinforce one another.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/efe4ed81e3f94363b774120dd59817ca/dsc00169-23.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/efe4ed81e3f94363b774120dd59817ca/dsc00169-23.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/efe4ed81e3f94363b774120dd59817ca/dsc00169-23.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/efe4ed81e3f94363b774120dd59817ca/dsc00169-23.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/efe4ed81e3f94363b774120dd59817ca/dsc00169-23.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/efe4ed81e3f94363b774120dd59817ca/dsc00169-23.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Umeå University's campus environment has been recognised internationally as a best practice for how the physical environment can support health and well-being.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Elsa Bjurman</span></div></div><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">The next step for Healthy Campus at Umeå University</h2><p>In addition to knowledge exchange and networking, the forum also created opportunities to discuss how the Healthy Campus concept can continue to evolve and provide even greater value for certified universities as well as those interested in beginning the certification process.</p><p>– It is very rewarding to see the work we do at Umeå University being recognised internationally. Healthy Campus is both an important tool and a commitment for us, and we look forward to continuing to develop this work together with students, staff and other universities, says Elsa Bjurman, Healthy Campus Project Manager at Umeå University.</p><p>For Umeå University, the continued work also means taking responsibility for sharing knowledge and experiences with others.</p><p>– As Sweden's first university to achieve Healthy Campus certification, and the first university in the Nordic region to reach the highest certification level, Platinum, we have a responsibility to share our experiences and contribute to the development of healthy and sustainable campus environments, both in Sweden and internationally, concludes Elsa Bjurman.</p><p><a title="Healthy Campus Best Practices" href="https://www.fisu.net/app/uploads/2023/08/HC-Best-Practices_2026.pdf">Read about all Healthy Campus best practices from universities around the world.</a></p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-university-recognised-internationally-for-its-work-on-health-and-well-being_12191985/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/can-ai-help-authorities-identify-hazardous-chemicals-earlier_12191655/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/can-ai-help-authorities-identify-hazardous-chemicals-earlier_12191655/</guid><title>Can AI help authorities identify hazardous chemicals earlier?New research from Umeå University shows that AI tools can convert chemical structures in patent images into searchable digital data with up to 78 per cent accuracy, a promising step towards early warning systems that flag potentially hazardous chemicals before they reach the market. But the technology still has clear limitations on complex structures and poor-quality images.Fri, 04 Sep 2026 08:36:55 +0200<p>Patents are far more than legal documents protecting intellectual property, they are a vast source of scientific information about chemicals that are under development, often years before they appear in products or in the environment. That makes patents a valuable data source for Early Warning Systems (EWS), which authorities use to identify potentially hazardous chemicals before they become a threat to human health and the environment.</p><p>There is just one problem: much of the chemical information in patents is locked inside drawings. Molecular structures and reaction schemes are embedded as images that no text search can read. Less than 7 per cent of the patents examined in the study contained chemical structure images at all, but when they do, the structures are essentially invisible to computers unless they are converted into machine-readable formats.</p><p>– A patent might depict a new molecule years before it is produced at scale," says Farina Tariq, doctoral researcher at the Department of Chemistry, Umeå University. – If we can teach computers to read those drawings, we can give scientists and authorities an earlier opportunity to investigate potentially concerning chemicals. But first we need to know how reliable the AI tools actually are when applied to real patent documents, not just clean images from databases.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/70820bcfd85f45cfbda3bdcb5a47a44a/farina-tariq-260831-dscf6386.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/70820bcfd85f45cfbda3bdcb5a47a44a/farina-tariq-260831-dscf6386.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/70820bcfd85f45cfbda3bdcb5a47a44a/farina-tariq-260831-dscf6386.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/70820bcfd85f45cfbda3bdcb5a47a44a/farina-tariq-260831-dscf6386.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/70820bcfd85f45cfbda3bdcb5a47a44a/farina-tariq-260831-dscf6386.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/70820bcfd85f45cfbda3bdcb5a47a44a/farina-tariq-260831-dscf6386.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>The study received additional recognition when artwork based on Farina Tariq’s scientific poster was selected for the cover of the journal issue. The cover highlights both the research and the visual communication of its central idea: using AI to extract chemical information from patent images.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>[Simon Jönsson]</span></div></div><h3>From picture to searchable data</h3><p>The potential workflow is straightforward: a patent is published → an AI system detects a chemical structure in an image → the structure is converted into a machine-readable format → the system compares it with known chemicals and chemical classes → potentially concerning or entirely novel structures are flagged for expert investigation.</p><p>Once a structure is machine-readable, it can be checked against known hazards: Is this chemical already known? Is it structurally related to a known hazardous substance? Does it contain structural features associated with particular hazards? Or is it an entirely new structure for which little hazard information exists? If so, can we compute its potential hazards?</p><p> </p><h3>Putting three AI tools to the test</h3><p>In the study, published in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, the research team tested three widely used chemical structure recognition tools, on two specially curated data sets from the European Patent Office's Espacenet database: one of general organic chemistry and one of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS. The AI-generated structures were then validated by five chemistry experts.</p><p>The results were two-sided. On standard, well-drawn organic structures, all three tools performed well, with accuracy around 74–78 per cent, correctly decoding aromatic rings, common functional groups and standard abbreviations. On the PFAS data set, however, performance dropped sharply: for 26 of the 43 unique PFAS structures, not a single tool produced a correct result.</p><p>While the AI tools could accurately interpret many chemical structures, they had difficulties with some of the complex ways chemicals are described in patents. Older patent documents, where images may be blurred or distorted, also led to mistakes.</p><p>– If an AI system misreads a molecular structure, everything that follows is built on faulty information, says Farina Tariq. – An incorrect structure could trigger unnecessary risk mitigation measures — or worse, let a truly concerning chemical slip through unnoticed. That's why quality control and confidence scoring must be built into any future automated workflow.</p><p>The researchers stress that the goal is not for AI to declare a chemical dangerous. Rather, AI acts as a translator: converting chemical drawings into digital structures that can be compared with known chemicals, screened for worrying structural features, and prioritised for expert evaluation.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/70820bcfd85f45cfbda3bdcb5a47a44a/farina-tariq-260831-dscf6353.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/70820bcfd85f45cfbda3bdcb5a47a44a/farina-tariq-260831-dscf6353.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/70820bcfd85f45cfbda3bdcb5a47a44a/farina-tariq-260831-dscf6353.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/70820bcfd85f45cfbda3bdcb5a47a44a/farina-tariq-260831-dscf6353.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/70820bcfd85f45cfbda3bdcb5a47a44a/farina-tariq-260831-dscf6353.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/70820bcfd85f45cfbda3bdcb5a47a44a/farina-tariq-260831-dscf6353.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>[Simon Jönsson]</span></div></div><p>– Our conclusion is not that the technology is ready to be switched on tomorrow, says Patrik Andersson, professor at the Department of Chemistry and co-author of the study. – But we now have a realistic picture of where these tools succeed and where they fail. That is exactly what is needed before automated screening of patents can strengthen early warning of hazardous chemicals in the future.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Read the full article:</strong> <a title="A Benchmark Evaluation of Chemical Structure Extraction from Patents: Insights and Challenges in Chemical Structure Recognition" href="https://pubs.acs.org/crtoec/article-pdf/39/7/1349/66048669/acs.chemrestox.6c00057.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Benchmark Evaluation of Chemical Structure Extraction from Patents: Insights and Challenges in Chemical Structure Recognition</a></p><p><strong>For more information, contact:</strong> Farina Tariq, farina.tariq@umu.se</p><p> </p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/can-ai-help-authorities-identify-hazardous-chemicals-earlier_12191655/https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-ai-methods-make-medical-images-easier-to-interpret_12184980/New AI methods make medical image analysis more reliableDisi Lin has developed new machine learning methods in her doctoral research that incorporate structural information from medical images while also quantifying the certainty of their predictions. "These methods can deliver more reliable analyses and have been tested to identify brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease," says Disi Lin, who is now presenting her doctoral thesis for public defence.Thu, 03 Sep 2026 09:47:08 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/0dab1104d41340558ba941858a3390ef/lin_disi_1835_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0dab1104d41340558ba941858a3390ef/lin_disi_1835_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0dab1104d41340558ba941858a3390ef/lin_disi_1835_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/0dab1104d41340558ba941858a3390ef/lin_disi_1835_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0dab1104d41340558ba941858a3390ef/lin_disi_1835_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0dab1104d41340558ba941858a3390ef/lin_disi_1835_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p> Using advanced mathematical and statistical methods, doctoral student Disi Lin has developed machine learning models that incorporate existing knowledge about human anatomy and can indicate how certain, or uncertain, their predictions are.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Hans Karlsson</span></div></div><p>Machine learning enables computers to learn from data and then use that knowledge to make predictions or decisions. Within healthcare, machine learning is used to support tasks such as disease diagnosis, predicting disease progression, treatment planning, and patient monitoring.</p><p>"Applying machine learning to medical images is particularly challenging because datasets are often limited, while the models must be both reliable and interpretable," says Disi Lin, doctoral student at the Department of computing Science, Umeå University.</p><p>In her doctoral research, Lin has addressed these challenges by integrating prior knowledge into machine learning models. This includes using mathematical morphology, a technique that can be used to encourage the learned patterns to form meaningful structures.</p><h3>Classification of Alzheimer’s Disease</h3><p>One of the application areas explored is the classification of Alzheimer’s disease.</p><p>"Alzheimer’s disease is associated with gradual structural changes in the brain, including reduced volume in brain regions that are important for memory and cognition," says Disi Lin.</p><p>Her research combines classical image mathematics with modern machine learning, resulting in models that can identify connected and anatomically meaningful regions more effectively than previous approaches.</p><p>"This makes it easier to relate the resulting patterns to disease-related changes and increases confidence in the assessment," says Disi Lin.</p><p>As part of her thesis, she has developed methods that take into account the fact that neighboring areas in an MRI scan often consist of the same type of tissue. This reduces the impact of random variations and makes the results more stable and reliable.</p><p>"I have also developed methods that not only provide a prediction but also indicate how confident the model is in its prediction. This allows clinicians to see which parts of the analysis are based on robust calculations and which are more uncertain," says Disi Lin.</p><h3>AI with common sense</h3><p>Disi Lin has incorporated prior knowledge about image structure into machine learning models to help computers identify connected and spatially coherent regions. Rather than treating pixels independently, her AI models can focus on the most relevant areas of the brain, making the results more coherent, interpretable, and medically meaningful.</p><p>“These methods can also show how certain the predictions are. This is important in healthcare because obtaining a result is not enough; clinicians also need to know how confident that result is,” says Disi Lin.</p><h3>Further information</h3><p>Please read the full thesis here: <a href="http://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:2090423">Structure-Aware Machine Learning for Medical Image Analysis.</a></p><p>Disi Lin will defend her doctoral thesis on <a href="~/link/65b4a72e2c244638b2a64cad7d4223e9.aspx">Friday the 4th of September. </a> Supervisor: <a href="~/link/6e5ad7e2ae3749eea32f7e8f3e796413.aspx">Tommy Löfstedt</a>, Docent and Associate professor at the Department of Computing Science. </p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Contact Information</h2><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="21cf0049-de79-4a20-89e0-7bd7652b3ad6" data-contentname="contact Disi Lin">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-ai-methods-make-medical-images-easier-to-interpret_12184980/https://www.umu.se/en/news/apply-now-for-lifelong-learning-courses-within-the-ec2u-alliance_12185005/Apply now for lifelong learning courses within the EC2U allianceRegistration is now open for EC2U Lifelong Learning courses for the 2026/2027 academic year! Open to students, Associated Partners and the wider EC2U community, these courses offer an opportunity to learn across disciplines, connect with participants from different European universities and discover new perspectives. Explore the course offer and register by 18 September to take part in this year’s Lifelong Learning opportunities!Wed, 02 Sep 2026 13:56:53 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/22042214f7a04b03ba041e293c4dd581/article_cover_community.png?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/22042214f7a04b03ba041e293c4dd581/article_cover_community.png?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/22042214f7a04b03ba041e293c4dd581/article_cover_community.png?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/22042214f7a04b03ba041e293c4dd581/article_cover_community.png?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/22042214f7a04b03ba041e293c4dd581/article_cover_community.png?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/22042214f7a04b03ba041e293c4dd581/article_cover_community.png?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>EC2U</span></div></div><p>The European Campus of City-Universities Alliance offers several Lifelong Learning courses for the 2026/2027 academic year. These courses - online and in person - are characterised by their cross-disciplinary approach and international dimension, engaging students from EC2U partner universities.</p><p>From September 2026, this opportunity is not just for EC2U students but is <strong>open to Associated Partners and to the wider EC2U community.</strong> Registration for the academic year 2026/2027 is now open: <br><strong>Apply by 18 September!</strong></p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">About the courses</h2><p>The Lifelong Learning offer is focused on helping to develop the soft and transversal skills required by the labor market and essential for navigating changes in today’s society. This collection is the result of the work carried out by the EC2U WP8 Lifelong Learning Subgroup, which mapped the courses available at each EC2U university. </p><p>Among the offerings are courses on digital literacy, Artificial Intelligence, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are at the core of the UN global strategy, fostering “a better and more sustainable future”. Specifically, the Lifelong Learning selection focuses on topics that inspired the Alliance, such as <em>Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16).</em></p><p>This represents a valuable opportunity to broaden knowledge, raise awareness, and foster a deeper understanding of global issues and challenges, while developing the skills needed to contribute to sustainable progress.</p><p class="foldable">Courses for EC2U students</p><p>You can find the courses available for the 2026-2027 academic year via link below:<br><a href="https://data.ec2u.eu/courses/?audience=%2Ftaxonomies%2Fstakeholders%2Fteaching%2Fstudents%2Fcontinuing-education">Courses for students 2026-2027</a></p><p>Courses will be held in English (unless otherwise specified), available both online (live and on-demand) and in person. </p><p>EC2U students can attend courses offered by the other EC2U partner universities as extra-curricular activities or, when delivered in person, these courses can be included in the Erasmus+ Learning Agreement or attended during a mobility period at the partner university offering them.</p><p>Courses offered by the student’s own university, on the other hand, can be attended by following the procedures established internally by their home institution</p><p>Students may use this registration process to enroll in courses offered by other universities within the Alliance. To enroll in courses offered by their home university, however, they shouldn’t use this application, but they should follow the home university’s internal procedures.</p><p>Course workloads and credits (up to a maximum of 10 ECTS) can vary. Depending on the internal regulations of each university, courses are offered either for free or with a small fee.</p><p class="foldable">Courses for externals (non-students or staff at Umeå University)</p><p>You can find the courses available for the 2026-2027 academic year via the link below:<br><a href="https://data.ec2u.eu/courses/?audience=%2Ftaxonomies%2Fstakeholders%2Fteaching%2Fstudents%2Fcontinuing-education">Courses for externals 2026-27</a></p><p>Courses will be held in English (unless otherwise specified) available online. </p><p>Course workloads and credits (up to a maximum of 10 ECTS) can vary. Depending on the internal regulations of each university, courses are offered either for free or with a small fee:</p><p>F.Schiller University (Jena): 1 course, for free<br>University of Pavia: 6 courses, 116€ enrollment fee +45€ for each CFU <a href="https://en.unipv.it/en/education/bachelors-and-masters-degree-programs/how-apply/enroll-single-courses">check here the fee regulation</a><br>University of Coimbra: 12 courses, <a href="https://www.uc.pt/ucd/cursos/#outros-cursos-realizados">check the available courses at this link</a></p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">How to apply</h2><p>Applications are open until 18 September 2026. Visit the link below for the application form and further details on the process, tailored to your specific situation.<br><a href="https://apply.ec2u.eu">Lifelong Learning Courses</a></p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">Contact</h2><p>If you have any questions, please contact: <a href="mailto:llc.ec2u@unipv.it">llc.ec2u@unipv.it</a> </p><p> </p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/apply-now-for-lifelong-learning-courses-within-the-ec2u-alliance_12185005/https://www.umu.se/en/news/brutal-field-trip-provided-new-insights-into-arctic-winter_12176404/Brutal field trip provided new insights into Arctic winterA gruelling expedition to a remote lake in Svalbard turned out to hold unusually valuable traces of Arctic winter climate. In an article first published by the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Tori Pedersen tells the story of the team’s journey to Stuptjørna and of the sediments that reveal signs of ice cover, low oxygen and extreme cold periods.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 21:45:33 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-14.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-14.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-14.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-14.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-14.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-14.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Lake Stuptjørna, is located on the eastern side of Wijdefjorden on northern Spitsbergen, Svalbard.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Alexandra Rouillard</span></div></div><p>After hiking nine kilometres with a 400‑metre elevation gain and carrying heavy backpacks through very rocky terrain, the researchers spent more than 24 hours in the field and returned with sediment samples from the lake Stuptjørna. </p><p>Stuptjørna lived up to its name: the terrain was steep and at times almost impassable.</p><p>“We completely underestimated the trip, especially with the amount of equipment we had to carry. Sleep was also in short supply and people were exhausted,” says research professor Willem van der Bilt of the University of Bergen and the Bjerknes Centre, reflecting on the demanding field trip in the summer of 2022.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-22.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-22.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-22.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-22.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-22.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-22.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Here you can see that Stuptjørna is a bit tricky to get to.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Alexandra Rouillard</span></div></div><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">What is that white spot?</h2><p>Alexandra Rouillard from Umeå University was also part of the crew. She was a postdoc at the time, and it was her first trip to Svalbard.  What began as a scenic hike turned into a demanding expedition across steep terrain, unstable boulder fields, and long ascents carrying heavy equipment, all under the constant awareness that polar bears roam the area. </p><p>“I seriously began questioning my priorities in life. Indeed, living itself emerges as a strong contender versus science at that point”, she says.  </p><p>After more than 24 hours, they returned to the shore of Wijdefjorden with their sediment cores and wet gear.  </p><p>“We all took a (much needed) cleansing swim and finally made it back to the sailboat, ferrying our equipment and people back and forth until the last of the team were on board. Pure joy. Minutes later, we noticed a white spot on the beach we just left behind,” Rouillard says. In the picture below you can see what that was.  </p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-32.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-32.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-32.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-32.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-32.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-32.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Once everyone was on board the boat, they spotted this one sneaking along the beach.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Alexandra Rouillard</span></div><div class="bildText"> </div></div><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="03365daa-b6bb-40da-a282-d2f1e4552aed" data-contentname="Alexandra’s full account of the hike up to Stuptjørna">{}</div><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Surprising layers</h2><p>The lake was chosen because of its high elevation. The goal was to gain a better understanding of past Arctic winter climate and the natural mechanisms that control it, by using this lake as an archive of winter conditions.  </p><p>“The higher the lake, the longer winter lasts,” van der Bilt explains. </p><p>They collected a sediment core from the lake containing 7,000 years of climate history, and during laboratory analyses they discovered something surprising. <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2026GL122061">The paper is published in Geophysical Research Letters</a>. </p><p>“We found out that these little layers we saw already during fieldwork, were minerals that form in the lake under very specific conditions, when there is no oxygen in the water. The longer the lake is covered by ice, the less oxygen is found in the water, which is directly linked to winter climate”, van der Bilt explains.  </p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-43.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-43.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-43.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-43.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-43.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-43.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>A side view of very finely layered sediment that has been taken near the lakeshore.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Alexandra Rouillard</span></div></div><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">Combining methods</h2><p>Methodologically, the study married established laboratory methods with new scanning techniques. For example, medical CT scans were used to identify the (often invisible) anoxic mineral concretions, while their chemical composition was confirmed using microscopic analysis. In addition, they relied on hyperspectral imaging, a method that identifies the characteristic visible and invisible light spectra of specific materials. In this case, they used the light spectra of pigments produced by bacteria that lived in the lake when there was little oxygen. </p><p>They found that variations in winter climate track a well-known 1500-year climate cycle.  </p><p>“You can think of it as the heartbeat of natural climate in this area. But we are the first to report that it also has an impact on winter climate on land,” van der Bilt says. </p><p>“So, depending on where you are in that cycle in a future also shaped by human climate warming, that cycle could either make the impacts of human climate change worse or dampen it a little bit.”  </p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-72.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-72.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-72.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-72.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-72.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0da4e877320c4fbf9119880135ad3df2/stuptjorna-72.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Up close to Stuptjørna. </p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mateusz Strzelecki</span></div></div><h2 id="info3" data-magellan-target="info3">Volcanic eruptions</h2><p>The second big thing is that almost every extreme winter they found in this lake appeared to happen after multiple volcanic eruptions that had occurred closely spaced in time.   </p><p>Volcanic eruptions inject large clouds of particles and gases into the atmosphere, which can block incoming sunlight for years to decades.  </p><p>“By combining all kinds of fancy scanning and microscope techniques, we find that these extreme volcanic winters happened throughout the past 8,000 years, regardless of the background state of climate, meaning they happened under warm and cold conditions. That means that extremely cold volcanic winters also can happen in the warmer future that the region faces”.  </p><p><strong>References</strong><br><a title="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2026GL122061" href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2026GL122061">Siderite Concretions in Svalbard Lake Sediments Capture 7,000 Years of Extreme Arctic Cold Season Climate Change</a></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/brutal-field-trip-provided-new-insights-into-arctic-winter_12176404/https://www.umu.se/en/news/pride-on-campus-returns-with-an-even-bigger-programme_12184331/Pride on Campus returns with an even bigger programme From 21 to 26 September, Pride on Campus will be held for the second consecutive year. Throughout the week, campus will be filled with lectures, discussions, social activities and rainbow flags to highlight issues of inclusion, human rights and equal worth. This year, Umeå University will once again take part in the Pride parade under its own banner. Mon, 31 Aug 2026 15:22:32 +0200<p>Pride on Campus is organised in conjunction with UmePride and forms an important part of Umeå University’s work to promote equal rights and opportunities and to combat all forms of discrimination. During the week, campus will host activities that foster knowledge, community and engagement in LGBTQI-related issues.</p><p>The University will also fly rainbow flags across campus during the week of 21–27 September as a symbol of its commitment to equality and the equal worth of all people.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/876913a56b874a3a82bbe887f8dcee34/persson_jenny_saba_366_03092024_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/876913a56b874a3a82bbe887f8dcee34/persson_jenny_saba_366_03092024_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/876913a56b874a3a82bbe887f8dcee34/persson_jenny_saba_366_03092024_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/876913a56b874a3a82bbe887f8dcee34/persson_jenny_saba_366_03092024_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/876913a56b874a3a82bbe887f8dcee34/persson_jenny_saba_366_03092024_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/876913a56b874a3a82bbe887f8dcee34/persson_jenny_saba_366_03092024_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Jenny Saba Persson, Coordinator of Pride on Campus.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Hans Karlsson</span></div></div><p>Following last year’s successful launch, the event has expanded, and this year’s programme offers a wide range of activities. Highlights include a rainbow-themed photo walk across campus, seminars on LGBTQI perspectives in education and working life, and a Pride social gathering featuring crafts and placard-making ahead of the parade, among many other events.</p><p>“Pride on Campus is a way of showing that Umeå University should be a place where everyone feels welcome, safe and respected. The rights of LGBTQI people are under considerable pressure in many parts of the world, and we are also seeing human rights and inclusion being questioned closer to home. That is why it is important for universities to take a clear stand for everyone’s right to be who they are,” says Jenny Saba Persson, Coordinator of Pride on Campus.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Umeå University joins the Pride parade for the third year</h2><p>On Saturday 26 September, the week concludes with the official Pride parade through central Umeå. Umeå University will participate for the third consecutive year with its own banner and designated section in the parade. Last year, the University’s group attracted around 100 participants, including students, staff and others who wished to march together in support of equal rights and equal worth for all. The ambition is to achieve equally strong participation this year.</p><p>Since 2026, the University’s participation as an official part of the parade has been approved by the Vice-Chancellor.</p><p>“The University should be an open and inclusive place for students and staff. Through Pride on Campus and our participation in the Pride parade, we want to demonstrate our support for the democratic values on which academia is built and our belief that all people have the right to be treated with respect and provided with equal opportunities,” says Tora Holmberg, Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University.</p><p>Pride on Campus takes place from 21 to 26 September at several locations across campus as well as in digital formats. Alongside activities organised by Umeå University, coordinated by the Student Services Office and the Human Resources Office, the programme also includes contributions from the University Chaplaincy, the student unions and trade unions. All events are free of charge and open to everyone, although some require advance registration.</p><p><a href="~/link/710266c95d5748f8aca57c8c4e585a79.aspx">See the full Pride on Campus programme</a></p><p><a href="~/link/ea8b090518f645fc85626b02a2d29003.aspx">Register to join Umeå University in the Pride parade</a></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/pride-on-campus-returns-with-an-even-bigger-programme_12184331/https://www.umu.se/en/news/research-collaboration-aims-to-improve-preparedness-for-future-pandemics_12184305/Research collaboration aims to improve preparedness for future pandemicsResearchers from Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics (USBE) at Umeå University and Imperial College London have received continued support for their collaboration on the economics of infectious diseases. A new grant from Handelsbanken will enable a fourth international workshop and support the continued development of an interdisciplinary research network focused on the economic, behavioural, and policy dimensions of infectious disease prevention and control.Mon, 31 Aug 2026 13:34:49 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/1ab70c7e156c4ab99ab424ee92f91e06/workshop_on_the_economics_of_pandemic_preparedness_3.png?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/1ab70c7e156c4ab99ab424ee92f91e06/workshop_on_the_economics_of_pandemic_preparedness_3.png?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/1ab70c7e156c4ab99ab424ee92f91e06/workshop_on_the_economics_of_pandemic_preparedness_3.png?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/1ab70c7e156c4ab99ab424ee92f91e06/workshop_on_the_economics_of_pandemic_preparedness_3.png?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/1ab70c7e156c4ab99ab424ee92f91e06/workshop_on_the_economics_of_pandemic_preparedness_3.png?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/1ab70c7e156c4ab99ab424ee92f91e06/workshop_on_the_economics_of_pandemic_preparedness_3.png?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>The participants at the workshop on the <em>Economics of Pandemic Preparedness 2026</em>.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Private</span></div></div><p>The collaboration, led by Professor Giovanni Forchini at USBE and Professor Katharina Hauck at Imperial College London's Jameel Institute, provides an important bridge between econometrics, economics, epidemiology and public health. Through the annual workshop on the <em>Economics of Pandemic Preparedness</em>, the partnership supports the development of a wider interdisciplinary network focused on understanding how societies can better prepare for infectious disease threats.</p><p>The third workshop on the topic, held in Stockholm in June 2026, brought together researchers from economics, epidemiology and policy to examine preparedness as a whole-of-system challenge. Discussions highlighted the importance of accounting for differences in vulnerability and transmission, integrating behaviour and public trust into epidemic models, and strengthening the links between data, modelling and real-time policy decisions.</p><p>A central conclusion was that preparedness should be viewed not simply as a cost, but as a long-term economic investment in surveillance, diagnostics, vaccines, health-system capacity and institutional resilience.</p><h3>Results beyond the workshops</h3><p>– One outcome has been funding for postdoctoral researchers at both Umeå University and Imperial College London. Our postdoctoral researcher at Umeå University has since moved on to a permanent position, which we see as a positive outcome. The collaboration has also continued to strengthen the connection between Umeå University and Imperial College London, demonstrating the value of bringing together researchers across institutions and disciplines while building a shared programme for future research and policy engagement, says Forchini.</p><h3>Complex societal challenges require multiple perspectives</h3><p>– Infectious disease prevention and control are inherently multidisciplinary challenges. Economists can contribute by analysing behaviour, incentives, resource allocation, and the wider effects of disease and public-health interventions. By combining these perspectives with expertise from epidemiology and public health, we can develop a more comprehensive understanding of how societies can prevent, manage, and respond to infectious disease threats”, says Forchini.</p><p>Building on the success of the first three workshops, the newly awarded funding from Handelsbanken will support a fourth workshop and allow the Umeå-Imperial collaboration to continue to grow. The funding will help deepen its international and interdisciplinary links and advance practical research on how societies can prepare more effectively for future pandemics and other major outbreaks.</p><p>Next workshop is planned to June 2027.</p><p><a href="~/link/1d51b7f34a9b4112b029d0df6e811741.aspx">Learn more about the background and the previous workshops</a></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/research-collaboration-aims-to-improve-preparedness-for-future-pandemics_12184305/https://www.umu.se/en/news/metamaterials-make-the-unexpected-possible_12183908/Metamaterials make the unexpected possibleThey can bend light, control sound and give materials entirely new properties. Metamaterials are currently one of the most discussed research fields in physics. Their future potential is engaging researchers around the world and was recently highlighted at a Nobel Symposium in Umeå.Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:00:04 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>Research on metamaterials is advancing quickly. While scientists continue to develop new types of metamaterials, growing interest is emerging in how the underlying ideas can be applied across entirely different disciplines.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>Who has not dreamed of an invisibility cloak like the one used by Harry Potter? It sounds like magic, but it could become reality with the help of so-called metamaterials.</p><p>In the summer of 2026, some of the world's leading researchers in the field gathered in Umeå for a Nobel Symposium on metamaterials. The symposium was organised by Nicolò Maccaferri, Associate Professor at Umeå University. He studies these special materials, which over the past few decades have proven useful in fields ranging from telecommunications to medical technology.</p><p>“Unlike most other materials, the properties of metamaterials are determined not primarily by the atoms and molecules they are made of, but by their design,” says Nicolò Maccaferri.</p><p>He compares them to a musical instrument: the sound it produces depends not only on whether it is made of wood or metal, for example, but also on its shape.</p><p>Recently, he published a Comment in the journal <em>Nature Materials</em> together with international colleagues, describing how the field has inspired an entirely new way of thinking about scientific problems.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">What are metamaterials?</h2><p>The concept of metamaterials was introduced in the late 1990s. It is based on the idea that very small structures, smaller than a wavelength, can be used as building blocks to give materials the ability to control waves, whether electromagnetic, acoustic or seismic, in ways that do not occur in nature.</p><p>“Instead of asking only what a material naturally does, we ask what we want it to do – and then design its structure to achieve that function,” says Nicolò Maccaferri.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>The figure illustrates how metamaterials replace nature’s own building blocks with engineered structures. This makes it possible to design materials with entirely new functions.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Alexander Dmitriev, Göteborgs universitet</span></div></div><p>Interest in metamaterials took off when researchers showed that such structures could, in principle, be designed to guide light around an object, potentially rendering it invisible.</p><p>Today, there are already many promising applications of metamaterials. They can be used to make very thin camera lenses, improved solar cells, better displays and sensitive detectors. They can also control sound and ultrasound, which could be useful in noise reduction and medical imaging.</p><p>“I find the sensing and healthcare applications especially exciting. Imagine small, fast and affordable devices that can detect early signs of disease, monitor the environment or analyse food quality,” says Nicolò Maccaferri.</p><p>He also sees great potential in communication technology, where smart surfaces could help guide wireless signals more efficiently in buildings, cities and future communication networks.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">A new way of thinking</h2><p>The field has also given rise to a new way of looking at materials and technology more broadly. In <em>Nature Materials</em>, the researchers describe it as ‘the meta way of thinking’. It started with the study of light and sound waves but is now spreading to many other areas, including mechanics, chemistry, biology and computing.</p><p>“It encourages researchers to ask bold questions such as ‘what if?’ and ‘why not?’. It is no longer only about describing nature, but also about exploring what else might be possible beyond the limits we once thought were impossible,” says Nicolò Maccaferri.</p><p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-026-02710-7">Read the researchers' comment article in Nature Materials</a></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/metamaterials-make-the-unexpected-possible_12183908/https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-strategy-targets-one-of-cancer-researchs-toughest-challenges_12183677/New strategy targets one of cancer research's toughest challengesResearchers at Umeå University have developed a new strategy to slow the growth of tumour cells. By targeting the genetic instructions that control the production of a key cancer-related protein, they were able to inhibit tumour cell growth. The findings have been published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).Thu, 27 Aug 2026 13:34:34 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/55f08adf53fe49a49864044fee76dbfc/fahreaus-robin-03775-250523-sjn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/55f08adf53fe49a49864044fee76dbfc/fahreaus-robin-03775-250523-sjn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/55f08adf53fe49a49864044fee76dbfc/fahreaus-robin-03775-250523-sjn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/55f08adf53fe49a49864044fee76dbfc/fahreaus-robin-03775-250523-sjn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/55f08adf53fe49a49864044fee76dbfc/fahreaus-robin-03775-250523-sjn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/55f08adf53fe49a49864044fee76dbfc/fahreaus-robin-03775-250523-sjn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Despite decades of research, the cancer protein c-Myc has remained a challenging drug target. Robin Fåhraeus and colleagues now show that cancer cell growth can be slowed by targeting the genetic instructions responsible for producing the protein.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>simon ohman jonsson inhousebyran</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">Approximately 70 percent of cancers overexpress the c-Myc protein</p><p>"Approximately 70 percent of cancers overexpress the c-Myc protein, and therapies that inhibit c-Myc have long been a priority in the search for new cancer treatments," says Robin Fåhraeus, Professor at the Department of Medical Biosciences at Umeå University.</p><p>The c-Myc protein is an oncogene that plays a central role in driving tumour growth. Despite decades of intensive research, it has proven extremely difficult to develop drugs that directly inhibit c-Myc. One major reason is that the protein lacks well-defined binding sites where small molecules can attach and block its function, making it a classic example of an "undruggable" target in cancer research.</p><p>In the new study, the researchers took a different approach. They show that c-Myc mRNA, the genetic blueprint that cells use to produce the protein, can itself be targeted for treatment.</p><p>Using a drug that had previously been tested in clinical trials for a different purpose, the researchers were able to induce the protein MDM2 to bind to c-Myc mRNA. This blocks the production of c-Myc and causes tumour cells to stop growing.</p><p>"Finding new applications for existing drugs is an attractive way to accelerate the development of new treatments," says Robin Fåhraeus.</p><p>The strategy represents a new way of targeting one of cancer research's most challenging drug targets. Rather than attempting to eliminate the protein itself, the method blocks its production at the RNA level. The findings therefore open up new possibilities for drug development, particularly for cancers in which c-Myc plays a crucial role.</p><p>"We hope these findings will pave the way for new treatments for cancers driven by c-Myc. At the same time, we hope to inspire other research groups by showing that mRNA can be used to selectively regulate the production of proteins associated with a wide range of diseases," says Robin Fåhraeus.</p><p>The next steps will include testing the strategy in additional models, evaluating its clinical potential, and further optimising the drug. If successful in future studies, the approach could lead to new treatments for multiple types of cancer in which c-Myc plays a central role.</p><p> </p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-strategy-targets-one-of-cancer-researchs-toughest-challenges_12183677/https://www.umu.se/en/news/discover-this-autumns-health-on-campus_12183534/<description>The programme for this autumn’s Health on Campus is now complete. On 16 September, students and staff at Umeå University and SLU Umeå will have the opportunity to try a variety of activities, discover new interests, and find inspiration for a active and healthy lifestyle.</description><pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:09:35 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/b39d69397da64eac8b6e24820e8441fa/hoghojdsbana_nydala4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b39d69397da64eac8b6e24820e8441fa/hoghojdsbana_nydala4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b39d69397da64eac8b6e24820e8441fa/hoghojdsbana_nydala4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/b39d69397da64eac8b6e24820e8441fa/hoghojdsbana_nydala4.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b39d69397da64eac8b6e24820e8441fa/hoghojdsbana_nydala4.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b39d69397da64eac8b6e24820e8441fa/hoghojdsbana_nydala4.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Två personer klättrar i en höghöjdsbana.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Nydala Zid Adventure</span></div></div><p>Health on Campus offers a wide range of free activities on and around campus, as well as at other locations in and around Umeå. The aim of the day is to promote a sustainable and healthy campus life, with physical activity, community and inspiration at its core. This autumn’s programme features both exciting new additions and several popular activities returning from previous years.</p><p>–Health on Campus is all about making it easy to try something new, meet other people, and discover activities that can contribute to better health and wellbeing in everyday life. We hope the day will inspire both students and staff to find new ways to stay active and feel well, says Pernilla Eriksson, Project Manager for Health on Campus.</p><p>In addition to a wide range of try-it activities, the day also offers several inspiring lectures on health, physical activity and wellbeing. This year’s keynote speakers include Carl-Johan (CJ) Boraxbekk, Professor of Neurology at the University of Copenhagen, who will discuss how physical activity influences brain development and our ability to learn throughout life. Visitors will also have the opportunity to hear from former elite ice hockey player Danijela Rundqvist, who will share her experiences of goal setting, mental strength, recovery and health.</p><h3>New Activities and Returning Favourites</h3><p>Among this autumn’s new activities are opportunities to try high ropes courses, outdoor rock climbing, Argentine tango, flamenco, indoor mini golf, air rifle shooting, and a guided tour of Arboretum Norr. At the same time, several popular activities that have attracted many participants in previous years will be returning.</p><p>–We have worked to create a varied programme with something for everyone. Whether you want to challenge yourself, be creative, experience nature, or simply try something you have never done before, we hope you will find an activity that sparks your curiosity, says Tove Mårs, Project Coordinator for Health on Campus.</p><p><strong>Registration for activities that require advance booking opens on 2 September.</strong> </p><p><a class="documentIcon" title="Programme: Health on Campus 16 September 2026" href="~/link/58c11806ad90436cb78e23de367daef5.aspx">Health on Campus 16 September 2026</a></p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/discover-this-autumns-health-on-campus_12183534/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/umea-university-joins-major-ec2u-innovation-initiative_12182881/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-university-joins-major-ec2u-innovation-initiative_12182881/</guid><title>Umeå University joins major European initiative to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurshipUmeå University is one of nine European universities participating in EC2U ELEVATE, a new project funded through the European Institute of Innovation and Technology's (EIT) Higher Education Initiative. The project has been awarded nearly €2 million (approx. SEK 22 milion) and will run from September 2026 to August 2028.Thu, 27 Aug 2026 15:18:59 +0200<p>EC2U ELEVATE (Entrepreneurship Learning, Education & Value-Creation Across Technologies and Ecosystems) brings together universities, cities, businesses and regional stakeholders across Europe to strengthen innovation, entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer. Coordinated by the University of Coimbra, the project is part of the EC2U alliance and includes partners from Portugal, Germany, Spain, Finland, France, Italy, Austria, Romania, and Sweden.</p><p>The project's long-term ambition is to strengthen the EC2U Alliance as a European innovation ecosystem where education, research and collaboration with society contribute to entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable development. It will also deepen collaboration with the EIT ecosystem in the fields of health, urban mobility, and culture and creativity. </p><h3>Key contributions from Umeå University</h3><p>Researchers from all faculties at Umeå University will contribute to the project. The university will lead the development of a new online course in innovation and entrepreneurship, designed to strengthen entrepreneurial mindsets and innovation competences among students across the EC2U Alliance.</p><p>Umeå University will also lead the creation of a European database of regional and societal innovation challenges, connecting students, researchers, businesses and public organisations with real-world challenges. The initiative builds on Umeå University's long tradition of collaboration between academia, industry and the public sector, which has contributed to innovations in areas such as sustainable technologies, regional development and the green transition.</p><p>"It is very gratifying that we have secured funding for our first research project within the EC2U consortium. Since our partner universities are all comprehensive institutions similar to Umeå University, the prospects are very good for identifying and submitting additional successful applications under the same programme," says Thomas Olofsson, Deputy Vice-Rector for Research at Umeå University.</p><p>Another key contribution is expertise in social and inclusive innovation. Through new methods and forms of collaboration, the project will support work on societal challenges related to health, well-being, climate change, digitalisation and demographic development. The aim is to strengthen co-creation, innovation and impact-oriented research across the alliance. </p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-university-joins-major-ec2u-innovation-initiative_12182881/https://www.umu.se/en/news/a-few-minutes-of-freezing-can-change-the-fate-of-iron-in-nature_12183566/A few minutes of freezing can change the fate of iron in natureJust a few minutes of freezing and thawing can have a decisive impact on how ferrihydrite, the most reactive iron mineral in cold soils, permafrost and glaciers, transforms, according to researchers at Umeå University in a paper published in the journal Science. As climate warming intensifies freeze-thaw cycles and extends them into new regions, ice is becoming an increasingly important driver of Earth's ecosystems.Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:00:04 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>What happens to iron minerals while they are trapped in ice determines how iron behaves once the ice melts. A few minutes of freezing decides how the iron mineral transforms, the study in Science reveals.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Johnér Bildbyrå AB</span></div></div><p>“Ice is not a passive freezer but an active geochemical reactor that can alter how an iron mineral transforms in just a few minutes,” says Professor Jean-François Boily of the Department of Chemistry at Umeå University, who led the study.</p><p>Ice is not simply a frozen block of water. In nature, ice can lock in a wide range of compounds, including minerals and organic carbon. Among the most consequential of these are the iron minerals, because what happens to them while they are trapped in ice determines how iron behaves once the ice melts.</p><p>Iron is one of the most abundant elements in Earth's crust and an essential metal for most living organisms. As rocks weather, iron is released and reacts with oxygen and water to form secondary iron minerals.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>Jean-François Boily.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Simon Jönsson</span></div></div><p class="quote-left">Ice is not a passive freezer but an active geochemical reactor that can alter how an iron mineral transforms</p><h3>Cascading effects throughout ecosystems</h3><p>These iron oxides are found across vast areas of the Earth's surface. They can be seen as rust-coloured coatings on rocks and as fine particles in soil, but they are also present in aquatic environments and in the atmosphere. Changes in how iron is released can have cascading effects throughout ecosystems, from mountain streams to Arctic coastal regions.</p><p>In the current study, the researchers investigated ferrihydrite, a poorly ordered iron oxide only a few nanometres in size. Ferrihydrite is the dominant reactive iron phase in glacial sediments, icebergs and cold soils. Its large surface area allows it to bind substantial amounts of nutrients, pollutants and organic carbon. Whether ferrihydrite retains its reactive surface or transforms into a less reactive mineral determines how much bioavailable iron reaches polar oceans and how much carbon remains stored in frozen ground.</p><p>When water freezes, microscopic pockets of liquid form between the growing ice crystals. Substances that cannot be incorporated into the ice become concentrated within these pockets. The researchers found that this confinement, together with the force that draws unfrozen water towards the advancing ice front, presses the ferrihydrite particles together, strips away the layer of water and hydroxyl groups that normally surrounds them, and joins them into much larger aggregates.</p><p>“The particles emerge from the ice bonded together, not simply clumped,” says Jean-François Boily. “We could expose them to ultrasound and keep them in acid for a month without them falling apart.”</p><p>Analyses using electron microscopy and other techniques showed that a single freeze cycle at −20 °C increased ferrihydrite particle size by around thirty times. Micrometre-sized flakes formed, inheriting their flattened shape from the grain boundaries of the ice that created them. Freezing the material again made little difference, as most of the transformation occurred during the very first freezing event.</p><p>The researchers then allowed both fresh and freeze-treated samples to age in water for a full year. Ferrihydrite that had never been frozen transformed into goethite, the yellow-brown rust commonly found in cool, moist soils. Ferrihydrite that had been frozen only once produced no goethite at all and, under accelerated ageing conditions, transformed instead into hematite, the red rust associated with warm, dry soils.</p><h3>Light-driven iron cycling can be accelerated</h3><p>This reversal in mineral formation has implications far beyond the laboratory. The ratio of goethite to hematite in ancient soils is often used to reconstruct past climates, while the oxygen isotopes preserved in these minerals are used to estimate historical temperatures. Both of these climate proxies, however, assume that mineral transformations occurred in liquid water.</p><p>Hematite also absorbs a broader range of solar wavelengths than goethite. As a result, a freeze-driven shift towards greater hematite formation could accelerate light-driven iron cycling wherever polar soils thaw under sunlight.</p><p>In an accompanying commentary published in the same issue of Science, geochemist Kevin M. Rosso of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the United States writes that understanding ice as an active geochemical reactor is no longer a niche concern for ice and snow researchers, but a central challenge in understanding the geochemical cycling of iron at the Earth's surface.</p><p><a title="Read Kevin M. Rosso's commentary" href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aej2248" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read Kevin M. Rosso's commentary </a></p><p>As freeze-thaw cycles become more frequent and spread geographically in a warming climate, understanding how ice affects the transformation of iron minerals, and how this in turn influences ecosystems, is becoming increasingly important.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/a-few-minutes-of-freezing-can-change-the-fate-of-iron-in-nature_12183566/https://www.umu.se/en/news/in-the-fall-term-of-2026-vardduo-launches-a-new-type-of-seminars_12183325/In the fall term of 2026, Várdduo launches a new type of seminarsThey are called theme seminars and the aim is to reach a broader target group with important issues within indigenous research.Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:13:03 +0200<p class="quote-center">Research should take responsibility in relation to the societies it affects and contribute to their well-being</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/f962c2c5ea3f467688851023569e0e99/shawn_wilson_-_landscape_mode6.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/f962c2c5ea3f467688851023569e0e99/shawn_wilson_-_landscape_mode6.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/f962c2c5ea3f467688851023569e0e99/shawn_wilson_-_landscape_mode6.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/f962c2c5ea3f467688851023569e0e99/shawn_wilson_-_landscape_mode6.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/f962c2c5ea3f467688851023569e0e99/shawn_wilson_-_landscape_mode6.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/f962c2c5ea3f467688851023569e0e99/shawn_wilson_-_landscape_mode6.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Speaker Shawn Wilson, a member of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in northern Canada and residing on Syilx territory in Kelowna, British Columbia, is a professor of Indigenous Studies and holds a research professorship at the University of British Columbia focusing on Indigenous knowledge systems.</p></div></div><h3>Tuesday, September 22, 6:00 PM-8:00 PM, online</h3><p>The seminars are conducted entirely digitally to enable the participation of internationally prominent researchers and to make the seminars as accessible as possible.They are part of Várdduo's Higher Seminar, an academic meeting place for in-depth discussion and critical reflection on current research.</p><p>Each semester, one to two seminars are offered within an overarching theme that runs over a semester or, in some cases, an entire academic year. This format creates a gathering and dynamic arena for engaging and in-depth conversations about pressing research issues.</p><h3>THEME 2026: Indigenous Methodologies</h3><p>Indigenous Methodologies are research methods that are rooted in indigenous peoples' worldviews, values, and relationships. Rather than treating knowledge as something to be extracted, they emphasize respect, reciprocity, and responsibility, and assume that knowledge is relational between people, land, and more-than-human contexts.</p><p>Scholars such as <strong>Linda Tuhiwai Smith</strong>, <strong>Shawn Wilson</strong> (who will be giving a talk at the seminar), and <strong>Jelena Porsanger</strong> emphasize that research should take responsibility in relation to the communities it touches and contribute to their well-being. This means that indigenous methodologies prioritize collaboration, ethical anchoring, and the protection of cultural knowledge. In practice, they challenge conventional research by centering indigenous ways of knowing and ensuring that research is both respectful and relevant.</p><p><a href="~/link/237065f7763140ef90e35fc5fcced90c.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read more</a></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/in-the-fall-term-of-2026-vardduo-launches-a-new-type-of-seminars_12183325/https://www.umu.se/en/news/two-representatives-from-informatics-join-the-iris-executive-board_12183312/Two Representatives from Informatics Join the IRIS Executive BoardThe Department of Informatics is strengthening its presence within the Nordic Information Systems research community. Associate Professor Daniel Nylén has been elected to the Executive Board of the IRIS Association, where doctoral candidate Julia Andersson already serves as the representative of Swedish Information Systems PhD students.Tue, 25 Aug 2026 13:12:12 +0200<p>The IRIS Association promotes research and doctoral education in Information Systems across Scandinavia and serves as the Scandinavian chapter of the Association for Information Systems (AIS). The organization is responsible for the annual IRIS/SCIS conference and publishes the Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems (SJIS).</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">For Both Researchers and Doctoral Students</h2><p>The Executive Board consists of representatives from the Nordic member countries and is responsible for the organization's activities, strategic development, and key decisions. As a board member, Daniel Nylén will represent Swedish Information Systems researchers, while Julia Andersson represents Swedish doctoral students in the field.</p><p>"The Nordic Information Systems research community holds a unique position internationally, and having the opportunity to contribute to its future development through service on the IRIS Executive Board feels both honouring and inspiring. I look forward to continuing the development of IRIS as an open and inclusive meeting place for both established and early-career researchers," says Daniel Nylén.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">The World's Oldest Conference in the Field</h2><p>IRIS is a well-established organization within the Information Systems field. The Information Systems Research Seminar in Scandinavia was first held in 1978 and is considered the world's oldest continuously recurring conference in Information Systems. Since 2010, the conference has been organized jointly with the Scandinavian Conference on Information Systems (SCIS).</p><p>In recent years, the conference has attracted an increasing number of participants from outside the Nordic region while continuing to serve as an important meeting place for the Scandinavian tradition of Information Systems research.</p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">Strong Representation on the Executive Board</h2><p>Julia Andersson sees the Department of Informatics' two representatives on the Executive Board as a positive development for the department.</p><p>"Being part of the IRIS community means working together with researchers from the other member countries to build on the strong tradition of Scandinavian Information Systems research and help shape the future of the field. Participating in this collaborative environment is highly valuable, and it is especially rewarding that our department can give something back through increased engagement in the conferences and by having two representatives on the Executive Board," says Julia Andersson.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/two-representatives-from-informatics-join-the-iris-executive-board_12183312/https://www.umu.se/en/news/tiny-microbes-give-big-insights-into-the-baltic-sea_12183386/Tiny microbes give big insights into the Baltic SeaMarine microorganisms play a vital role in regulating ecosystems and the climate. Despite their importance, many of them have never been imaged in detail in their natural environment. Through a new project, postdoctoral researcher George Westmeijer is building a high-resolution image library of microbial life in the Baltic Sea.Tue, 25 Aug 2026 07:02:52 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/george_tar_vattenprov_umf2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/george_tar_vattenprov_umf2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/george_tar_vattenprov_umf2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/george_tar_vattenprov_umf2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/george_tar_vattenprov_umf2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/george_tar_vattenprov_umf2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>George Westmeijer collecting a water sample at the Umeå Marine Sciences Centre in Norrbyn during the summer. After sampling, the microorganisms are concentrated and examined using light microscopy at the field station before being analysed in greater detail with electron microscopy at Umeå University.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Linda Sandblad</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">We know a lot about the genes of these microbes, but much less about what they actually look like and how they live</p><p>"We know a lot about the genes of these microbes, but much less about what they actually look like and how they live. I want to literally see the organisms behind the data and graphs," says George Westmeijer, postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Chemistry at Umeå University.</p><p>George Westmeijer is a biologist from the Netherlands who moved to Sweden to pursue his PhD at Linnaeus University in Kalmar. During his PhD studies, he developed a strong interest in microscopy. After moving to Umeå, he came across an advertisement for a postdoctoral position at Umeå University. The project, funded by the Kempe Foundations, felt like a perfect match for his background in ecology and his growing interest in advanced imaging techniques.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Sampling Baltic Sea water year-round</h2><p>The goal of his current project in Umeå is to visualize aquatic microbes – bacteria, archaea, viruses, and their interactions. At Umeå University’s Marine Sciences Centre in Norrbyn, George Westmeijer and his supervisors Linda Sandblad and Johan Wikner have developed a workflow for sampling Baltic Sea water enabling study of microbes at high resolution across seasons and under different environmental conditions.</p><p>George Westmeijer chose to focus on the Baltic Sea for both scientific and practical reasons. Its brackish waters host a highly diverse microbial community that changes dramatically with the seasons. The sea’s proximity to the Umeå Marine Sciences Centre, located directly on the coast, also makes year-round sampling possible. During summer, some microbial populations become highly abundant, only to decline to low levels or enter dormancy during the winter as light levels and temperatures are reduced.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Capturing microbes with nobel technique</h2><p>One major challenge is that microbes are both small and sparse. Natural seawater contains too few microbes for high-resolution imaging. By concentrating the samples, George Westmeijer increases the number of cells without damaging them.</p><p>From sampling to microscopy, the entire process takes about one day.</p><p>“I rapidly freeze the samples at very low temperatures, -180 Degrees Celsius. This prevents ice crystals from forming and allows me to study the microbes in a state that is very close to how they exist in nature.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/george_westmeijer_med_handledare3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/george_westmeijer_med_handledare3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/george_westmeijer_med_handledare3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/george_westmeijer_med_handledare3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/george_westmeijer_med_handledare3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/george_westmeijer_med_handledare3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Microscopy is carried out at the Umeå Centre for Electron Microscopy (UCEM). Postdoctoral researcher George Westmeijer prepares samples at minus 180 degrees Celsius. In the photograph, he is pictured with his supervisors Johan Wikner, Professor at the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, and Linda Sandblad, Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Ingrid Söderbergh</span></div></div><p>George Westmeijer then uses advanced cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to create three-dimensional images of microbial cells in the samples. The technique is based on cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), which was awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.</p><p>Cryo-ET combines many images taken from different angles, revealing structures that are impossible to see with conventional microscopy. The image analysis is carried out using software partly developed at the Umeå Centre for Electron Microscopy (UCEM) at Umeå University. For the microscopy part of the project, George is supervised by Linda Sandblad, who is both his principal supervisor and the Director of UCEM.</p><p>The resulting image library will have a level of detail that makes it possible to study biological structures such as membrane vesicles, and also interactions between cells.</p><p>“Microbes do not live in isolation. We often find different species right next to each other, and we are interested in understanding what kinds of relationships they have and how they influence one another."</p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">Linking images and genomes</h2><p>With an ever-growing library of microbial images now in place, George Westmeijer is taking the next step. By combining cryo-EM with metagenomics, cell sorting, single-cell sequencing and proteomics, he hopes to identify species, estimate biomass and track developmental stages. The approach could also reveal microbial partnerships between species that are regularly found together.</p><p>“Identification is the big challenge ahead,” says George Westmeijer. “But if we succeed, we can start building three‑dimensional references of common marine microbes and explore how their morphology changes in response to factors like rising water temperatures.”</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/bacteria_c_in_two_versions2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/bacteria_c_in_two_versions2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/bacteria_c_in_two_versions2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/bacteria_c_in_two_versions2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/bacteria_c_in_two_versions2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/ff82b3967d4a4519a190ff5cc7573f5b/bacteria_c_in_two_versions2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Left: A black-and-white slice from an electron tomogram of an aquatic bacteria. Right: A segmented reconstruction highlighting key cellular structures, including the double membrane, stalks, and ribosomes. The coloured 3D model of the cell was created in Dragonfly.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>George Westmeijer</span></div></div><p>In the long term, the image library could help reconstruct microbial food webs and improve our understanding of how marine ecosystems respond to climate change and human impact. For George Westmeijer, the motivation is also personal:</p><p>“For the first time, I truly get to see the organisms I have studied throughout my scientific career. It is fascinating, and possibly the beginning of a new way to understand the most fundamental life in the sea.”</p><p>George Westmeijer’s project is funded by the Kempe Foundation and is interdisciplinary, spanning chemistry and ecology.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/tiny-microbes-give-big-insights-into-the-baltic-sea_12183386/https://www.umu.se/en/news/space-physicist-asta-pellinen-wannberg-receives-international-award_12183347/Space physicist Asta Pellinen-Wannberg receives international awardProfessor Emerita Asta Pellinen-Wannberg at Umeå University has been awarded the President’s Award from the International Union of Radio Science (URSI) for her work promoting and supporting women in radio science.Mon, 24 Aug 2026 12:22:38 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/81b3eb8ad0b8495489104961f36c2c9f/asta_picture24.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/81b3eb8ad0b8495489104961f36c2c9f/asta_picture24.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/81b3eb8ad0b8495489104961f36c2c9f/asta_picture24.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/81b3eb8ad0b8495489104961f36c2c9f/asta_picture24.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/81b3eb8ad0b8495489104961f36c2c9f/asta_picture24.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/81b3eb8ad0b8495489104961f36c2c9f/asta_picture24.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Asta Pellinen-Wannberg is being honoured for her commitment to women in radio science. Here she is delivering her acceptance speech.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>URSI</span></div></div><p>The award was presented at the opening ceremony of the URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium in Kraków on 16 August.</p><p>In its citation, URSI highlights Asta Pellinen-Wannberg’s long-standing commitment to encouraging and supporting women researchers, as well as her contributions to Women in Radio Science (WIRS), an international initiative that promotes the inclusion and visibility of women in the field.</p><p>“It is remarkable that a question I raised publicly in 2015 about where all the talented women in this heavily male-dominated field could be found has grown into a global initiative. I am deeply honoured to receive this award,” says Asta Pellinen-Wannberg of the Department of Physics.</p><p>What began as a column in the Radio Science Bulletin later developed into dedicated WIRS sessions at URSI’s international conferences. Today, there are 16 local WIRS chapters around the world.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">A global organisation for radio science</h2><p>Radio science encompasses the study of electromagnetic fields and waves and their many applications, ranging from communications and radar to space research.</p><p>The International Union of Radio Science (URSI) is an international, independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing research, international collaboration and the exchange of knowledge within the field. URSI is a member of the International Science Council.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="556e0048-1157-47de-a435-b72b7c90e871" data-contentname="About the Presidents Award">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/space-physicist-asta-pellinen-wannberg-receives-international-award_12183347/https://www.umu.se/en/news/from-summer-meetings-to-arctic-collaboration_12183205/From summer meetings to Arctic collaboration Three significant Arctic events took place before the summer break. The Arctic Arts Summit brought focus to Umeå University's geographical location as a higher education institution in Sápmi and the Arctic. The Arctic Security Forum showed that Arctic security concerns many more research fields than security studies. And the UArctic Congress highlighted routes to international collaboration, with the next Congress coming to Umeå in 2028.Mon, 24 Aug 2026 14:35:04 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/db8eb377563c452985dc4c9990488b9c/20260617_0913262.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/db8eb377563c452985dc4c9990488b9c/20260617_0913262.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/db8eb377563c452985dc4c9990488b9c/20260617_0913262.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/db8eb377563c452985dc4c9990488b9c/20260617_0913262.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/db8eb377563c452985dc4c9990488b9c/20260617_0913262.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/db8eb377563c452985dc4c9990488b9c/20260617_0913262.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>On the second day of the Arctic Art Summit, the key findings of the Swedish Truth Commission for the Sami People were presented. The report was presented by researcher Krister Stoor of Várdduo – Centre for Sámi Research, and Kaisa Syrjänen Schaal, Chair of the Truth Commission, to a packed Idun.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Lena Maria Nilsson</span></div></div><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Build on Umeå University’s Arctic position </h2><p>What does it mean for a university to be located in Sápmi and the Arctic? Arctic Arts Summit offered several answers through research, art and public discussion.<br><br>Held in Ubmeje/Umeå on 16-18 June, the summit gathered around 700 artists, researchers, cultural practitioners and policymakers. It was the first Arctic Arts Summit held in Sweden, under the theme Land, Power and Art and with Indigenous perspectives at the centre. Vice-Chancellor Tora Holmberg opened the summit by emphasising Umeå University’s place in Sápmi and the Arctic from geographical, academic and cultural perspectives. <br><br>That position was also visible across the programme. Várdduo – Centre for Sámi Research, the Arctic Centre, UmArts and the Arts Campus connected Sámi perspectives, research and artistic practice through panels, workshops and artistic research. A well-attended session with Krister Stoor from Várdduo and Sámi Truth Commission Chair Kaisa Syrjänen Schaal brought questions of truth and knowledge-building into the wider Arctic discussion. <br>For researchers, the opportunity is to build on Umeå University’s position in Sápmi and the Arctic – and explore whether an Arctic perspective could add relevance, new questions or new partners to work already underway. </p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Use Arctic Six to widen the security conversation </h2><p>Arctic security is relevant to researchers who may not think of themselves as working on security at all. The Arctic Security Forum in Oulu made that clear. Organised by the six universities in Arctic Six, it brought academia together with policymakers, defence, cities, communities and businesses around total defence, transportation and preparedness in the North. The second day focused on developing new cooperation, projects and plans. </p><p class="quote-center">Arctic security is no longer something we can understand through defence policy alone. Infrastructure, food systems, digitalisation, trust and resilience are all part of the picture. </p><p>The discussions went well beyond military defence. Gunhild Hoogensen Gjørv of UiT The Arctic University of Norway highlighted competition in cyberspace and outer space, where private actors may control critical digital infrastructure and satellites. She also stressed that cohesion and trust make societies harder to destabilise. </p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/db8eb377563c452985dc4c9990488b9c/2500px_-_20260616_-_unioulu_-_arctic_security_forum_-_jpm-0543.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/db8eb377563c452985dc4c9990488b9c/2500px_-_20260616_-_unioulu_-_arctic_security_forum_-_jpm-0543.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/db8eb377563c452985dc4c9990488b9c/2500px_-_20260616_-_unioulu_-_arctic_security_forum_-_jpm-0543.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/db8eb377563c452985dc4c9990488b9c/2500px_-_20260616_-_unioulu_-_arctic_security_forum_-_jpm-0543.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/db8eb377563c452985dc4c9990488b9c/2500px_-_20260616_-_unioulu_-_arctic_security_forum_-_jpm-0543.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/db8eb377563c452985dc4c9990488b9c/2500px_-_20260616_-_unioulu_-_arctic_security_forum_-_jpm-0543.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>University of Oulu, Arctic Security Forum. </p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Janne-Pekka Manninen / University of Oulu.</span><span style="font-size: 20px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 900; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div></div><p>Umeå University Professor and Arctic Six chair 2024-2026 Niklas Eklund moderated a panel on total defence and comprehensive security: </p><p> – Arctic security is no longer something we can understand through defence policy alone. Infrastructure, food systems, digitalisation, trust and resilience are all part of the picture. </p><p>For researchers, this opens several possible routes into the security discussion. Expertise in digitalisation, infrastructure, food, resilience, trust or society may be useful in addressing Arctic security challenges even when security was never the starting point of the research. Arctic Six also offers an existing Nordic setting for exploring those questions with researchers and other partners. </p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">Use UArctic now – and build towards 2028 </h2><p>The UArctic Congress in Tórshavn brought close to 1,400 participants from nearly 40 countries together around research and Arctic cooperation – and showed the breadth of the international community available to Umeå researchers. For Lena Leimgruber Haraldsson, doctoral student at the Department of Language Studies, one message stood out: <br><br> – One of the strongest impressions from the Congress was the growing emphasis on collaboration across disciplines, sectors and knowledge systems.<br><br>Together with colleagues from UiT, she co-organised Creating & Communicating Arctic ArtScience and presented her own research, receiving feedback from an international and interdisciplinary audience while strengthening existing collaborations and establishing new ones. </p><p class="quote-center">One of the strongest impressions from the Congress was the growing emphasis on collaboration across disciplines, sectors and knowledge systems.</p><p>Many Umeå researchers are already active across UArctic. This year, two new provisional Thematic Networks hosted by Umeå University were added: Arctic AI and Arctic Food Transitions. Arctic AI, led by Frank Dignum (department od Computing Science, Umeå University), plans an AI literacy programme focused on what AI can do, but also what it cannot or should not be used for. Arctic Food Transitions, led by Armando Perez-Cueto (department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science, Umeå University), brings together researchers around food systems and change in northern communities. The new networks offer additional ways to find colleagues and develop ideas with international partners. <br><br>With the UArctic Congress and Assembly coming to Umeå on 12–16 June 2028, the next two years offer researchers a clear opportunity to build collaborations across the wider Arctic community. <br><br></p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="be3ba701-ac55-4254-8e15-986866b15e1e" data-contentname="test">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/from-summer-meetings-to-arctic-collaboration_12183205/https://www.umu.se/en/news/minister-for-research-visits-the-university-following-launch-of-new-quantum-technology-strategy_12183185/Minister for research visits the University following launch of new quantum technology strategyFollowing the Swedish Government’s launch of its new quantum technology strategy, Lotta Edholm, Minister for upper secondary school, higher education and research visited Umeå University. Vice-Chancellor Tora Holmberg and four of the University's quantum technology researchers met with the political delegation to discuss topics including internationalisation, funding, infrastructure, and the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration. Fri, 21 Aug 2026 12:48:54 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/856b72afcde541808179a87b6b21b1b9/kvantstrategi-0106-260818-mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/856b72afcde541808179a87b6b21b1b9/kvantstrategi-0106-260818-mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/856b72afcde541808179a87b6b21b1b9/kvantstrategi-0106-260818-mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/856b72afcde541808179a87b6b21b1b9/kvantstrategi-0106-260818-mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/856b72afcde541808179a87b6b21b1b9/kvantstrategi-0106-260818-mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/856b72afcde541808179a87b6b21b1b9/kvantstrategi-0106-260818-mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Lotta Edholm, Minister for upper secondary school, higher education and research, together with her Liberal Party colleagues Lars Leijonborg and Elin Nilsson, listens as Vice-Chancellor Tora Holmberg introduces Umeå University and comments on the new quantum technology strategy recently launched by the Swedish Government.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>On 18 August, the Swedish Government launched its new quantum technology strategy. Quantum technology is an advanced field of research with significant implications for a range of important areas in society, including healthcare, energy, cybersecurity, navigation, and defence. Sweden is already a leader in quantum research. The Government’s new strategy aims to provide a framework to further strengthen the field. <br>  <br>“We want Sweden to prioritise this area within the Swedish Research Council’s funding opportunities and strategic priorities, and we want it to attract increased investment and interest from industry,” said Minister Lotta Edholm during a meeting at Laserlab Umeå shortly after the strategy was launched. <br>  <br>“I am firmly convinced that we need to invest more in research in Sweden overall. Public investment should reach one per cent, not least because this would help attract additional funding from industry. Sweden currently performs well, but from a European perspective we are being overtaken, primarily by the United States and China,” she said. </p><p><a title="pressmeddelande" href="https://news.cision.com/se/utbildningsdepartementet/r/regeringen-presenterar-en-strategi-for-kvantteknik,c4384642">Read the full strategy (In Swedish). </a></p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Umeå University is home to world-leading researchers in the field</h2><p>Lotta Edholm was accompanied in Umeå by Liberal party member of parliament Elin Nilsson and Lars Leijonborg, parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Party and former Minister for education and research and party leader. During their visit, they toured the advanced Laserlab Umeå facility and met researchers Aleksandra Foltynowicz, László Veisz, Nicolò Maccaferri, and Mustafa Khairallah from the Department of Physics and the Department of Computing Science. Also present were Vice-Chancellor Tora Holmberg, Thomas Wågberg, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, and Thomas Olofsson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/856b72afcde541808179a87b6b21b1b9/kvantstrategi-0317-260818-mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/856b72afcde541808179a87b6b21b1b9/kvantstrategi-0317-260818-mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/856b72afcde541808179a87b6b21b1b9/kvantstrategi-0317-260818-mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/856b72afcde541808179a87b6b21b1b9/kvantstrategi-0317-260818-mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/856b72afcde541808179a87b6b21b1b9/kvantstrategi-0317-260818-mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/856b72afcde541808179a87b6b21b1b9/kvantstrategi-0317-260818-mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>László Veisz, Aleksandra Foltynowicz, Thomas Wågberg, Tora Holmberg, Lars Leijonborg, Lotta Edholm, Elin Nilsson, Nicolò Maccaferri and Mustafa Khairallah during the meeting at Laserlab Umeå, Umeå University.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>Umeå University welcomes investments in research in general and in quantum technology in particular, as this is an area in which the University has significant strengths.</p><p>“What this strategy provides is confirmation that our investment in quantum technology is the right one. It is a costly field, particularly when it comes to infrastructure. Sweden is a small country, and if we are to realise the ambitions of this strategy, collaboration is essential. Umeå University contributes through its areas of expertise and works closely with other universities in Sweden and internationally,” said Vice-Chancellor Tora Holmberg.</p><p>“As Vice-Chancellor, I am especially pleased that Umeå University is home to world-leading researchers in this field who actively contribute to outstanding research collaborations,” she added.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Researchers presented their research</h2><p>During the meeting, each researcher had the opportunity to present their ongoing projects in quantum technology. The projects span a wide range of areas, including future technologies in electronics, photonics, quantum technology and biotechnology, environmental monitoring, astrophysics, cybersecurity, and studies of the fundamental building blocks of matter.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="03cf45cc-b7bf-4025-a11e-56c223fd6502" data-contentname="kvantforskare eng">{}</div><p>Two physical quantum computers are currently being developed in Sweden. Both are located at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg and are being built within the framework of the Wallenberg Centre for Quantum Technology (WACQT). Research conducted at Umeå University represents important fundamental research that contributes to the development of these quantum computers.</p><p>“To develop quantum computers, it is essential to understand how atoms and electrons behave at the quantum level. That is the knowledge we generate here. We are not developing a quantum computer as such, but we are developing techniques that are necessary for their future development,” said Thomas Wågberg, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology and Professor at the Department of Physics.</p><p>The discussions between University representatives and the political delegation also covered funding, infrastructure, education, research communication, internationalisation, and the importance of inspiring interest in the natural sciences among both university students and children of primary school age. </p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/minister-for-research-visits-the-university-following-launch-of-new-quantum-technology-strategy_12183185/https://www.umu.se/en/news/screening-can-reduce-colorectal-cancer-mortality-by-more-than-40-percent_12183201/Screening can reduce colorectal cancer mortality by more than 40 percentPeople who participate in colorectal cancer screening may have as much as a 43 percent lower risk of dying from the disease. This is shown by new estimates from researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Umeå University. The findings are based on up to 14 years of follow-up data from the colorectal cancer screening programme in the Stockholm-Gotland region.Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:43:44 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/d2df4ac0c35c4db7a1de93e9dbef3cfb/kolorektalcancer3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/d2df4ac0c35c4db7a1de93e9dbef3cfb/kolorektalcancer3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/d2df4ac0c35c4db7a1de93e9dbef3cfb/kolorektalcancer3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/d2df4ac0c35c4db7a1de93e9dbef3cfb/kolorektalcancer3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/d2df4ac0c35c4db7a1de93e9dbef3cfb/kolorektalcancer3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/d2df4ac0c35c4db7a1de93e9dbef3cfb/kolorektalcancer3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Colorectal cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, with a favourable prognosis if detected early. Universal screening has been introduced throughout Sweden, meaning testing is offered to people aged 60–74 every two years.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Panuwat Dangsungnoen</span></div></div><p>Colorectal cancer is among the most common forms of cancer and has a good prognosis when detected at an early stage. Population-based screening has been implemented throughout Sweden and offers testing every two years to people aged 60 to 74. Stockholm and Gotland were among the first regions to introduce routine screening, launching their programme in 2008. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Umeå University have now followed participants for up to 14 years to investigate how screening affects the risk of death from the disease. The study included more than 376,000 individuals.</p><p>“Population-based screening is a public health initiative that affects a large number of people. It is therefore important to evaluate its effectiveness,” says Håkan Jonsson, researcher at the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health at Umeå University and one of the scientists behind the study.</p><p>“A previous evaluation of the programme showed that people who received an invitation to screening had a 14 percent lower risk of dying from the disease. We can now show that the reduction in mortality is considerably greater among those who actually participate in the screening programme,” says Johannes Blom, senior consultant and associate professor at the Department of Clinical Research and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">One in three do not participate in screening</h2><p>The researchers compared individuals who were invited to screening between 2008 and 2012 with a control group that was either invited later or not invited at all. They used a statistical method to account for factors that can make the effect of screening difficult to estimate, including the fact that some people in the control group were later given the opportunity to participate and that some people who received invitations chose not to take part.</p><p>“Evaluating the effectiveness of screening can be challenging because of various sources of bias and the lack of individual-level data. In this study, the evaluation was planned from the outset by ensuring the availability of a control group and by collecting all the necessary individual-level data,” says Håkan Jonsson.</p><p>After accounting for these factors, receiving an invitation to screening was associated with a 26 percent lower risk of death from colorectal cancer, while active participation in screening was associated with a 43 percent lower risk of death.</p><p>“Although screening is offered free of charge and the test is simple to complete, around one-third of eligible individuals do not submit a sample. Our study highlights the importance of participating in colorectal cancer screening and shows that it can save lives,” says Johannes Blom.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="85aab3db-6ed5-449b-b030-e4719800efad" data-contentname="About the study">{}</div><p><em>This text was translated from Swedish using Microsoft Copilot. The text has been manually reviewed by the author prior to publication.</em></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/screening-can-reduce-colorectal-cancer-mortality-by-more-than-40-percent_12183201/https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-study-maps-how-gut-bacteria-help-and-hinder-each-others-growth_12183144/<description>Understanding how bacteria influence one another is essential for understanding how microbial communities are formed and maintained. Researchers at Umeå University have now systematically mapped interactions between common gut bacteria, creating one of the most comprehensive datasets of its kind. Published in Nature Communications, the study reveals that inhibitory interactions dominate, while also identifying mechanisms through which some bacteria promote the growth of others.</description><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:05:11 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/bolor-buyanbadrakh-lab-260818-dscf5910_sjn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/bolor-buyanbadrakh-lab-260818-dscf5910_sjn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/bolor-buyanbadrakh-lab-260818-dscf5910_sjn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/bolor-buyanbadrakh-lab-260818-dscf5910_sjn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/bolor-buyanbadrakh-lab-260818-dscf5910_sjn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/bolor-buyanbadrakh-lab-260818-dscf5910_sjn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Bolor Buyanbadrakh, postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Chemistry</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Simon Jönsson</span></div></div><p>The human gut contains hundreds of microbial species that form complex communities linked to digestion, immune function, and resistance to infection. Despite their importance, the interactions between many microbial species remain poorly understood.</p><p>By testing more than 1,200 interactions between 36 representative gut bacterial species, the researchers created one of the most comprehensive datasets of its kind.</p><p>The results showed that most interactions were negative, meaning that one species limited the growth of another. A major reason was that bacteria altered their environment, particularly by changing its pH, making it more acid.</p><p>–Our results show that competition is a dominant feature of the gut microbiome. At the same time, we found specific examples of cooperation and identified the molecular mechanisms behind them, says Bolor Buyanbadrakh, postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Chemistry at Umeå University and first author of the study.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/bolor-buyanbadrakh-lab-260818-dscf5893_sjn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/bolor-buyanbadrakh-lab-260818-dscf5893_sjn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/bolor-buyanbadrakh-lab-260818-dscf5893_sjn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/bolor-buyanbadrakh-lab-260818-dscf5893_sjn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/bolor-buyanbadrakh-lab-260818-dscf5893_sjn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/bolor-buyanbadrakh-lab-260818-dscf5893_sjn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Simon Jönsson</span></div></div><p>One finding was that <em>Clostridium perfringens</em> promotes the growth of <em>Mediterraneibacter gnavus</em> through the release of extracellular vesicles, tiny particles released by bacteria that can carry molecules between cells. The study provides evidence that such vesicles can directly influence the growth of another bacterial species.</p><p>The researchers also discovered that <em>Veillonella parvula</em> can increase the pH of its surroundings, counteracting acidification caused by other bacteria. This change allowed acid-sensitive species, such as <em>Parabacteroides merdae</em>, to grow more effectively, even in more complex microbial communities.</p><p>–Understanding how bacteria influence each other is essential if we want to predict or eventually manipulate microbiome composition in a rational way. Our work provides both a large interaction dataset and mechanistic insights that move the field in that direction, says André Mateus, assistant professor at the Department of Chemistry, team leader at The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), and senior author of the study.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/mateus_andre_0314_220506_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/mateus_andre_0314_220506_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/mateus_andre_0314_220506_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/mateus_andre_0314_220506_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/mateus_andre_0314_220506_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/980b1151931e4bbcaced965293227f16/mateus_andre_0314_220506_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>André Mateus, assistant professor at the Department of Chemistry</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>By revealing both competitive and cooperative mechanisms among gut bacteria, the study provides a foundation for predicting how microbial communities form and change over time.</p><p>The study was carried out through a collaboration between researchers at the <a href="~/link/10bf117287ac419eac91c6cec4ed6d53.aspx">Department of Chemistry</a>, <a href="~/link/659b08dc1a0140919eca984863e58cf5.aspx">the Department of Molecular Biology</a>, <a href="~/link/0d3ba380e5cd4b9b8dedb91c1fa7d127.aspx">The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS)</a>, and <a href="~/link/7411b104249c4027951f7bfc334415ab.aspx">the Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR)</a> at Umeå University. In addition to the Mateus group, the work involved the research groups of Madeleine Ramstedt, Sun Nyunt-Wai, and Björn Schröder. The study was supported by funding from <a href="https://www.vr.se/english.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Swedish Research Council,</a> <a href="https://erc.europa.eu/homepage">the European Research Council (ERC)</a>, <a href="https://kaw.wallenberg.org/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation</a>, <a href="https://www.kempe.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kempestiftelserna</a>, and <a href="https://jeanssonsstiftelser.se/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeanssons stiftelser.</a></p><p> </p><p><strong>About the scientific publication:</strong></p><p>Buyanbadrakh et al., Systematic profiling of growth interactions in human gut microbiome species. Nature Communications 2026, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-76526-z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-76526-z</a></p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-study-maps-how-gut-bacteria-help-and-hinder-each-others-growth_12183144/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/northern-swedens-cancer-care-closer-to-international-quality-accreditation_12183076/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/northern-swedens-cancer-care-closer-to-international-quality-accreditation_12183076/</guid><title>Northern Sweden’s cancer care closer to international quality accreditationCancer care in northern Sweden has taken another important step towards an internationally recognised quality accreditation as a Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC). A few weeks ago, the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI) gave the green light for the next phase of the process: an on-site review visit.Thu, 20 Aug 2026 08:07:48 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/2b6230d9932844d689ccb714d19d09ac/norrlands_universitetssjukhus_-_original_3652783.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2b6230d9932844d689ccb714d19d09ac/norrlands_universitetssjukhus_-_original_3652783.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2b6230d9932844d689ccb714d19d09ac/norrlands_universitetssjukhus_-_original_3652783.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/2b6230d9932844d689ccb714d19d09ac/norrlands_universitetssjukhus_-_original_3652783.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2b6230d9932844d689ccb714d19d09ac/norrlands_universitetssjukhus_-_original_3652783.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2b6230d9932844d689ccb714d19d09ac/norrlands_universitetssjukhus_-_original_3652783.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Since 2025, Region Västerbotten, Umeå University and the Northern Sweden Regional Cancer Centre have worked together within a joint organisational structure to advance cancer care, cancer research and cancer education.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Klas Sjöberg</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">The site visit is an important milestone on the road to accreditation</p><p>“The site visit is an important milestone on the road to accreditation. Throughout the autumn, we will continue our preparations, and staff and managers in the relevant units will receive more information about what to expect,” says Lotta Edvinsson, Director of Umeå Comprehensive Cancer Centre.</p><p>Since autumn 2025, Region Västerbotten, Umeå University and the Northern Sweden Regional Cancer Centre have worked together within a joint organisational structure to advance cancer care, cancer research and cancer education.</p><p>At the end of July, the organisation received confirmation that it had been approved to move on to the next stage of the process towards accreditation as Umeå Comprehensive Cancer Centre (Umeå CCC). This means that OECI’s review team will conduct an on-site visit at Norrland University Hospital in December. During the visit, the reviewers will meet representatives of the organisation and gain a deeper understanding of how care, research and education are integrated within the field of cancer.</p><p>“I am immensely proud of all the staff who contribute to this extensive and important process. Achieving Comprehensive Cancer Centre status is recognition of the high quality that characterises our organisation and of the strong collaboration between care, research and education. At the same time, it opens up new opportunities for development and collaboration at the regional, national and international levels,” says Pia Näsvall, Director of Health and Medical Services at Region Västerbotten.</p><p>CCC accreditation is an internationally recognised mark of quality, demonstrating that care, research and education are well integrated and meet high standards according to European criteria. The goal is to create the best possible conditions for cancer care and cancer research, with patients at the centre.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/northern-swedens-cancer-care-closer-to-international-quality-accreditation_12183076/https://www.umu.se/en/news/knowledge-alone-is-not-enough-many-outdoor-workers-remain-unprotected-against-tbe_12182925/Knowledge alone is not enough: Many outdoor workers remain unprotected against TBEAlthough most outdoor workers in Sweden have a positive attitude towards vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), many remain unvaccinated. A new study from Umeå University and the Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA) highlights the barriers preventing people from getting vaccinated.Fri, 21 Aug 2026 07:42:30 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/istock-5867181123.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/istock-5867181123.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/istock-5867181123.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/istock-5867181123.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/istock-5867181123.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/istock-5867181123.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Awareness of TBE is high and most outdoor workers see the value of vaccination, yet many remain unvaccinated. The findings suggest that practical barriers, such as cost and accessibility, may be just as important as knowledge in shaping vaccination decisions.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Teka77</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">Many outdoor workers recognize the value of TBE vaccination but still choose not to get vaccinated</p><p>“Many outdoor workers recognize the value of TBE vaccination but still choose not to get vaccinated. Our findings suggest that accessibility, cost and support from employers may be just as important as knowledge about the disease,” says Dr. Junwen Guo, Staff Scientist at the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health at Umeå University.</p><p>TBE is a potentially serious disease transmitted by ticks. People working in forestry, agriculture, research, hunting and other outdoor occupations may be repeatedly exposed to tick bites.</p><p>A nationwide survey of 1,006 outdoor workers, conducted by Umeå University and the Swedish Veterinary Agency (SVA), found that 77 percent had received at least one dose of a TBE vaccine, while almost 86 percent considered vaccination to be valuable.</p><p>Overall, knowledge about TBE vaccination was high. As many as 98.7 percent of participants were aware that TBE can be prevented through vaccination. Despite this, vaccination uptake lagged behind both knowledge and attitudes, with clear differences between occupational groups, socioeconomic groups and geographical regions.</p><p>The participants’ own comments help explain why. Some appeared to assess their personal risk based on whether they had encountered ticks or TBE in their everyday lives. One participant wrote:</p><p>“<em>Despite a lifetime of outdoor activities and outdoor work, I have never seen a tick on myself.</em>”</p><p>Others questioned the relevance of TBE in their area or seemed to have difficulty distinguishing between different tick-borne diseases that are transmitted by the same tick species. One respondent wrote:</p><p>“<em>TBE is not common in this area, whereas Lyme disease is</em>.”</p><p>These comments do not suggest that outdoor workers lack knowledge about TBE. Rather, they point to a more complex issue: people may not perceive their own risk as high enough to justify vaccination.</p><p>For some participants, practical barriers were the main concern. Comments highlighted difficulties in reaching vaccination clinics, scheduling appointments and keeping track of booster doses. One participant wrote:</p><p>“<em>My biggest barrier is having to travel into town to get vaccinated. It takes time and even parking is difficul</em>t.”</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareleft"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/jg_hihgh2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/jg_hihgh2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/jg_hihgh2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/jg_hihgh2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/jg_hihgh2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/jg_hihgh2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Junwen Guo, Staff Scientist at the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health at Umeå University</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Natthaphon Sakulvanaporn (BangkokVDO). </span></div></div><p>Cost was another important factor. Nearly half of the respondents said they would be more likely to get vaccinated against TBE if the vaccine were less expensive or subsidized by their employer or public authorities.</p><p>Sweden already has systems in place to manage TBE risks in the workplace. Employers are expected to assess the risk of infection and offer vaccination when needed, and TBE vaccination is particularly recommended for people who work outdoors. However, not everyone who is frequently exposed to ticks is covered by these systems, including self-employed farmers, people who work outdoors part-time and hunters. This raises the question of whether current prevention efforts are reaching all high-risk groups.</p><p>The study also points to another challenge: the geographical expansion of TBE risk. Because vaccination must be given before infection occurs, delays can arise if new risk areas are only identified after an increase in human cases. As ticks and TBE continue to spread into new areas, it becomes increasingly important to identify high-risk individuals early enough for vaccination to provide protection. For outdoor workers, risk depends not only on where they live, but also on where and how often they spend time outdoors.</p><p>The findings raise an important question for TBE prevention:</p><p>“To stay ahead of the disease, we need to identify high-risk groups earlier and make vaccination more accessible. This requires both better tick and TBE surveillance,” says Junwen Guo.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/fasting_jens_rydell_johner2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/fasting_jens_rydell_johner2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/fasting_jens_rydell_johner2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/fasting_jens_rydell_johner2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/fasting_jens_rydell_johner2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/bdde29ba879046ad8eea9f0028e78047/fasting_jens_rydell_johner2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a viral infection spread to humans through tick bites. The virus is transmitted almost instantly via the tick’s saliva when it bites. There is currently no cure for TBE, making vaccination the most effective way to protect yourself against the disease.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Jens Rydell, Johnér bildbyrå AB</span></div></div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/knowledge-alone-is-not-enough-many-outdoor-workers-remain-unprotected-against-tbe_12182925/https://www.umu.se/en/news/from-words-to-action-in-climate-education_12182868/From words to action in climate educationStudents learn a great deal about the climate, but that knowledge does not always lead to action. In a new project, Johanna Lönngren will investigate how climate education can be designed to drive greater change.Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:36:42 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/abdaeefdec704484bf6bac313ca3608b/lonngren_johanna_1577_230516_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/abdaeefdec704484bf6bac313ca3608b/lonngren_johanna_1577_230516_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/abdaeefdec704484bf6bac313ca3608b/lonngren_johanna_1577_230516_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/abdaeefdec704484bf6bac313ca3608b/lonngren_johanna_1577_230516_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/abdaeefdec704484bf6bac313ca3608b/lonngren_johanna_1577_230516_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/abdaeefdec704484bf6bac313ca3608b/lonngren_johanna_1577_230516_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Johanna Lönngren, Associate Professor at the Department of Science and Mathematics Education. </p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Hans Karlsson</span></div></div><p>“The problem is that teaching focuses on developing knowledge, rather than on how it can be used to bring about actual change,” says Johanna Lönngren, Associate Professor at the Department of Science and Mathematics Education, NMD.</p><p>For the climate transition to accelerate, society needs not only new technologies, but also people with knowledge, commitment and confidence that they can make a difference. The way education is designed plays an important role in this.</p><p>Johanna Lönngren has been awarded SEK 4 million from Formas, a government research council for sustainable development, to compile and analyse research on climate education. She will investigate what makes some educational initiatives lead to action while others do not.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">"We are not seeing the change we need"</h2><p>Unlike a traditional literature review, which often focuses on the question of what works, the project will also examine why something works and in what contexts. The project takes a broad view of climate education, from primary and secondary education to higher education. It may, for example, explore what motivates pupils and students to change their behaviour, engage in organisations, or choose a career path that allow them to influence societal development.</p><p>“We are not seeing the change we need. There is a great deal of knowledge and technology available, but progress towards climate neutrality is far too slow,” says Johanna Lönngren.</p><p>The project also involves Eva Knekta at NMD and Loïs Vanhée at the Department of Computing Science. They are collaborating with Sara Dada at University College Dublin.</p><p>At the end of the project, the researchers will develop models that make it easier to understand how different mechanisms influence learning. The models will be used together with teachers to help them develop climate education in ways that are effective within their own teaching contexts.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/from-words-to-action-in-climate-education_12182868/https://www.umu.se/en/news/the-swedish-brain-foundation-invests-in-brainpower-in-umea_12182461/The Swedish Brain Foundation invests in brainpower in UmeåSeven research projects at Umeå University will receive a total of SEK 9 million in funding from the Swedish Brain Foundation, as part of its allocation of SEK 190 million to 122 research projects across Sweden.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 10:08:55 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/39f10a3863dd49c888157e4c903bb7c4/10174693-brain-disease-therapy_beskuren3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/39f10a3863dd49c888157e4c903bb7c4/10174693-brain-disease-therapy_beskuren3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/39f10a3863dd49c888157e4c903bb7c4/10174693-brain-disease-therapy_beskuren3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/39f10a3863dd49c888157e4c903bb7c4/10174693-brain-disease-therapy_beskuren3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/39f10a3863dd49c888157e4c903bb7c4/10174693-brain-disease-therapy_beskuren3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/39f10a3863dd49c888157e4c903bb7c4/10174693-brain-disease-therapy_beskuren3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>The seven projects receiving funding from the Swedish Brain Foundation cover a broad range of key areas within brain research.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mostphotos</span></div></div><p>Both the amount awarded to Umeå University and the university’s share of the national funding, 4.7 percent, are higher than in previous years.</p><p>“The Swedish Brain Foundation’s investment of SEK 9 million in research at Umeå University is a clear recognition of the high quality of our brain research. The increase in our share of national funding also shows that our researchers are highly competitive. These grants provide greater opportunities to develop knowledge that can contribute to future diagnostics and treatments for brain disorders,” says Katrine Riklund, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Umeå University.</p><p>The funded projects cover several important areas of brain research. Among other topics, researchers are investigating the mechanisms behind neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and Alzheimer’s disease, the brain’s own maintenance processes, and how tick-borne viruses enter the brain.</p><p>This year’s funding allocation from the Swedish Brain Foundation is the largest to date. A total of SEK 190 million is being awarded, nearly SEK 40 million more than last year. The funding is made possible through donations from the public.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Research projects at Umeå University receiving funding</h2><p><strong>Anna Överby Wernstedt, Department of Clinical Microbiology</strong><br>Project: <em>Mapping the Tick-Borne Virus’s Route into the Brain: Can We Stop It?</em><br>Research area: Brain function</p><p><strong>Changchun Chen, Department of Molecular Biology</strong><br>Project: <em>Regulation of Neuronal Proteostasis by Glial Nuclear Hormone Receptors</em><br>Research area: ALS, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders</p><p><strong>Karin Forsberg, Department of Clinical Science</strong><br>Project: <em>Understanding and Stopping ALS: From Misfolded Proteins to Future Treatments</em><br>Research area: ALS, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders</p><p><strong>Michael Dimitriou, Department of Medical and Translational Biology</strong><br>Project: <em>Sensorimotor Aging: Changes in Proprioceptive Signalling, Reflex Connectivity and Motor Function</em><br>Research area: Brain function</p><p><strong>Nina Karalija, Department of Medical and Translational Biology</strong><br>Project: <em>Age-Related Dopamine Loss: A Risk Factor for Future Dementia Pathology?</em><br>Research area: Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia and other dementias</p><p><strong>Hugo Lövheim, Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation</strong><br>Project: <em>Shingles, Cold Sores, Genes and Dementia: The Role of Neurotropic Herpesviruses in the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease</em><br>Research area: Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia and other dementias</p><p><strong>Anders Wåhlin, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics</strong><br>Project: <em>Imaging the Brain’s Maintenance Mechanisms: CSF–ISF Exchange and Vascular Drivers</em><br>Research area: Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia and other dementias</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/the-swedish-brain-foundation-invests-in-brainpower-in-umea_12182461/https://www.umu.se/en/news/high-risk-groups-forgo-vaccination-despite-it-being-free_12181961/High-risk groups forgot vaccination despite it being freeAlthough influenza and COVID-19 vaccination are offered free of charge to people at increased risk of severe illness, many still choose not to get vaccinated. A new study from Umeå University shows that the main barriers are not financial or related to distance from vaccination services. Instead, those most likely to forgo vaccination were younger individuals, men, smokers, and people with reduced independence.Wed, 12 Aug 2026 09:41:10 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/b5ed6ed31a7a4612b0f1d274a902e9a7/sca27202_kopiera_johner3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b5ed6ed31a7a4612b0f1d274a902e9a7/sca27202_kopiera_johner3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b5ed6ed31a7a4612b0f1d274a902e9a7/sca27202_kopiera_johner3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/b5ed6ed31a7a4612b0f1d274a902e9a7/sca27202_kopiera_johner3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b5ed6ed31a7a4612b0f1d274a902e9a7/sca27202_kopiera_johner3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b5ed6ed31a7a4612b0f1d274a902e9a7/sca27202_kopiera_johner3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Although influenza and COVID-19 vaccination are offered free of charge to people at increased risk of severe illness, many still choose not to get vaccinated.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Johnér bildbyrå</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">We were surprised to find that where people live played such a small role</p><p>“We were surprised to find that where people live played such a small role. This means we need to target our efforts more towards the groups that continue to opt out of vaccination,” says Urban Johansson Kostenniemi, infectious disease physician and researcher at the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Umeå University.</p><p>Influenza and COVID-19 continue to cause substantial illness and mortality among older adults and people with chronic diseases. Vaccination is therefore recommended for individuals in medical risk groups and is provided free of charge in Sweden.</p><p>In the study, researchers investigated factors influencing vaccination uptake among high-risk groups in northern Sweden. A total of 600 adult patients from University Hospital of Umeå were included, of whom 450 were recommended vaccination against both influenza and COVID-19.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/b5ed6ed31a7a4612b0f1d274a902e9a7/johansson_kostenniemi_urban_5678_221012_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b5ed6ed31a7a4612b0f1d274a902e9a7/johansson_kostenniemi_urban_5678_221012_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b5ed6ed31a7a4612b0f1d274a902e9a7/johansson_kostenniemi_urban_5678_221012_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/b5ed6ed31a7a4612b0f1d274a902e9a7/johansson_kostenniemi_urban_5678_221012_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b5ed6ed31a7a4612b0f1d274a902e9a7/johansson_kostenniemi_urban_5678_221012_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b5ed6ed31a7a4612b0f1d274a902e9a7/johansson_kostenniemi_urban_5678_221012_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Urban Johansson Kostenniemi, infectious disease physician and researcher at the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Umeå University.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Hans Karlsson</span></div></div><p>Among those who were recommended vaccination, uptake was 52 percent for influenza and 54 percent for COVID-19, somewhat lower than the average in Västerbotten County. Those most likely to forgo vaccination were younger individuals within the risk groups, men, smokers, and people who required assistance with everyday activities from home care services. Surprisingly, characteristics of the local environment played only a minor role. Differences in educational attainment, economic conditions, and geographic location were not associated with vaccination uptake to any substantial extent.</p><p>“We were also surprised that people with multiple health conditions were not vaccinated more frequently than those with only one risk factor. This suggests that many people are unaware of how the overall risk increases when several medical conditions occur at the same time,” says Urban Johansson Kostenniemi.</p><p>The study is based on patient interviews, medical record data, and information from national registers. Researchers examined both individual and societal factors to gain a more comprehensive understanding of what influences vaccination decisions.</p><p>The findings may help improve the targeting of future vaccination efforts. Suggested measures include clearer information for high-risk groups, particularly for people living with multiple health conditions who face an especially high risk of severe disease, as well as opportunities to receive multiple vaccinations during the same healthcare visit.</p><p>“If we can increase awareness of risk among the most vulnerable groups while also making vaccination as convenient as possible, there is great potential to improve protection against serious illness,” says Urban Johansson Kostenniemi.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/high-risk-groups-forgo-vaccination-despite-it-being-free_12181961/https://www.umu.se/en/news/metamaterials-and-nanophotonics-in-umea_12181851/International conference brings metamaterials and nanophotonics to UmeåMETAmeet 2026 gathered leading researchers in light–matter interactions at the nanoscale for three days of presentations, discussions and networking. Hosted by Umeå University, the conference directly followed the Nobel Symposium in physics, held in Umeå’s city centre.Wed, 12 Aug 2026 08:51:55 +0200<p>From 1 to 3 July 2026, Umeå University hosted METAmeet, an international conference on metamaterials and nanophotonics. The meeting continued the momentum created by the <a href="https://jirango.com/cview/web/9e3cc207?&lang=swe">Nobel Symposium on metamaterials,</a> which brought some of the world’s leading physicists to Umeå to discuss metamaterials science and technology.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/proff_engheta2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/proff_engheta2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/proff_engheta2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/proff_engheta2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/proff_engheta2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/proff_engheta2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Professor N. Engheta, University of Pennsylvania, giving a keynote talk at METAmeet conference on the theme "4D Metamaterials"</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Ann Céline Zimmermann</span></div></div><p>The close timing of the two events turned Umeå into an international hub for discussions on how light, sound and other waves can be structured in space and time. While the Nobel Symposium was organised as a closed event, METAmeet opened the conversation to a broader community of researchers, students and early-career scientists working in related areas.</p><p><br>The conference took place in Carl Kempe Salen in the KBC building at Umeå University. Over three days, invited lectures, contributed talks, poster sessions and informal discussions highlighted recent developments in how structured materials can control light, heat and sound in new ways. Metamaterials and nanophotonics are rapidly developing research fields with potential impact in areas such as optical communication, sensing, imaging, medicine, energy technologies and quantum science. By bringing together international experts and early-career researchers, METAmeet strengthened scientific links across disciplines and opened new opportunities for collaboration.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/mingling2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/mingling2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/mingling2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/mingling2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/mingling2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/mingling2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>METAmeet poster session</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Carla Brunner</span></div></div></div><p class="quote-left">Events like METAmeet are important because they create the conditions for new collaborations to start naturally. The scientific programme was strong, but the informal conversations were equally valuable</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Says Nicolò Maccaferri, Chair of METAmeet 2026 and member of the Local Organising Committee from the Department of Physics, Umeå University.</p><h3><br>From space-time photonics to active metasurfaces</h3><p><br>The programme reflected the breadth of today’s metamaterials and nanophotonics research. Sessions addressed topics including negative-index and space-time photonics, meta-optical processors, resonant metasurfaces for biosensing, near-zero-index materials, hot carriers in plasmonics, time-varying materials, active polymer metasurfaces, van der Waals materials for nanophotonics, optical nanoantennas and polaritonic phenomena.</p><p class="quote-left"><br>What stood out was the strong connection between theory, experiments and technology. The talks showed how ideas in metamaterials and nanophotonics are moving from conceptual designs towards real life applications</p><p>Says Ben Johns, Umeå University, Co-chair of METAmeet and member of the Local Organising Committee from the Department of Physics, Umeå University.</p><h3> <br>A meeting place for international collaboration</h3><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><p class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/group_photo.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/group_photo.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/group_photo.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/group_photo.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/group_photo.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/211495ab111d43ceb02e454dd39c38b0/group_photo.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></p><div class="bildText"><p>METAmeet group photo</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Anna Shevtsova</span></div></div><p><br>Invited speakers and contributors came from leading international institutions, with presentations combining fundamental physics, materials science, optical engineering and emerging applications. The format encouraged discussion across subfields, with time dedicated to a poster session, coffee breaks, a social event and a conference dinner. The keynote programme featured Vladimir Shalaev from Purdue University, Magnus P. Jonsson from Linköping University, Andrea Alù from the City University of New York, and Nader Engheta from the University of Pennsylvania, and the wider participant group represented a strongly international mix, including researchers based in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom and the United States.</p><p><br>The event was supported by the Marcus Wallenbergs Stiftelse för Internationellt Vetenskapligt Samarbete, the Wenner-Gren Foundations, Carl Tryggers Stiftelse and Umeå University, with additional sponsorship from organisations and companies active in photonics, scientific publishing, simulations and ultrafast technology.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/metamaterials-and-nanophotonics-in-umea_12181851/https://www.umu.se/en/news/maria-eriksson-on-the-research-taking-her-to-cambridge_12181699/Maria Eriksson on her upcoming sabbatical in CambridgeMaria Eriksson has been awarded a SSF Sabbatical grant from the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research. The grant will enable her to spend a sabbatical at the Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, where she will study how the plant's internal biological clock helps coordinate cell division and growth. We asked her five questions about the project and her upcoming stay starting in autumn this year.Wed, 05 Aug 2026 15:21:28 +0200<h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0"><strong>Congratulations! How does it feel to receive the SSF Sabbatical grant?</strong></h2><p>"Thank you, it feels amazing, and I am very grateful to SSF for choosing to fund my sabbatical project!"</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1"><strong>What takes you to the Sainsbury Laboratory in Cambridge?</strong></h2><p>"Together with Ho-Wei Wu and the group of James Locke, I will explore how the daily 24-hour clock helps coordinate when cells divide and grow in plants. Understanding how these timing systems work together is key to better understand how plants control their growth. It is a very new and exciting field that I am much looking forward to exploring."</p><p class="quote-center">I am excited by the opportunity to work within an interdisciplinary team of colleagues who share an interest in these fascinating questions.</p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2"><strong>What's the most exciting part of the research you'll be working on there?</strong></h2><p>"The Sainsbury Laboratory and the Locke Group provide an outstanding environment for my research, offering access to state-of-the-art imaging technologies that make it possible to study the plant’s of internal clock, cell-cycle dynamics, and growth at the same time."</p><p>"I am excited by the opportunity to work within an interdisciplinary team of colleagues who share an interest in these fascinating questions. More broadly, the scientific environment in Cambridge and the surrounding region is exceptional, having become a global hub for plant science research."</p><h2 id="info3" data-magellan-target="info3"><strong>Is there something in particular you're hoping to learn from your new colleagues?</strong></h2><p>"Indeed, I am particularly interested in learning from my colleagues how to combine advanced imaging, quantitative analysis, and mathematical modelling to understand how the plant’s internal clock controls plant growth and cell division under different environmental conditions. Although I will mainly work with the small model plant Arabidopsis, the knowledge gained could ultimately help us to better understand how trees grow."</p><p class="quote-center">The UK circadian clock research community, as well as the plant science community more broadly, is remarkably strong, and it will be fantastic to engage with and learn from these networks.</p><h2 id="info4" data-magellan-target="info4"><strong>Apart from the science, is there anything you're especially looking forward to?</strong></h2><p>"I look forward to immersing myself in academic life in Cambridge, meeting like-minded people, and building networks across disciplines. The UK circadian clock research community, as well as the plant science community more broadly, is remarkably strong, and it will be fantastic to engage with and learn from these networks."</p><p>"The laboratory is housed in a beautiful building within the Cambridge University Botanic Garden, creating an inspiring place to work and reflect. I am also excited to explore the region’s rich culture and natural environment, and to experience new perspectives both within and beyond academia."</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/maria-eriksson-on-the-research-taking-her-to-cambridge_12181699/https://www.umu.se/en/news/they-buzz-bite-and-spread-disease--but-mosquitoes-are-essential-to-nature_12181232/They buzz, bite, and spread disease – but mosquitoes are essential to natureHundreds of billions of mosquitoes may exist in Sweden. Right now, one of them may even be circling your head as you try to fall asleep on a summer night. Mosquitoes are notorious for their itchy bites and for the diseases some species can transmit. Yet they also play an important role in nature: they pollinate plants, provide food for countless animals, and help keep ecosystems functioning.Sat, 18 Jul 2026 09:42:45 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/ima1857103.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/ima1857103.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/ima1857103.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/ima1857103.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/ima1857103.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/ima1857103.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>For many people, mosquitoes and biting midges are the greatest nuisance of summer. Yet they are also an important part of ecosystems and can provide researchers with valuable clues about how infectious diseases spread.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mikael Svensson</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">More than 2,500 mosquito species are found in Sweden</p><p>More than 2,500 mosquito species are found in Sweden. Most belong to groups such as non-biting midges and fungus gnats, which do not bite humans at all. Around 50 species are biting mosquitoes, and it is the females that seek blood meals because they need protein for egg development.</p><p>The most common group of biting mosquitoes in Sweden is the woodland mosquitoes (<em>Aedes</em> and <em>Ochlerotatus</em>). They are most active at dusk and dawn, particularly around Midsummer. Other mosquito groups include malaria mosquitoes (<em>Anopheles</em>), house mosquitoes (<em>Culex</em>), which thrive close to humans, and floodwater mosquitoes (such as <em>Aedes</em> <em>vexans</em> and <em>Aedes</em> <em>sticticus</em>).</p><p>Floodwater mosquitoes are nature’s opportunists. They wait patiently as eggs in the soil until flooding occurs. When it does, they hatch in huge numbers, and within a short time an area can become swarming with millions of hungry mosquitoes.</p><p>Mosquitoes are important vectors of viruses, bacteria, and parasites that can cause disease in both humans and animals. In Sweden, however, we are largely spared from serious diseases transmitted by biting mosquitoes.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Malaria disappeared from Sweden</h2><p>Malaria was once a major public health problem in Sweden, but the disease disappeared as recently as the 1930s. Exactly why is not fully understood, but several societal changes are believed to have played a crucial role.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/bushell-labb2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/bushell-labb2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/bushell-labb2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/bushell-labb2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/bushell-labb2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/bushell-labb2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Ellen Bushell's fascination with the malaria parasite began early. While studying for her master's degree at Imperial College London, she saw the parasite under a microscope for the first time.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Johan Gunseus</span></div></div><p>“Malaria did not disappear for a single reason. Better housing, reduced overcrowding, changes in the landscape, including the loss of wetlands, and increasing urbanization all reduced contact between people and mosquitoes, gradually breaking the chain of transmission,” says Ellen Bushell, researcher at the Department of Molecular Biology at Umeå University.</p><p>Seven mosquito species in Sweden are still capable of transmitting malaria, but researchers consider the risk of the disease becoming established again to be very low. In addition to requiring sustained transmission among humans, the most dangerous malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, needs a much warmer climate than Sweden currently has.</p><p>“Today, we have both the knowledge and the tools needed to detect and control malaria. That makes it unlikely that the disease could become established in Sweden again,” says Ellen Bushell.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/anopheles_gambiae_mosquito_feeding_1354.p_lores2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/anopheles_gambiae_mosquito_feeding_1354.p_lores2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/anopheles_gambiae_mosquito_feeding_1354.p_lores2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/anopheles_gambiae_mosquito_feeding_1354.p_lores2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/anopheles_gambiae_mosquito_feeding_1354.p_lores2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/anopheles_gambiae_mosquito_feeding_1354.p_lores2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Despite malaria no longer being transmitted in Sweden, seven species of malaria mosquitoes are still found in the country. However, African species such as <em>Anopheles gambiae</em> are absent. This mosquito is the most important malaria vector in regions south of the Sahara.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Wikimedia/James Gathany</span></div></div><p>At Umeå University, researchers conduct internationally recognised malaria research. By studying <em>Plasmodium</em> parasites at the molecular and genetic levels, they aim to understand how the disease develops and spreads. Researchers also investigate the interaction between the parasite and the mosquitoes that transmit it. By mapping the mosquito immune system, they have gained new insights into why some mosquitoes can carry and spread malaria while others are able to fight off the parasite.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Diseases transmitted by mosquitoes</h2><p>Although malaria no longer occurs in Sweden, mosquitoes can still spread diseases such as Ockelbo disease, also known as Sindbis fever.</p><p>Researchers have mapped how Ockelbo disease circulates among its hosts – birds, mosquitoes, and humans. Professor Magnus Evander and colleagues at the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Umeå University have shown that the northern house mosquito (<em>Culex torrentium</em>) is particularly efficient at transmitting Sindbis virus, the pathogen that causes the disease.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/culex_torrentium_stor4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/culex_torrentium_stor4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/culex_torrentium_stor4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/culex_torrentium_stor4.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/culex_torrentium_stor4.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/culex_torrentium_stor4.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>The northern house mosquito (<em>Culex torrentium</em>) thrives close to humans and can transmit Ockelbo disease (Sindbis fever) and potentially West Nile virus.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Anders Lindström/SVA</span></div></div><p>Professor and senior consultant Anders Sjöstedt at the Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, has studied tularemia for many years. During the popular science event <em>Fika efter en forskare</em>, he explained how mosquitoes, especially woodland mosquitoes, can play an important role in disease transmission.</p><p>“Mosquitoes begin life as larvae in water, and tularemia bacteria can infect the larvae. When the mosquitoes develop into adults, they can pass the infection on to humans through their bites. The disease often causes flu-like symptoms, fever, and swollen lymph nodes,” says Anders Sjöstedt.</p><p>Despite being relatively unknown internationally, tularemia is most common in Sweden and Finland, although the number of cases varies considerably from year to year.</p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">A warmer climate may bring new mosquito species</h2><p>Although tropical mosquito-borne diseases remain rare in Sweden, climate change and growing international mobility have made the issue increasingly relevant.</p><p>In 2023, the Asian tiger mosquito (<em>Aedes albopictus</em>) was detected in southern Sweden. This mosquito is of particular concern because it can transmit diseases including dengue fever and Zika virus infection. According to the National Veterinary Institute (SVA), all detected individuals were believed to have been collected before they could establish or spread further.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/wesula_lwande_olivia_4610_221103_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/wesula_lwande_olivia_4610_221103_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/wesula_lwande_olivia_4610_221103_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/wesula_lwande_olivia_4610_221103_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/wesula_lwande_olivia_4610_221103_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/wesula_lwande_olivia_4610_221103_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Originally from Kenya, Olivia Wesula Lwande came to Umeå as a postdoctoral researcher. Today, she studies mosquito-borne viruses that can emerge in new parts of the world.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>West Nile virus has caused outbreaks in several European countries in recent years. Researchers are therefore monitoring closely how both mosquitoes and the pathogens they carry are expanding into new areas.</p><p>“Research on viruses that can spread between animals and humans is important because it helps us detect and prevent future disease outbreaks,” says Olivia Wesula Lwande, researcher at the Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University.</p><p>Her research focuses on whether Swedish mosquitoes could transmit pathogens that are not yet established in the country, including West Nile virus. The virus naturally circulates among birds but can, under certain circumstances, also infect humans. She is currently studying virus infections in both mosquitoes and birds in Sweden and is experimentally investigating whether wild-caught Swedish <em>Culex</em> mosquitoes could act as vectors.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/mosquito_course_2022_-482.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/mosquito_course_2022_-482.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/mosquito_course_2022_-482.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/mosquito_course_2022_-482.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/mosquito_course_2022_-482.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb3dfb2bb78e44f4ae312b3da1f53897/mosquito_course_2022_-482.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>West Nile virus is spread primarily by house mosquitoes. In Sweden, the northern house mosquito (<em>Culex torrentium</em>) is of particular interest to study because it is considered a potentially efficient vector of the virus.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Kristoffer Ahlm</span></div></div><p>At the same time as researchers work to understand and prevent mosquito-borne diseases, it is worth remembering one important fact: nature also depends on the species we would most like to be without.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/they-buzz-bite-and-spread-disease--but-mosquitoes-are-essential-to-nature_12181232/https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-funding-for-targeted-treatment-of-epsteinbarr-virus-cancers_12181188/New funding for targeted treatment of Epstein–Barr virus cancersA Umeå University life science innovation project receives proof-of-concept funding from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and SciLifeLab. The aim is to develop and validate a molecule that can selectively switch off Epstein–Barr virus genes in cancer cells, potentially paving the way for new treatments for EBV-driven brain lymphoma.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 17:09:10 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/4f1e74f9aa2c49679f45a9f59c72c3a3/sjoerd_wanrooij_labb_2020_230217_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/4f1e74f9aa2c49679f45a9f59c72c3a3/sjoerd_wanrooij_labb_2020_230217_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/4f1e74f9aa2c49679f45a9f59c72c3a3/sjoerd_wanrooij_labb_2020_230217_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/4f1e74f9aa2c49679f45a9f59c72c3a3/sjoerd_wanrooij_labb_2020_230217_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/4f1e74f9aa2c49679f45a9f59c72c3a3/sjoerd_wanrooij_labb_2020_230217_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/4f1e74f9aa2c49679f45a9f59c72c3a3/sjoerd_wanrooij_labb_2020_230217_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Shoerd Wanrooij and his collegues receive funding for the project "A Precision DNA-Based Tool to Switch Off Epstein–Barr Virus Genes in Brain Lymphoma".</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">It is fantastic to see this work recognized!</p><p>It is fantastic to see this work recognized!,” says Sjoerd Wanrooij, Associate Professor at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics at Umeå University.</p><p>The Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infects most people at some point in their lives and usually remains harmless. However, the virus contributes to around 300,000 new cancer cases worldwide each year and approximately 170,000 deaths, including several types of lymphoma as well as stomach and nasopharyngeal cancers. Despite its major impact on global health, there are currently no treatments that specifically target EBV-associated cancers.</p><p>The funding call was highly competitive, with a success rate of just 6 percent. The two-year project brings together the expertise of Professor Sjoerd Wanrooij's research group and Associate Professor Erik Chorell's group at Umeå University, in collaboration with Ka-Wei Tang, Senior Lecturer in Infectious Diseases at the University of Gothenburg.</p><p class="quote-center">Most current cancer drugs act on proteins. This new strategy works one step earlier, directly on viral DNA.</p><p>Most current cancer drugs act on proteins. This new strategy works one step earlier, directly on viral DNA. The research aims to develop a molecule that can selectively switch off cancer-promoting Epstein–Barr virus genes in a form of brain lymphoma while leaving human host cell DNA untouched. By targeting the virus at the genetic level, the researchers hope to establish the basis for a new treatment strategy.</p><p>“The molecule combines a DNA guide with a chemical fragment to selectively switch off genes in the Epstein–Barr virus without affecting healthy human DNA. This level of selectivity has been missing in previous approaches and is what makes the strategy unique,” explains Sjoerd Wanrooij.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/4f1e74f9aa2c49679f45a9f59c72c3a3/alva_abrahamsson_1499_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/4f1e74f9aa2c49679f45a9f59c72c3a3/alva_abrahamsson_1499_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/4f1e74f9aa2c49679f45a9f59c72c3a3/alva_abrahamsson_1499_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/4f1e74f9aa2c49679f45a9f59c72c3a3/alva_abrahamsson_1499_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/4f1e74f9aa2c49679f45a9f59c72c3a3/alva_abrahamsson_1499_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/4f1e74f9aa2c49679f45a9f59c72c3a3/alva_abrahamsson_1499_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p> Alva Abrahamsson, a PhD student in the Department of Chemistry, is one of the early-career researchers whose work contributed to the preliminary findings that laid the foundation for the newly awarded research grant.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Hans Karlsson</span></div></div><p>Much of the preliminary data that made this grant possible came from three early-career researchers who collaborated across three research groups, largely on their own initiative.</p><p>“Their positive energy and dedication were instrumental in building the collaboration and bringing the project to this stage,” says Sjoerd Wanrooij.</p><p>PhD student Alva Abrahamsson refined the chemistry that transformed the original concept into a functional molecule. PhD student Isak Holmqvist demonstrated that Epstein–Barr virus DNA structures can be targeted by this type of molecule in cells. Postdoctoral fellow Namrata Chaudhari developed the two-part design that confers the molecule's selectivity.</p><p>Proof-of-concept funding is designed to help researchers take the crucial step from a promising scientific discovery to a potential product, method, or treatment that can be used in society. In simple terms, it seeks to answer the question: "Can this research idea actually work in practice?"</p><p>If successful, the project could lay the foundation for an entirely new class of antiviral cancer therapies that target cancer-causing viruses at their genetic source.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-funding-for-targeted-treatment-of-epsteinbarr-virus-cancers_12181188/https://www.umu.se/en/news/disturbed-antioxidant-balance-linked-to-the-development-of-hereditary-attr-amyloidosis_12181170/Disrupted antioxidant balance linked to the development of “Skellefteå disease”Researchers at Umeå University have identified changes in the body’s major antioxidant systems in patients with hereditary transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis. The findings support the hypothesis that oxidative stress contributes to disease development and also identify new biomarkers that may help detect individuals at increased risk of developing the disease. The results have been published in the journal Biomarker Research.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:50:33 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/3d901a6d7e40436a91c35d1e4e70c345/anders_olofssons_grupp3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/3d901a6d7e40436a91c35d1e4e70c345/anders_olofssons_grupp3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/3d901a6d7e40436a91c35d1e4e70c345/anders_olofssons_grupp3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/3d901a6d7e40436a91c35d1e4e70c345/anders_olofssons_grupp3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/3d901a6d7e40436a91c35d1e4e70c345/anders_olofssons_grupp3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/3d901a6d7e40436a91c35d1e4e70c345/anders_olofssons_grupp3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Researchers at Umeå University have identified changes in the body’s major antioxidant systems in patients with hereditary transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis. From left Anushree Bachhar, Melisnur Sahin, Intissar Anan och Anders Olofsson. </p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Umeå university</span></div></div><p>ATTR amyloidosis is a serious and progressive disease in which the protein transthyretin, TTR, misfolds and forms amyloid deposits in the body’s tissues. These deposits can damage the nerves, heart, gastrointestinal tract and other organs. In northern Sweden, the disease is relatively common because of the hereditary TTR-Val30Met mutation, which has given rise to the name “Skellefteå disease”.</p><p>Although the genetic cause has been known for many years, it remains unclear why some mutation carriers develop the disease early, others later in life, and some not at all.</p><p>In the current study, the researchers investigated whether the body’s redox balance - the balance between oxidising and reducing processes - may play an important role in disease development. Attention was given to glutathione, GSH, which is one of the body’s most important defenses against oxidative stress.</p><p>The results showed that patients with clinically manifest ATTR amyloidosis had markedly elevated levels of pyroglutamate, PGA, a marker that reflects glutathione metabolism. The researchers also found signs of increased activity of the enzyme IDO1, which is associated with inflammation. Taken together, the findings indicate that disrupted antioxidant balance and inflammatory activation are closely linked to disease development.</p><p>“Our results support a model in which the genetic TTR variant is not the only factor that determines whether and when the disease develops. The body’s ability to maintain a functional redox balance may also be important,” says Anders Olofsson, Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Umeå University, who led the study.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">New biomarkers may identify individuals at risk</h2><p>The findings have also enabled the development of a biomarker model based on PGA and the inflammatory marker IDO1. The model can identify individuals at increased risk of developing the disease with an accuracy of approximately 80 percent in women and close to 90 percent in men.</p><p>The results raise the possibility of identifying mutation carriers who are approaching the onset of symptoms and introducing appropriate preventive measures before tissue damage becomes permanent.</p><p>“These biomarkers could become a valuable complement to the clinical monitoring of individuals with hereditary ATTR amyloidosis,” says the study’s first author, Anushree Bachhar, a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Umeå University.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">May pave the way for new treatment strategies</h2><p>The findings also strengthen the hypothesis that oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to the disease process. This raises the question of whether treatments that affect the body’s antioxidant defences could slow or delay disease development.</p><p>However, the researchers emphasise that the current study does not demonstrate that antioxidant treatment is effective in ATTR amyloidosis. Clinical studies in which the effects of different interventions are monitored over time will be required to investigate this possibility. Work to initiate such studies is ongoing and is considered a high priority.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/disturbed-antioxidant-balance-linked-to-the-development-of-hereditary-attr-amyloidosis_12181170/https://www.umu.se/en/news/five-questions-about-the-virus-that-still-frightens-the-world_12181029/Five questions about the virus that still frightens the worldHow dangerous is the Ebola virus, and how great is the risk of it spreading beyond Africa? We asked Professor Niklas Arnberg at Umeå University to answer five questions about one of the world’s most feared viruses.Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:48:20 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/578e9733e7b44a57adc538704149b070/doctor_ebola_flickr3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/578e9733e7b44a57adc538704149b070/doctor_ebola_flickr3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/578e9733e7b44a57adc538704149b070/doctor_ebola_flickr3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/578e9733e7b44a57adc538704149b070/doctor_ebola_flickr3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/578e9733e7b44a57adc538704149b070/doctor_ebola_flickr3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/578e9733e7b44a57adc538704149b070/doctor_ebola_flickr3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p> The image shows staff from Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) transporting the body of a deceased person at an Ebola treatment centre.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>AFP/Getty Images</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">Ebola is once again causing concern in Africa</p><p>Ebola is once again causing concern in Africa. A major outbreak – caused by the Bundibugyo virus – is currently ongoing in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and has also spread to Uganda. At the same time, researchers and healthcare professionals are working intensively to contain the outbreak and develop better methods for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">What makes the Ebola virus so dangerous compared with many other viruses?</h2><p>“Ebola causes a ‘typical’ flu-like illness and diarrhoea, often accompanied by high fever and severe aches and pains. What makes the virus particularly dangerous, however, is that it also attacks blood vessels in various organs, leading to the characteristic bleeding from body openings that is often seen in images of Ebola patients, as well as tissue and organ damage.”</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">What are the biggest challenges for healthcare systems when trying to stop an Ebola outbreak?</h2><p>“The first challenge is providing the intensive care needed by those who become seriously ill. The second is preventing further transmission, including protecting healthcare workers themselves from infection.”</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/578e9733e7b44a57adc538704149b070/arnberg_niklas_3979_210922_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/578e9733e7b44a57adc538704149b070/arnberg_niklas_3979_210922_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/578e9733e7b44a57adc538704149b070/arnberg_niklas_3979_210922_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/578e9733e7b44a57adc538704149b070/arnberg_niklas_3979_210922_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/578e9733e7b44a57adc538704149b070/arnberg_niklas_3979_210922_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/578e9733e7b44a57adc538704149b070/arnberg_niklas_3979_210922_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Niklas Arnberg is professor of virology at the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Umeå Univeristy.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">How great is the risk that an outbreak in Central Africa could spread to Europe or Sweden?</h2><p>“The risk is very low. There may be occasional imported cases, but I consider the risk of sustained person-to-person transmission in Sweden to be extremely small.”</p><h2 id="info3" data-magellan-target="info3">What progress has research made in recent years regarding Ebola vaccines and treatments?</h2><p>“Vaccines have been developed against all Ebola virus species except the one currently spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Efforts are now underway to develop a vaccine against the current Bundibugyo variant as well.”</p><h2 id="info4" data-magellan-target="info4">What questions does research still need to answer to better prevent future Ebola outbreaks?</h2><p>“Following the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is better prepared to deal with new Ebola outbreaks. However, we still lack effective antiviral drugs, which highlights the importance of continued basic research. Greater knowledge about Ebola viruses can lead to improved diagnostics, new treatments, and even more effective vaccines.”</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/five-questions-about-the-virus-that-still-frightens-the-world_12181029/https://www.umu.se/en/news/pain-rehabilitation-in-primary-care-can-reduce-healthcare-needs_12181012/<description>A new doctoral thesis from Umeå University shows that pain rehabilitation in primary care can improve health outcomes, reduce the need for healthcare services, and help more people return to work. When several healthcare professions collaborate around the patient, the treatment also becomes more cost-effective than traditional care based on isolated interventions.</description><pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:14:01 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/b8f22265a9414fde983de2211280c067/fysioterapeut_hjalper_patient_med_ryggsmarta_johner3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b8f22265a9414fde983de2211280c067/fysioterapeut_hjalper_patient_med_ryggsmarta_johner3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b8f22265a9414fde983de2211280c067/fysioterapeut_hjalper_patient_med_ryggsmarta_johner3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/b8f22265a9414fde983de2211280c067/fysioterapeut_hjalper_patient_med_ryggsmarta_johner3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b8f22265a9414fde983de2211280c067/fysioterapeut_hjalper_patient_med_ryggsmarta_johner3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b8f22265a9414fde983de2211280c067/fysioterapeut_hjalper_patient_med_ryggsmarta_johner3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Physiotherapist help male patient with backache.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Johnér</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">Long-term musculoskeletal pain is a common and costly public health problem</p><p>Long-term musculoskeletal pain is a common and costly public health problem. Many patients seek help in primary care, and the need for effective treatment methods is substantial. The new research shows that interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programmes – where different healthcare professionals work together – can be an important part of the solution.</p><p>The findings show that both sick leave and the need for future healthcare decrease following rehabilitation. The reduction is particularly evident in visits to general practitioners and physiotherapists. This not only improves patients’ quality of life but also enables healthcare resources to be used more efficiently.</p><p>At the same time, the study indicates that it is not only medical needs that determine the level of care patients receive. Socioeconomic factors such as education, obesity, and gender appear to play a significant role in whether a patient is offered rehabilitation in primary care or specialist care.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/b8f22265a9414fde983de2211280c067/eklund_katarina_0388_hhouykn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b8f22265a9414fde983de2211280c067/eklund_katarina_0388_hhouykn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b8f22265a9414fde983de2211280c067/eklund_katarina_0388_hhouykn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/b8f22265a9414fde983de2211280c067/eklund_katarina_0388_hhouykn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b8f22265a9414fde983de2211280c067/eklund_katarina_0388_hhouykn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b8f22265a9414fde983de2211280c067/eklund_katarina_0388_hhouykn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Katarina Eklund, Physician and previous PhD student at the Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Hans Karlsson</span></div></div><p>“There is therefore a need for clearer clinical guidelines to ensure more equitable healthcare and better access to evidence-based rehabilitation,” says Katarina Eklund, physician and previous PhD student at the Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation at Umeå University.</p><p>The thesis also highlights the importance of a holistic perspective in which biological, psychological, and social factors are taken into account. Early interventions are emphasized as crucial for reducing both individual suffering and societal costs.</p><p>The results are based on four sub-studies combining patient-reported data, registry data, and health economic analyses. By following patients’ health and healthcare utilization before and after rehabilitation, the research was able to demonstrate both the medical and economic effects of the treatment.</p><p>Katarina Eklund defended her doctoral thesis at Umeå University on 28 May.</p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/pain-rehabilitation-in-primary-care-can-reduce-healthcare-needs_12181012/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/study-from-umea-paves-the-way-for-a-new-drug-against-metastatic-prostate-cancer_12180958/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/study-from-umea-paves-the-way-for-a-new-drug-against-metastatic-prostate-cancer_12180958/</guid><title>Study from Umeå paves the way for a new drug against metastatic prostate cancerA new cancer drug may be able to inhibit both tumour growth and the spread of aggressive prostate cancer. This is shown in a study conducted by researchers at Umeå University together with international collaborators, published in the scientific journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy.Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:25:06 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/c1c88302e6dd49d997e49fdd92fbf71c/pipettering_i_testror3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/c1c88302e6dd49d997e49fdd92fbf71c/pipettering_i_testror3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/c1c88302e6dd49d997e49fdd92fbf71c/pipettering_i_testror3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/c1c88302e6dd49d997e49fdd92fbf71c/pipettering_i_testror3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/c1c88302e6dd49d997e49fdd92fbf71c/pipettering_i_testror3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/c1c88302e6dd49d997e49fdd92fbf71c/pipettering_i_testror3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>A new cancer drug may be able to inhibit both tumour growth and the spread of aggressive prostate cancer. The drug is carefully pipetted into test tubes to investigate its effects across a range of concentrations.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Umeå University</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">The new drug has been developed to prevent metastasis</p><p>“The new drug has been developed to prevent metastasis, and we are very pleased and proud that we have been able to identify the mechanisms that drive cancer cell growth, invasiveness, and metastatic spread,” says Maréne Landström, Professor of Pathology at the Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, who led the study.</p><p>Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men. In most cases, the tumour grows slowly and is not life-threatening. However, in some patients the disease develops into an aggressive form that spreads to other parts of the body, primarily the lymph nodes and bones.</p><p>The researchers, led by Maréne Landström, have developed a fully human antibody. This means that it is composed entirely of human proteins, making it suitable for use as a therapeutic drug. In preclinical studies, the antibody successfully halted both tumour growth and metastasis in an aggressive form of prostate cancer. The new treatment works through a novel mechanism of action, leading researchers to believe that the risk of side effects may also be reduced.</p><p>The results demonstrate that the treatment performs as intended, marking an important milestone in the development of a new drug for future patients.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/c1c88302e6dd49d997e49fdd92fbf71c/landstrom_marene_7882_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/c1c88302e6dd49d997e49fdd92fbf71c/landstrom_marene_7882_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/c1c88302e6dd49d997e49fdd92fbf71c/landstrom_marene_7882_hkn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/c1c88302e6dd49d997e49fdd92fbf71c/landstrom_marene_7882_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/c1c88302e6dd49d997e49fdd92fbf71c/landstrom_marene_7882_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/c1c88302e6dd49d997e49fdd92fbf71c/landstrom_marene_7882_hkn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Maréne Landström is senior consultant (attending) physician and Professor of Pathology at the Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Hans Karlsson</span></div></div><p>“This is a promising step forward, but several important stages remain before the treatment can benefit patients. We still need to conduct additional safety studies, and the treatment must be approved by regulatory authorities in Europe or the United States,” says Maréne Landström.</p><p>The driving force behind this research is the ambition to improve the prognosis and quality of life for men with advanced prostate cancer. The current study has been ongoing for several years and, according to Maréne Landström, its success is the result of contributions from many individuals and organizations.</p><p>An important part of the project has been the collaboration with drug development experts at the SciLifeLab Drug Discovery and Development Platform, who contributed to the development of the antibody on which the study is based.</p><p>The project has also received support from the Umeå Biotech Incubator at Umeå University. In addition, funding from MetaCurUm Biotech AB, a biotechnology company based in Umeå, has been crucial for the development and testing of the new treatment.</p><p>“The next step is to investigate whether this treatment can also be used against other types of solid tumours. We hope that our work will ultimately contribute to the development of a new cancer drug that can benefit patients,” says Maréne Landström.</p><p>The study was funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW), the Erling Persson Foundation, the Kempe Foundations, the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Cancer Society, ALF funding, the Swedish Prostate Cancer Federation, the Cancer Research Foundation in Northern Sweden, and the Faculty of Medicine at Umeå University.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/study-from-umea-paves-the-way-for-a-new-drug-against-metastatic-prostate-cancer_12180958/https://www.umu.se/en/news/ai-in-focus-as-ads-lab-at-umea-university-brought-together-100-experts-in-cloud-research_12180829/AI in focus as ADS Lab at Umeå University brought together 100 experts in cloud researchADS Lab is a world‑leading research group specialising in the infrastructure that underpins all modern digital systems – the clouds. This year’s workshop brought together more than 100 invited international experts who discussed future solutions. “We are seeing exceptionally rapid development with AI, and this will lead to major changes in the software used to manage the clouds,” says Erik Elmroth, Professor at the Department of computing science and research leader at ADS Lab.Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:59:51 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/6b0c806c8113490597f480ecfe8e1295/cloud_control3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/6b0c806c8113490597f480ecfe8e1295/cloud_control3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/6b0c806c8113490597f480ecfe8e1295/cloud_control3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/6b0c806c8113490597f480ecfe8e1295/cloud_control3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/6b0c806c8113490597f480ecfe8e1295/cloud_control3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/6b0c806c8113490597f480ecfe8e1295/cloud_control3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Top experts in cloud tech, infrastructure and automated resource management gathered to share insights and spark new collaborations – with AI, security, and energy taking centre stage.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>privat</span></div></div><p>The <a href="~/link/3cb68daa1317460cab60e9e76435b68c.aspx">Autonomous Distributed Systems Lab</a> research group at Umeå University focuses on the automated management of clouds and their building blocks, striving to make this technology efficient and secure.</p><p>“We develop systems for managing applications and resources, everything from individual servers to large-scale cloud data centres, ensuring that processes run optimally and so that the services running in the cloud are as accessible and reliable as possible, whilst minimising energy consumption,” says Professor <a href="~/link/5515db5e59f143309844aea3c8fc430b.aspx">Erik Elmroth</a>, who established the successful research group.</p><h3>Gathering Tech</h3><p>Every year, experts from academia and industry are invited to share experiences and develop partnerships. This year’s event, The 19th Cloud Control Workshop, was attended by 30 industry representatives. These included Google, Microsoft, Red Hat, Ericsson, IBM, Databricks, OpenChip, Siemens, and Saab, as well as the Umeå-based company <a href="https://elastisys.com/">Elastisys</a>.<br>During those intensive days, the latest developments in autonomous cloud control, distributed systems, and machine learning were discussed.</p><h3>Changing design and application</h3><p>"The discussions centred on the rapid developments currently taking place, driven by large language models and AI agents,” says Prof. Erik Elmroth.<br>This is a process that poses challenges to areas central to research into Cloud Control. <br>"On the one hand, we will see changes in how we build systems, design infrastructure, and develop software. On the other hand, AI applications are placing new demands on what the cloud must deliver."</p><h3>Leading researchers from top universities</h3><p>Nearly forty professors from some of the world’s most prestigious universities – including Harvard, Cambridge, and Carnegie Mellon – were in attendance, alongside representatives from Umeå University, the Royal Institute of Technology, (KTH), and Lund University.<br><br>Several participants are also affiliated with <a href="https://wasp-sweden.org/">WASP</a>, the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Distributed Systems and Software Program – Sweden’s largest research programme, in which Umeå University plays a key role.</p><p>"Meeting in this way, alongside the business community and industry, adds a further dimension of knowledge and experience for us,” says Erik Elmroth.</p><h3>Energy, security and digital sovereignty</h3><p>The event also highlighted key issues relating to electricity consumption and security, topics that have only grown in relevance in recent years. “We need to find ways forward and define which types of research problems academia is best placed to solve, and which issues industry should focus on", says Prof. Elmroth.</p><p>"For Sweden and the EU, it is also becoming increasingly clear that it is important to continue building our own expertise in this area and not simply rely on a handful of large American companies. Although this was the 19th time the workshop had been organised, several participants remarked that it is now, in fact, more important than ever," says Professor Elmroth.<br>Planning for the 20th edition is already underway!</p><h3>Computing Science at Umeå University</h3><p><a href="~/link/f1ccf1d251be4f538a13df854f18fb07.aspx">The Department of Computing Science</a> at Umeå University has grown at record pace in recent years, with an influx of international top researchers from around the world. This has strengthened not only the research being carried out, but also the content and <a href="~/link/2ff47968ffe44e76a197f378d0500842.aspx">quality</a> of the education on offer.</p><p><a href="~/link/8f39a3d9064a4cabba32cfdd76c2fe9f.aspx">In Umeå</a>, students can specialise in <a href="/en/education/studies/search-courses/?q=cloud">distributed systems and cloud services</a>, as well as <a href="/en/education/programmes/masters-programme-in-artificial-intelligence/">AI</a>, <a href="~/link/ec9d148e49b34a0b88e2faffdf08d030.aspx">cyber security,</a> interactive and intelligent environments, and robotics.</p><p>The Department is also linked to <a href="https://wasp-sweden.org/">WASP</a>, Sweden’s largest research programme, and <a href="https://wasp-sweden.org/research/wasp-hs/">WASP-HS</a>, which focuses on the consequences and effects of AI, as well as <a href="https://www.essenceofescience.se/w/es/en">eSSENCE</a> and <a href="https://www.hpc2n.umu.se/">HPC2N</a>, a national center for Scientific and Parallel Computing.</p><h3>Further Information</h3><p>Please contact Erik Elmroth, Professor at the Department of computing science for further information about ADS Lab. </p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="a37f40f8-0990-4208-a44c-14426dd96986" data-contentname="Erik Elmroth conotact">{}</div><p><em>Follow the links below and read more about our research and study opportunities</em>.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/ai-in-focus-as-ads-lab-at-umea-university-brought-together-100-experts-in-cloud-research_12180829/https://www.umu.se/en/news/hybrid-work-improves-the-work-experience--particularly-for-women_12180560/Hybrid work improves the work experience – particularly for womenThe transition to hybrid work has improved the psychosocial work environment among white-collar employees, according to new research from Umeå University. Positive effects include more accessible leadership, greater autonomy over work tasks, and an increased ability to complete work within regular working hours.Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:00:05 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>Caroline Corneliusson, doctoral student at the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health at Umeå University.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Hans Karlsson</span></div></div><p>“Many organisations offer employees the opportunity to work remotely, but the debate remains active and there is still a lack of research-based guidance on how hybrid work should best be designed. We hope that our findings will support organisations in continuing to develop effective hybrid work arrangements,” says Caroline Corneliusson, doctoral student at the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health at Umeå University.</p><p>Hybrid work – combining office-based and remote work – has become increasingly common following the COVID-19 pandemic, but there has been a lack of studies tracking its effects over a longer period of time. The present study is based on survey responses collected in 2017 and 2023 from white-collar employees in a medium-sized Swedish municipality.</p><p>The results show that the overall work experience improved after hybrid work was introduced. The most notable improvements concerned workplace satisfaction, employees’ ability to influence and organise their work, and their sense of being able to complete work tasks during regular working hours. Employees also reported that their immediate manager was more accessible than before.</p><p>“The study was conducted in an organisation with a relatively high level of digital maturity, where all employees were provided with the equipment they needed for their home offices. Interviews carried out within the same organisation indicate that employees find it easier to reach their managers through the various digital communication channels now available,” says Caroline Corneliusson.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Differences between men and women</h2><p>At the same time, the study found that the improvement was not evenly distributed between women and men. Women reported an improved work experience, while no corresponding change was observed among men.</p><p>“This is interesting, but our sample included relatively few men, and there are several other factors that may influence the work experience,” says Caroline Corneliusson.</p><p>The study contributes much-needed knowledge about how hybrid work affects the work environment over time. The results are consistent with previous research suggesting that hybrid work can benefit both employees and employers. This appears to be particularly true in organisations with favourable conditions, such as high digital maturity and well-established flexible working practices.</p><p>“Hybrid work may be a sustainable solution for the future of working life, but more research is needed to understand why the effects differ between groups,” says Caroline Corneliusson.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="024274e5-01f2-4729-9d69-09befc99c24c" data-contentname="">{}</div><p><em>This article was translated from Swedish with Microsoft Copilot. It has been manually reviewed by the author.</em></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/hybrid-work-improves-the-work-experience--particularly-for-women_12180560/https://www.umu.se/en/news/fewer-behavioral-problems-among-three-year-olds-who-received-iron-supplementation-as-infants_12180551/<description>Healthy, breastfed infants who receive iron supplementation show fewer aggressive behaviors at the age of three compared with children who did not receive supplementation. This is shown in new research from Umeå University. However, more research is needed before iron supplementation can potentially be recommended for all infants.</description><pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:36:36 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/61a10e3d8014424fa7fdd7df83cf7532/ima2200033.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/61a10e3d8014424fa7fdd7df83cf7532/ima2200033.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/61a10e3d8014424fa7fdd7df83cf7532/ima2200033.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/61a10e3d8014424fa7fdd7df83cf7532/ima2200033.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/61a10e3d8014424fa7fdd7df83cf7532/ima2200033.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/61a10e3d8014424fa7fdd7df83cf7532/ima2200033.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Children who received iron supplementation as infants showed fewer behavioral problems than the placebo group at the age of three.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Johnér Bildbyrå AB, Plattform</span></div></div><p>“Our results are promising, but more well-designed studies are needed to account for factors such as genetic influences and environmental conditions during childhood that may affect children’s behavior,” says Anna Chmielewska, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Department of Clinical Sciences, Umeå University.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/61a10e3d8014424fa7fdd7df83cf7532/anna-chmielewska-2-240616-jnm2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/61a10e3d8014424fa7fdd7df83cf7532/anna-chmielewska-2-240616-jnm2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/61a10e3d8014424fa7fdd7df83cf7532/anna-chmielewska-2-240616-jnm2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/61a10e3d8014424fa7fdd7df83cf7532/anna-chmielewska-2-240616-jnm2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/61a10e3d8014424fa7fdd7df83cf7532/anna-chmielewska-2-240616-jnm2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/61a10e3d8014424fa7fdd7df83cf7532/anna-chmielewska-2-240616-jnm2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Anna Chmielewska, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Department of Clinical Sciences, Umeå University.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Johanna Nordström</span></div></div><p>The study included 221 healthy, full-term children in Sweden and Poland. Half of the children were randomly assigned to receive a low daily dose of iron supplementation between the ages of 4 and 9 months, while the other half received a placebo. At the age of three years, the children were followed up and assessed for aggressive and externalizing behaviors, attention difficulties, and withdrawn behavior. The group that received iron supplementation showed fewer behavioral problems than the placebo group.</p><p>“It is remarkable that the group receiving iron supplementation did not have a lower risk of iron deficiency, yet they still experienced certain positive effects from the supplementation,” says Anna Chmielewska.</p><p>Iron status is usually assessed through a blood test. However, such tests do not reflect iron availability in the brain, where iron deficiency may occur before it becomes detectable in the blood.</p><p>“We lack biomarkers that can show how much iron is available in the brain. At the same time, we know that iron is crucial for the development and functioning of brain cells,” says Anna Chmielewska.</p><p>Anna Chmielewska’s research group will now conduct a follow-up study of the same children at the age of eight years to determine whether the effects persist. The hypothesis is that improved iron availability in the brain leads to fewer behavioral problems.</p><p>“The first three years of life are critical for brain development. We also know that one in five children under the age of five has iron deficiency. I hope our findings will contribute to recommendations that help prevent serious behavioral problems in children,” says Anna Chmielewska.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="4e731275-f8f7-4d21-ad0e-b37e06363ba1" data-contentname="About">{}</div><p><em>This text was translated from Swedish using Microsoft Copilot. It has been manually reviewed by the author.</em></p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/fewer-behavioral-problems-among-three-year-olds-who-received-iron-supplementation-as-infants_12180551/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/new-international-initiative-to-reach-research-excellence_12180574/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-international-initiative-to-reach-research-excellence_12180574/</guid><title>New international initiative to reach research excellenceUmeå University is investing in the development of world-leading research within its strategically prioritised research areas. The initiative, the Umeå University Northern Star Programme, consists of several complementary components. The first, launching in 2026, is an international recruitment initiative for assistant professors who wish to establish themselves at Umeå University and are ready to develop into future research leaders.Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:30:19 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/e4785739a595433c80be4d84f3eafaf3/northernstar_aktum_hoger2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/e4785739a595433c80be4d84f3eafaf3/northernstar_aktum_hoger2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/e4785739a595433c80be4d84f3eafaf3/northernstar_aktum_hoger2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/e4785739a595433c80be4d84f3eafaf3/northernstar_aktum_hoger2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/e4785739a595433c80be4d84f3eafaf3/northernstar_aktum_hoger2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/e4785739a595433c80be4d84f3eafaf3/northernstar_aktum_hoger2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>The Umeå University Northern Star Programme is a global recruitment initiative committed to world-leading research in strategically prioritised research areas. The initiative consists of a Fellows Programme and a Visiting Professor’s Programme.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Ida Åberg</span></div></div><p>Applications for the recruitment programme to become a Umeå University Northern Star Fellow are open from 1 July to 1 October 2026. A visiting professor programme is also planned for next year. Visiting professors should hold a permanent professorship at a university outside Sweden and will collaborate with Umeå University on a part-time basis over a period of two years.</p><p>“The Northern Star Programme is a powerful initiative, both in the short and long term. Through international recruitment and strategically coordinated collaborations with universities around the world, we will not only complement and strengthen existing research at Umeå University. We will also create the conditions needed to advance the priority areas in which the University aims to build internationally leading research. In the longer term, this initiative will further enhance Umeå University’s attractiveness for both researchers and students,” says Vice-Chancellor Tora Holmberg.</p><p><a href="~/link/67e19c170c8143c1a0637e17c1a59783.aspx">Learn more about the Umeå University Northern Star Programme</a></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-international-initiative-to-reach-research-excellence_12180574/https://www.umu.se/en/news/scientists-identify-the-point-of-no-return-in-dying-leaves_12179617/<description>Before a leaf dies, plants recover nutrients that the rest of the plant can reuse for growth and survival. Researchers at Umeå Plant Science Centre have now identified a metabolic “point of no return” linked to the amino acid arginine. The study suggests that plants use arginine as a signal to determine whether recovery remains possible or whether cells should commit to death, a discovery that could eventually help improve crop resilience under environmental stress.</description><pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:04:55 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/47362ab678644fd1835ad9afe493a88e/dsc087712.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/47362ab678644fd1835ad9afe493a88e/dsc087712.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/47362ab678644fd1835ad9afe493a88e/dsc087712.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/47362ab678644fd1835ad9afe493a88e/dsc087712.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/47362ab678644fd1835ad9afe493a88e/dsc087712.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/47362ab678644fd1835ad9afe493a88e/dsc087712.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>To study the mechanisms controlling leaf senescence, researchers covered individual Arabidopsis leaves with aluminium foil to trigger the recycling programme that precedes cell death.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Anne Honsel</span></div></div><p>For plants, timing is critical. Aging leaves must remain alive long enough to export nutrients to the rest of the plant, but eventually, the senescence programme becomes irreversible. This balance becomes particularly important under environmental stress. For example, if drought conditions ease in time, plants may still be able to recover and resume growth. During prolonged stress, however, leaf cells may eventually pass the point of no return, beyond which recovery is no longer possible.</p><p>The study, published in Nature Plants, shows that arginine acts as a metabolic readout of the nutrient recycling process. As long as arginine levels remain high, cells retain the possibility of recovery. When arginine levels fall below a certain threshold, cells proceed to irreversible death.</p><h3>Coordinated recycling programme</h3><p>“Cells in a dying leaf go through a carefully coordinated recycling programme. The molecular mechanisms underlying this programme are increasingly well characterised, but what tells a senescing cell that nutrient recycling is complete and it is time to die has remained a mystery,” says Olivier Keech, Associate Professor at Umeå University and senior author of the study.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/47362ab678644fd1835ad9afe493a88e/img_4227_group-image2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/47362ab678644fd1835ad9afe493a88e/img_4227_group-image2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/47362ab678644fd1835ad9afe493a88e/img_4227_group-image2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/47362ab678644fd1835ad9afe493a88e/img_4227_group-image2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/47362ab678644fd1835ad9afe493a88e/img_4227_group-image2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/47362ab678644fd1835ad9afe493a88e/img_4227_group-image2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>From left: Shah Hussain, Olivier Keech and Clément Boussardon, the researchers from Umeå Plant Science Centre behind the study published in Nature Plants.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Elody Vallet</span></div></div><p>To identify molecules that might help cells track the progress of nutrient recycling, Olivier Keech and his postdoctoral researchers Shah Hussain and Clément Boussardon investigated a group of Arabidopsis mutant plants known as "stay-green" mutants. Unlike normal plants, these mutants fail to complete senescence and retain their green leaves for much longer.</p><p>Previous studies had shown that “stay-green” mutants accumulate unusually high levels of amino acids, suggesting that nutrient export is impaired. This is important because amino acids contain nitrogen, a nutrient that plants carefully recycle from aging leaves before they die. The researchers therefore hypothesised that certain amino acids might provide feedback on how efficiently the nitrogen recycling process is progressing.</p><h3>Arginine stood out</h3><p>The researchers then tested whether individual amino acids could influence senescence. Among the amino acids tested, arginine stood out. Leaves treated with arginine remained green significantly longer than untreated leaves, indicating that high arginine levels actively delay senescence.</p><p class="quote-left">At first, we did not think that a common metabolite such as arginine could play such a crucial role in leaf senescence</p><p>Looking more closely, the researchers found that senescing leaves switch on transport systems that reduce arginine levels. In stay-green mutants, the transport systems were not activated, allowing arginine to accumulate. To determine whether arginine depletion was simply a consequence of senescence or an essential part of the process, the researchers restored arginine transport in the stay-green mutants.</p><p>“At first, we did not think that a common metabolite such as arginine could play such a crucial role in leaf senescence,” explains Olivier Keech. “The ‘eureka moment’ came when we saw that restoring functional arginine transport was enough to re-establish normal senescence in the stay-green mutants.”</p><p>The results showed that dissipating the cellular arginine pool is sufficient to trigger leaf death. The researchers concluded that plants use arginine levels to monitor how far nutrient recycling has progressed and to accurately time the transition to cell death. Cells interpret a depleted arginine pool as a signal that nutrient remobilisation is largely complete and that the final cell death programme can proceed.</p><p>This transition determines whether leaves can still recover after stress. Understanding how plants control this point of no return could eventually help researchers develop crops that remain resilient for longer under adverse conditions.</p><p><strong>About the study in Nature Plants<br></strong>Shah Hussain, Clement Boussardon and Olivier Keech, The progression of leaf senescence is gated by the cytosolic arginine pool, Nature Plants 2026, DOI:10.1038/s41477-026-02328-2</p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/scientists-identify-the-point-of-no-return-in-dying-leaves_12179617/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/new-mechanism-behind-breast-cancer-metastasis-uncovered_12180347/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-mechanism-behind-breast-cancer-metastasis-uncovered_12180347/</guid><title>New mechanism behind breast cancer metastasis uncoveredResearchers at Umeå University show that the protein METTL3 helps breast cancer cells spread. By regulating the release of molecules, METTL3 makes it easier for tumors to invade surrounding tissue and form metastases. The discovery reveals a previously unknown function of METTL3 and could influence future cancer treatments. The study has been published in Science Advances.Tue, 30 Jun 2026 06:30:59 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/42899b680bbc435e9167610663f0f0e7/francesca-aguiolo-lab-9647-251215-mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/42899b680bbc435e9167610663f0f0e7/francesca-aguiolo-lab-9647-251215-mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/42899b680bbc435e9167610663f0f0e7/francesca-aguiolo-lab-9647-251215-mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/42899b680bbc435e9167610663f0f0e7/francesca-aguiolo-lab-9647-251215-mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/42899b680bbc435e9167610663f0f0e7/francesca-aguiolo-lab-9647-251215-mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/42899b680bbc435e9167610663f0f0e7/francesca-aguiolo-lab-9647-251215-mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Research is teamwork. From left: postdoctoral researcher Kanchan Kumari, research associate Margalida Esteva, associate professor Francesca Aguilo, staff scientist Devi Bhattarai, and  postdoctoral researcher Poonam Baidya.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">We discovered that METTL3 has a different function</p><p>“We discovered that METTL3 has a different function, which may be just as important for cancer progression as the one previously known,” says Margalida Esteva Socias, research assistant at the Department of Molecular Biology at Umeå University and co–first author of the study.</p><p>METTL3 is a well-studied protein that regulates chemical modifications of RNA in the cell. By adding molecular marks to RNA, it helps control which genes are active. Abnormal METTL3 activity has been linked to several types of cancer, and drugs targeting its function are already being tested in clinical trials.</p><p>In the new study, the researchers show that METTL3 in breast cancer cells relocates from its usual location in the nucleus to the cytoplasm. There, it becomes part of a transport system that cancer cells use to release molecules into their surroundings.</p><p>The researchers found that METTL3 supports this transport system and increases the secretion of proteins that enable cancer cells to invade tissue and spread. When METTL3 was removed, the cells released fewer such proteins, became less invasive, and partly lost their ability to degrade surrounding tissue.</p><p>Importantly, these effects could not be reproduced by blocking the protein’s enzymatic activity alone, suggesting that METTL3 also drives cancer through mechanisms other than RNA modification.</p><p>The research team also demonstrated that reduced METTL3 levels inhibited tumour growth and delayed the formation of lung metastases.</p><p>“Our results indicate that in some cancers, it may not be sufficient to block the enzymatic activity of METTL3. Fully inhibiting its tumor-promoting effects may require strategies that eliminate the entire protein or disrupt its interactions within the cell,” says Francesca Aguilo, associate professor at the Department of Molecular Biology at Umeå University and principal investigator of the study.</p><p>The study provides new insights into how cancer cells reshape their environment to invade tissue and spread. The next step is to understand how METTL3 is relocated from the nucleus and whether the same mechanism is involved in other types of cancer.</p><p>The study was led by researchers at Umeå University in collaboration with several international partners, including Universitat de Barcelona, Hannover Medical School, and Lund University.</p><p>The research was funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Swedish Research Council, Umeå University, the Kempe Foundations, the Cancer Research Foundation in Northern Sweden, and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-mechanism-behind-breast-cancer-metastasis-uncovered_12180347/https://www.umu.se/en/news/a-journey-through-possible-climate-pathways_12176485/<description>In Skellefteå, five possible futures became something to step into, experience and discuss. Researchers and staff affiliated with the Arctic Centre took part in Wastelands, a touring exhibition where climate scenarios took physical form.</description><pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:19:53 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/_s1_wastelands4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/_s1_wastelands4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/_s1_wastelands4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/_s1_wastelands4.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/_s1_wastelands4.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/_s1_wastelands4.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Climate scenario 1, the green path, a circle slowly rotating once every 24 hours, with space for different activities at different times of day.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Lena Maria Nilsson</span></div></div><p>When art meets research, the future can become both concrete and palpably close.</p><p>Over two intensive days, 29-30 May, the Arctic Centre took part in the project Wastelands in Skellefteå: an experimental exhibition where five climate scenarios took physical form and invited participants to reflect, discuss and, at times, feel the slightly uncomfortable sense that “this actually concerns me”.</p><p>Together with researchers from Umeå University and Luleå University of Technology, as well as urban planners from Skellefteå Municipality, participants were guided through five different visions of the future, ranging from hopeful transition to considerably darker alternatives. A journey into the future with no return ticket, but plenty of time for reflection.</p><h3>Scenario 1, The Green Path</h3><p>In the first scenario, visitors encounter one possible sustainable future. They step into an artwork: a cylindrical green greenhouse with open walls, slowly rotating once every 24 hours. The space accommodates different activities depending on the time of day: sleeping, eating and working. The piece was created by the artist duo Bigert & Bergström. At the centre of the installation, artist Mats Bigert himself can be seen as part of the story, as if the future is already something we have stepped into.</p><p>Outside, a walking talks dialogue takes place, where researchers and municipal officials discuss possible ways forward. Have we already crossed the boundaries of a sustainable future? The conversation moves between concrete solutions and broader visions of transition, climate adaptation and urban planning. There is room for wide-ranging discussion, both literally and intellectually.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/wastelands.s2.s32.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/wastelands.s2.s32.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/wastelands.s2.s32.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/wastelands.s2.s32.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/wastelands.s2.s32.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/wastelands.s2.s32.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Climate scenario 2, Preserving the Old- Jean-Paul Garin balances in the upside-down world. Climate scenario 3- hanging bead diagrams and dialogue between researchers and municipal officials.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Lena Maria Nilsson</span></div></div><h3>Scenario 2, Preserving the Old</h3><p>The contrasts become clear in the next setting. Here, an upside-down red cottage with white trim stands in the landscape: one of Sweden’s most recognisable symbols, now quite literally turned on its head. Something that once felt stable suddenly feels… less reliable.</p><p>Doctoral student Jean-Paul Garin from the Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science balances upside down in a hammock, dressed in fabric resembling a Swedish flag whose colours seem to bleed into one another. It is both an installation and a balancing act. At the same time, the public warning signal Hesa Fredrik plays the Swedish national anthem in distorted, sliding tones. The sound is based on climate data from Abisko and creates a slightly surreal atmosphere, as if the future is glitching in real time.</p><p>Jean-Paul Garin’s research focuses on how fermented plant-based foods can be made more attractive to consumers. This, too, is about transition, though in a more everyday form than upside-down houses.</p><h3>Scenario 3, A Road Full of Bumps</h3><p>In the third scenario, science takes physical form. A greenhouse has been built as a three-dimensional diagram of climate data, allowing visitors not only to understand the figures, but quite literally to touch them.</p><p>Inside, climate data is presented as beads and tactile objects. A hammock without cushions reinforces the message: facts can be hard, and sometimes that is exactly what is needed for them to sink in. The group moves into the installation, discusses and explores, in something between a seminar and a sensory experience.</p><p>Beside the cushionless hammock stands Moa Hedberg, a doctoral student in geography at Umeå University. From Skellefteå Municipality, participants in the dialogue include project manager Mikael Lindmark and planning director Lars Hedqvist. Lars Hedqvist has led the transformation of the former industrial area where the exhibition now stands, a process that has been underway for nearly two decades. This adds perspective when future scenarios are discussed in a place that has itself already undergone major change.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/wastelandss4.s52.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/wastelandss4.s52.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/wastelandss4.s52.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/wastelandss4.s52.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/wastelandss4.s52.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2d88503493d749be972cc115b0f50142/wastelandss4.s52.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Climate scenario 4, A Divided World- researcher Kristina Lindvall connects the scenario to drought-affected areas in Africa. Climate scenario 5, A Fossil-Fuelled Future, foul-smelling smoke from burning rubber billows from the chimney.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Lena Maria Nilsson</span></div></div><h3>Scenario 4, A Divided World</h3><p>The fourth scenario shows a broken and open greenhouse: a world where systems have failed and inequalities have deepened. It is perhaps the quietest scenario, but also one of those that lingers the longest.</p><p>Kristina Lindvall connects the installation to her research on the health impacts of climate in dryland areas in Uganda and Kenya. She describes how climate change is already affecting communities today through increased health risks and changing living conditions. Here, it becomes clear that the future is not only about forecasts. It is already unfolding.</p><h3>Scenario 5, A Fossil-Fuelled Future</h3><p>The final scenario is the darkest. Here, a future is imagined in which dependence on fossil fuels has continued and worsened. Inside the black greenhouse, shaped like a bunker, there is a black rubber sofa. The floor is covered with shredded rubber, and rubber is burned in the stove, creating foul-smelling smoke. It is an environment where nothing really feels possible, and that is also the point.</p><p>By the time the participants reach this point, the conversations have become noticeably more intense. Even if voices have not been raised, the content has become heavier. Questions of responsibility, agency and the direction of the future begin to press forward. These are no longer just hypothetical scenarios, but choices that must be made.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">When Art Becomes Knowledge</h2><p>The walk ends at a lookout tower, where the participants gather for shared reflection. Here, the different experiences are brought together in group discussions. After moving through several possible futures, it feels almost natural to pause and compare impressions. The conversations move between the concrete and the existential. What do we take with us? And what do we do with it?</p><p>The Wastelands project shows how art can serve as a powerful tool for communicating research. By allowing participants to step into different future scenarios, not only as observers but as active participants, the project creates an experience that both moves people and raises questions.</p><p>In Skellefteå, the climate issue became not only something to understand, but something to feel, discuss and, perhaps most importantly, take a position on.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Participation from Umeå University</h2><p>From Umeå University, eleven researchers and students took part, bringing broad expertise in climate, health and social issues.</p><p><strong>Geography</strong><br>Moa Hedberg, doctoral student.</p><p><strong>Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science</strong><br>Jean-Paul Garin, doctoral student.</p><p><strong>Umeå School of Architecture</strong><br>Luis Berríos Negrón, lecturer.<br>Maria Kamilla Larsen, research coordinator.<br>Pia Palo, doctoral student.</p><p><strong>Public Health and Clinical Medicine</strong><br>Marcus Schmitt-Egenolf, professor.</p><p><strong>Epidemiology and Global Health</strong><br>Christofer Åström, researcher.<br>Kristina Lindvall, researcher.<br>Lena Maria Nilsson, researcher and coordinator.</p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">Funding</h2><p>The exhibition is presented by the artist duo Bigert & Bergström, with dialogue support from climate researchers at Umeå University, coordinated through the Arctic Centre. The project has also received support from the Swedish research council Formas and the Swedish Postcode Foundation.</p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/a-journey-through-possible-climate-pathways_12176485/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/umea-university-establishes-a-scientific-prize-and-scholarships-in-memory-of-dieter-k.-muller_12180366/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-university-establishes-a-scientific-prize-and-scholarships-in-memory-of-dieter-k.-muller_12180366/</guid><title>Umeå University establishes a scientific prize and scholarships in memory of Dieter K. MüllerThe Vice-Chancellor has decided to establish a scientific prize and scholarships in memory of Professor Dieter K. Müller, who passed away unexpectedly in November 2025. Through this initiative, Umeå University wishes to recognise his outstanding contributions as a researcher and academic leader, and his significant impact on the University’s activities and development.Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:55:59 +0200<p>University Director Hans Wiklund is the initiator of the scientific prize and the scholarships. He worked together with Dieter Müller during the period when Müller was Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/43098ed845a3493e9100128c0284c3a0/wiklund_hans_6609_200305_mpn.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/43098ed845a3493e9100128c0284c3a0/wiklund_hans_6609_200305_mpn.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/43098ed845a3493e9100128c0284c3a0/wiklund_hans_6609_200305_mpn.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/43098ed845a3493e9100128c0284c3a0/wiklund_hans_6609_200305_mpn.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/43098ed845a3493e9100128c0284c3a0/wiklund_hans_6609_200305_mpn.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/43098ed845a3493e9100128c0284c3a0/wiklund_hans_6609_200305_mpn.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Hans Wiklund, University director at Umeå University.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>“I cannot think of a better colleague or representative of Umeå University. It truly feels right to honour his memory with a scientific prize and scholarships for international student exchange. I would also like to extend my warm thanks to the funders who have made this possible,” says University Director Hans Wiklund.</p><p>The scientific prize aims to recognise individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the development, communication or application of scientific knowledge with a clear societal impact. Particular importance is attached to efforts that contribute to sustainable development and strengthen trust in science-based knowledge.</p><p>The prize amount is SEK 100,000 and is intended to be awarded annually in connection with the University’s academic ceremony. A lecture by the prize winner will also be organised in conjunction with the award ceremony.</p><p>The scholarships are aimed at students participating in international exchanges, both outgoing students from Umeå University and international students coming to the University. The purpose is to recognise motivated and talented students and to strengthen international mobility.</p><p>The funding of the prize and the scholarships is provided through an agreement between Umeå University, Skellefteå Municipality, Örnsköldsvik Municipality and Umeå Kommunföretag AB.</p><p>A prize committee with representatives from the funders and the University will appoint the prize winner, while scholarship recipients are appointed by the University in accordance with established criteria. Umeå University’s representatives on the prize committee are University Director Hans Wiklund and Deputy Dean Xavier de Luna, Faculty of Social Sciences.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-university-establishes-a-scientific-prize-and-scholarships-in-memory-of-dieter-k.-muller_12180366/https://www.umu.se/en/news/funding-awarded-to-umea-university-for-the-recruitment-of-an-international-visiting-researcher_12180310/Funding awarded to Umeå University for the recruitment of an international visiting researcher Umeå University has been awarded funding within the Swedish Research Council’s call for proposals to recruit an international visiting researcher: Laila Andersson, a space physics researcher at the University of Colorado, USA. Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:41:47 +0200<p>The grant from the Swedish Research Council, <a href="https://www.vr.se/english/applying-for-funding/calls/2025-11-24-grant-for-recruiting-international-visiting-researchers-to-sweden-2026.html">"Grant for recruiting international visiting researchers to Sweden 2026"</a>, aims to enable higher education institutions and other research organisations to develop and strengthen a research field by recruiting a prominent researcher who is currently employed and conducting research outside Europe.</p><p>Umeå University has been granted funding for the recruitment of Laila Andersson, currently a research associate in space physics at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado, USA. She has previously contributed to NASA missions related to space physics and planetary environments.</p><p>At Umeå University, Laila Andersson will conduct research on space weather and how disturbances in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, in the so-called thermosphere–ionosphere system, vary geographically. The project aims in particular to increase understanding of how these variations affect conditions on Earth, including in Sweden.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/934fed698b924a828e9be15bdfa5213b/hamrin_maria_7511_hkn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/934fed698b924a828e9be15bdfa5213b/hamrin_maria_7511_hkn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/934fed698b924a828e9be15bdfa5213b/hamrin_maria_7511_hkn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/934fed698b924a828e9be15bdfa5213b/hamrin_maria_7511_hkn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/934fed698b924a828e9be15bdfa5213b/hamrin_maria_7511_hkn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/934fed698b924a828e9be15bdfa5213b/hamrin_maria_7511_hkn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Maria Hamrin, associate professor at the Department of Physics. </p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Hans Karlsson</span></div></div><p>"We are very pleased to have received this support and to have the opportunity to welcome Laila Andersson to the Department of Physics. With her experience, we strengthen both our research field and our international position. This also provides us with good opportunities to further develop our research and contribute new knowledge in a field undergoing strong development", says Maria Hamrin, research leader in Solar-terrestrial physics and space weather at Umeå University.</p><p>The grant of SEK 2 million will be used to cover recruitment-related costs as well as salary funding for a temporary position in Sweden.</p><p>Laila Andersson will take up her position at Umeå University in spring 2027.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/funding-awarded-to-umea-university-for-the-recruitment-of-an-international-visiting-researcher_12180310/https://www.umu.se/en/news/top-physicists-gather-for-nobel-symposium-at-umea-university_12180282/Top physicists gather for Nobel Symposium at Umeå UniversityFrom 29 June to 1 July, some of the world’s leading physicists will gather in Umeå as a Nobel Symposium in physics is hosted at Umeå University. A Nobel Symposium is not just a conference, but an exclusive meeting place where scientific breakthroughs are discussed, new collaborations take shape, and future research agendas begin to emerge.Mon, 29 Jun 2026 19:43:11 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/7d0678afc91047059f9290678c97d51f/nicolo_maccaferris_lab_9888_240410_mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/7d0678afc91047059f9290678c97d51f/nicolo_maccaferris_lab_9888_240410_mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/7d0678afc91047059f9290678c97d51f/nicolo_maccaferris_lab_9888_240410_mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/7d0678afc91047059f9290678c97d51f/nicolo_maccaferris_lab_9888_240410_mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/7d0678afc91047059f9290678c97d51f/nicolo_maccaferris_lab_9888_240410_mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/7d0678afc91047059f9290678c97d51f/nicolo_maccaferris_lab_9888_240410_mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>From 29 June to 1 July, some of the world’s leading physicists will gather in Umeå for a Nobel Symposium hosted by Umeå University. The symposium is organised by Associate Professor Nicolò Maccaferri and colleagues at the Department of Physics at Umeå University. From left: Aitor De Andrés, Tlek Tapani, Nicolò Maccaferri.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">This is truly a conference at the very highest level</p><p>"This is truly a conference at the very highest level, bringing together some of the world’s foremost researchers in physics. The focus is on areas where major breakthroughs are happening right now, or where entirely new questions are starting to take form, both scientifically and in society," says Nicolò Maccaferri, associate professor at the Department of Physics at Umeå University and organiser of the symposium.</p><p>A central aim is to promote interdisciplinary exchange and new collaborations. By bringing together international researchers from different disciplines and institutions, the symposium creates opportunities for unexpected connections and new ideas. In practice, it acts as a catalyst for collaborations that often continue long after the event itself.</p><p>The symposium brings together an outstanding group of pioneers and rising leaders in electromagnetics, photonics, acoustics, materials science and wave physics. Together, they will explore the evolution of metamaterials – from visionary concepts to powerful scientific and technological applications.</p><p>Hosting a Nobel Symposium means that Umeå University serves as both the academic and practical organiser of the event. Nicolò Maccaferri and his colleagues have defined the theme and invited participants, within a framework set by the Nobel organisations.</p><p>"When I first reached out to colleagues in the field, the response was very positive. As many see us as a leading environment in this area, it felt natural to host the symposium here in Umeå," says Nicolò Maccaferri.</p><p>The entire Nobel Committee for Physics will be present, and many members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (Physics Class) will also attend as observers.</p><p>Hosting a Nobel Symposium is therefore not only an organisational responsibility, but also a strong mark of quality. It signals that Umeå University hosts research environments capable of bringing together the world’s leading experts and contributing to the development of the field.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Invited speakers:</h2><p>Adekunle Adeyeye, Durham University, UK<br>Hatice Altug, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland<br>Andrea Alù, City University of New York, USA<br>Alexandra Boltasseva, Purdue University, USA<br>Mark Brongersma, Stanford University, USA<br>Federico Capasso, Harvard University, USA<br>Maria V. Chekhova, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Germany<br>Chiara Daraio, California Institute of Technology, USA<br>Jennifer Dionne, Stanford University, USA<br>George Eleftheriades, University of Toronto, Canada<br>Nader Engheta, University of Pennsylvania, USA<br>Mathias Fink, ESPCI Paris, France<br>Maria Kafesaki, University of Crete, Greece<br>Philippe Lalanne, Laboratoire de photonique, numérique et nanoscience, France<br>Laura Na Liu, University of Stuttgart, Germany<br>John Pendry, Imperial College London, UK<br>Albert Polman, AMOLF, Netherlands<br>Cheng-Wei Qiu, National University of Singapore, Singapore<br>Junsuk Rho, Pohang University of Science and Technology, South Korea<br>David Smith, Duke University, USA<br>Isabelle Staude, University of Jena, Germany<br>Martin Wegener, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany<br>Frank Wilczek, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA<br>Anatoly Zayats, King’s College London, UK<br>Shuang Zhang, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Nobel Symposium for invited only</h2><p>The symposium is a closed event and open only to invited participants. Journalists are welcome upon registration.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/top-physicists-gather-for-nobel-symposium-at-umea-university_12180282/https://www.umu.se/en/news/call-open-for-proposals-to-mirai-ri-week-2026_12179611/Call for Proposals: MIRAI Research and Innovation Week 2026 in JapanResearchers at Umeå University are invited to submit proposals for the MIRAI Research & Innovation Week, which will take place in Fukuoka, Japan, on 8–11 December 2026.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:52:46 +0200<div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="b9a07b78-1278-4c67-9d59-61a16ccb603c" data-contentname="Call for proposal R&I Week 26">{}</div><p>All academics from a MIRAI university can submit a proposal. There are several formats available (ex/host a workshop, give a presentation, run a round table discussion).</p><p>The topic of your proposal can be narrow in scope, or wider, you decide, but should keep within the <strong>four academic focus areas</strong> of MIRAI. The sessions selected will be available in parallel on day 2 and 3 (Wed and Thurs) of the conference.</p><h3>How to Apply</h3><p>Please submit a brief proposal including:</p><ul><li>Session title</li><li>Proposed format and duration (30 or 60 minutes)</li><li>Short description (max. 150–200 words)</li><li>Names and affiliations of organizers (at least one from Sweden and one from Japan)</li><li>Any additional relevant merits (if applicable)</li></ul><p><strong>Application deadline:</strong> 15 July 2026<br>The notification of results is expected in early August 2026 (week of 3 August), depending on the number of proposals received by the initial deadline.</p><p>The submission URL: <a href="https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/kMq7uy3nVc">Proposal Submission MIRAI R&I Week 2026</a><br><a class="documentIcon" href="https://cdn.mirai.nu/wp-content/2026/06/RI-Week-Call-for-Proposals_Thematic-Deep-Dive-Sessions_ver0616.pdf">Download the call for proposal</a></p><p>Full Call for <strong>Proposals MIRAI Research & Innovation Week 2026</strong> and a draft programme for the conference is found here:<br><a href="https://www.mirai.nu/pages/randi-week-2026">www.mirai.nu/pages/randi-week-2026</a></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/call-open-for-proposals-to-mirai-ri-week-2026_12179611/https://www.umu.se/en/news/mims-clinical-research-fellowships-2026-awarded_12179418/<description>The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS) has announced the winners of its national Clinical Research Fellowship (CRF) program for 2026. MIMS awards Clinical Research Fellowships to clinicians with a recent PhD and a strong research background. </description><pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:24:56 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/95c061472ec045068bc8d26be4641297/wernstedt_overby_anna__3290_190312_mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/95c061472ec045068bc8d26be4641297/wernstedt_overby_anna__3290_190312_mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/95c061472ec045068bc8d26be4641297/wernstedt_overby_anna__3290_190312_mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/95c061472ec045068bc8d26be4641297/wernstedt_overby_anna__3290_190312_mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/95c061472ec045068bc8d26be4641297/wernstedt_overby_anna__3290_190312_mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/95c061472ec045068bc8d26be4641297/wernstedt_overby_anna__3290_190312_mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Biträdande universitetslektor vid Institutionen för klinisk mikrobiologi Enhet: Avdelningen för virologi</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p> </p><p>An international panel of clinical and basic researchers has awarded the fellowship to three clinicians. </p><p><strong>Inga Rimkute</strong> at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, proposed a project to identify effective tools for prevention of human norovirus infections. Collaborator for the project is Marta Bally, Associate Professor at Umeå University.  </p><p><strong>Sara Cajander</strong> at Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, proposed a project to examine longitudinal immune dysregulation and experimental immune modulation in human inflammatory disease. Collaborator for the project is Johan Normark, Associate Professor and clinician at Umeå University and Umeå University Hospital. </p><p><strong>Victor Yman</strong> at Södersjukhuset and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, proposed a project to improve serological tools for precision mapping of virus-specific and cross-reactive antibodies for next-generation arbovirus diagnostics and surveillance tools. Collaborator for the project is Mattias Forsell, Professor at Umeå University.  <br> <br>MIMS Clinical Research Fellowships provide guaranteed research time and fund the fellow’s research up to a total value of 3.2 mio SEK.  Since the establishment of the fellowship programme in 2009, MIMS has awarded 16 research fellowships to clinicians at university hospitals across Sweden. </p><p><em>MIMS receives funding from the Swedish Research Council, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Kempe Foundations and Umeå University to foster the next generation of outstanding researchers in infection medicine. It is the Swedish node in the EMBL network, to which it is connected through the Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine. </em></p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/mims-clinical-research-fellowships-2026-awarded_12179418/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/alexandre-bartel-receives-nordeas-scientific-prize-2026_12179042/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/alexandre-bartel-receives-nordeas-scientific-prize-2026_12179042/</guid><title>Alexandre Bartel receives Nordea's Scientific Prize 2026Professor Alexandre Bartel at Umeå University has been awarded Nordea's Scientific Prize for his research and teaching in cybersecurity. His work uncovers vulnerabilities in software systems and is particularly relevant at a time when AI-generated code and cyberattacks are becoming increasingly common.Thu, 18 Jun 2026 09:42:50 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/334c624f9816461dacb026758493bf19/alexandre_bartel_professor_computing_science_photo_victoria_skeidsvoll3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/334c624f9816461dacb026758493bf19/alexandre_bartel_professor_computing_science_photo_victoria_skeidsvoll3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/334c624f9816461dacb026758493bf19/alexandre_bartel_professor_computing_science_photo_victoria_skeidsvoll3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/334c624f9816461dacb026758493bf19/alexandre_bartel_professor_computing_science_photo_victoria_skeidsvoll3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/334c624f9816461dacb026758493bf19/alexandre_bartel_professor_computing_science_photo_victoria_skeidsvoll3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/334c624f9816461dacb026758493bf19/alexandre_bartel_professor_computing_science_photo_victoria_skeidsvoll3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Alexandre Bartel, Professor at the Department of Computing Science.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Victoria Skeidsvoll</span></div></div><p>Alexandre Bartel is Professor at the Department of Computing Science and leads a research group in software engineering and security at Umeå University. His research has led to new tools that make it possible to detect vulnerabilities at an early stage in the software development process and to prevent attacks on digital systems.</p><p>“Society relies on software. Without built-in security, the consequences can be serious. We have seen it happen multiple times in Sweden,” says Alexandre Bartel.</p><p>Notable examples include the 2021 cyberattack on Coop, which prevented customers from paying in stores, and the attack on Kalix municipality, which knocked out several critical systems. In 2025, a ransomware attack targeted the company Miljödata in which the attackers leaked personal information of employees of Swedish institutions including Umeå University.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">High security requirements in banking</h2><p>The banking sector, with its high demands on security, is one area where Alexandre Bartel's research is particularly significant. Software used for banking transactions and digital services must be protected against intrusions to counter the growing number of financial and identity theft crimes.</p><p>Today, an increasing amount of software code is generated with the help of AI. While AI-generated code can be efficient to produce, it may also contain hidden security vulnerabilities.</p><p>“We have seen cases where people blindly trust the output of AI systems. This is a big problem because we know that AI sometimes hallucinates. Attackers can also publish large amounts of insecure code on the internet that the models learn from, creating a risk that they will generate code with built-in vulnerabilities.”</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Training in cyber security</h2><p>In recent years, Alexandre Bartel has received several international awards. His research is used by both software developers and researchers around the world. He has also been recognised for his commitment to teaching and has established a popular course in cybersecurity that attracts students from all over Sweden.</p><p>“I am very happy to receive this award. It is a great recognition of my work in software engineering and cybersecurity, and an encouragement to continue contributing to more secure digital systems,” says Alexandre Bartel.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="57dff970-48d4-4727-a2ec-2cb1e7b7065e" data-contentname="About the prize">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/alexandre-bartel-receives-nordeas-scientific-prize-2026_12179042/https://www.umu.se/en/news/erik-elmroth-receives-nordeas-innovation-prize-2026_12179083/Erik Elmroth receives Nordea's Innovation Prize 2026Professor Erik Elmroth has been named the recipient of Nordea's and Umeå University's Innovation Prize for Research Utilisation. He receives the award for his ability to translate world-leading research in cloud computing into solutions that are put to concrete use in society.Thu, 18 Jun 2026 09:43:47 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/ccb394402bdd4991ae394e41eec43258/elmroth_erik_8349_200319_mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/ccb394402bdd4991ae394e41eec43258/elmroth_erik_8349_200319_mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/ccb394402bdd4991ae394e41eec43258/elmroth_erik_8349_200319_mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/ccb394402bdd4991ae394e41eec43258/elmroth_erik_8349_200319_mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/ccb394402bdd4991ae394e41eec43258/elmroth_erik_8349_200319_mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/ccb394402bdd4991ae394e41eec43258/elmroth_erik_8349_200319_mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Erik Elmroth, Professor at the Department of Computing Science.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>Many of today’s digital services rely on cloud technologies and large-scale distributed systems. These are the fields in which Erik Elmroth, Professor at the Department of Computing Science at Umeå University, has built his research. His work includes developing ways to design digital systems that remain stable and efficient even under heavy use.</p><p>“It is, of course, a great honour to be recognised in this way – and it is especially rewarding to receive appreciation for work that I personally consider important,” he says.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Research that strenghtens Swedish industry</h2><p>The award particularly highlights his ability to combine high-level research with entrepreneurship and strategic leadership. As co-founder of the software company Elastisys, Erik Elmroth has successfully commercialised research results, contributing to reliable digital solutions for critical societal functions and strengthening Swedish industry.</p><p>“Since cloud services and large-scale distributed systems permeate society today, it is important that we can create a better understanding of how to make these systems as functional, efficient, and robust as possible,” says Erik Elmroth.</p><p>His work is not limited to technology development but also focuses on strengthening competence in society. Through education and research environments, he helps ensure that more people gain the specialist expertise needed in this field.</p><p>“In addition to the importance of the research results themselves, this kind of research also has great value in supplying industry with skilled researchers and specialists," says Erik Elmroth.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Alternatives to American cloud services</h2><p>His work has also contributed to building collaborations between academia and industry, as well as strengthening Sweden's position in digital infrastructure and AI.</p><p>At a time when Europe's dependence on American cloud services is being widely discussed, he sees a need to develop alternatives.</p><p>“I hope that my research group and I have contributed knowledge and trained individuals who make it possible to create competitive Swedish and European alternatives, especially for critical societal needs,” says Erik Elmroth.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="763b38a2-6bdb-4b24-88af-68373eac6235" data-contentname="About the prize">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/erik-elmroth-receives-nordeas-innovation-prize-2026_12179083/https://www.umu.se/en/news/thawing-permafrost-may-trigger-overlooked-carbon-sink-in-rivers_12177096/<description>A new study published in Nature study shows that rock weathering increasingly counteracts river CO₂ emissions as permafrost degrades. The study has been carried out by a collaborative team of researchers from Umeå University, Sweden, and East China Normal University.</description><pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:00:04 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>Biological and geological carbon cycles are closely linked, according to a study published in Nature. Results from investigations in rivers on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau challenge the simplified view of thawing permafrost as solely a carbon source.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Liwei Zhang</span></div></div><p>Thawing permafrost is often viewed as a growing source of greenhouse gases as climate warming releases ancient carbon stored in frozen soils. But a new study published in the journal Nature reveals a more complex picture. As permafrost thaws, rivers may also develop an overlooked capacity to remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) through intensified rock weathering. Researchers found that warming and permafrost degradation expose reactive minerals and increase water–rock interactions, accelerating chemical weathering processes that consume CO₂. In some river catchments, this geological carbon uptake partially or even fully offset river CO₂ emissions.</p><p>The international research team investigated 50 rivers across the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, Earth’s largest high-altitude cryosphere outside the polar regions, to understand how thawing permafrost reshapes carbon cycling. By combining measurements of river CO₂ emissions, dissolved carbon, isotopic tracers and geochemical modelling, the researchers found evidence that thawing landscapes intensify chemical weathering, transferring carbon into dissolved inorganic forms while consuming atmospheric CO₂.</p><h3>Carbon uptake can even exceed emissions</h3><p>“We found that river CO₂ emissions decline while carbon uptake through rock weathering increases as permafrost cover decreases,” said Liwei Zhang, biogeochemist at East China Normal University. “In some catchments where permafrost has become patchier, weathering-driven carbon uptake was large enough to offset or even exceed river CO₂ emissions.”</p><p class="quote-left">Our findings show that biological and geological carbon cycles are tightly linked</p><p>Across the study region, the team estimated that carbon uptake from rock weathering offsets roughly 35 percent of river CO₂ emissions on average. In regions with continuous permafrost, the offset was relatively small. However, in landscapes with discontinuous or isolated permafrost, weathering-driven carbon uptake sometimes exceeded 100 percent of river CO₂ emissions, suggesting that geological carbon uptake can rival biological carbon release.</p><h3>Biological and geological carbon cycles linked</h3><p>The findings challenge a simplified view of thawing permafrost as only a carbon source. As frozen soils thaw, rivers receive large inputs of ancient organic carbon that microbes convert into greenhouse gases released to the atmosphere. The new study suggests that geological processes operating alongside biological ones may partly counterbalance these emissions.</p><p>Still, the researchers caution that rock weathering is not a simple or permanent climate solution. Carbon cycling in thawing landscapes remains complex, and some weathering reactions can also release CO₂ depending on mineral composition. The study instead highlights a mechanism that remains poorly represented in many climate and carbon-cycle models.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareleft"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>Jan Karlsson.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>“Our findings show that biological and geological carbon cycles are tightly linked,” says Jan Karlsson, professor at Department of Ecology, Environment and Geosciences at Umeå University. “To understand whether thawing permafrost ultimately amplifies or dampens climate warming, we need to consider both the carbon released from ancient soils and the carbon consumed through rock weathering.”</p><p>The researchers argue that future climate assessments should move beyond a sole focus on biological driven carbon emissions and incorporate geological carbon sources and sinks that emerge as frozen landscapes thaw.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="eeb89c8e-46bb-4501-bc47-75a71bed11cf" data-contentname="About the study">{}</div></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/thawing-permafrost-may-trigger-overlooked-carbon-sink-in-rivers_12177096/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/reading-the-history-of-epidemics-in-pathogen-dna-with-andrew-magee_12179088/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/reading-the-history-of-epidemics-in-pathogen-dna-with-andrew-magee_12179088/</guid><title /><description>We spoke to phylodynamicist Andrew Magee who joins The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), the Department of Molecular Biology and the Integrated Science Lab (IceLab) as a new Data-Driven Life Science (DDLS) Group Leader. He brings evolutionary modelling to infectious disease research to ask how we can make the hidden history of outbreaks legible, and useful, for epidemiology. </description><pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:16:58 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/95292aa623d34d6199af83706cf510f2/andrew_magee3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/95292aa623d34d6199af83706cf510f2/andrew_magee3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/95292aa623d34d6199af83706cf510f2/andrew_magee3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/95292aa623d34d6199af83706cf510f2/andrew_magee3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/95292aa623d34d6199af83706cf510f2/andrew_magee3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/95292aa623d34d6199af83706cf510f2/andrew_magee3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Andrew Magee, Department of Molecular Biology and Group Leader at MIMS and IceLab</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Elizabeth Perkins</span></div></div><h3> </h3><h3>Can you tell us a bit about your scientific background and what first drew you to your research field? </h3><p>My scientific background is in phylogenetics, a field at the intersection of evolutionary biology, computer science, and statistics. I was drawn to it because I found reconstructing the distant past fascinating, and because I liked the blend of biology and mathematics. Later, I became interested in phylodynamics, which uses and develops phylogenetic techniques to study disease transmission, and that is where my focus has been ever since. </p><h3>What attracted you to MIMS and Umeå? </h3><p>I was impressed by the vibrant research community here. I was especially attracted to the collaborative culture and the amount of collaboration that happens within MIMS and Umeå University more broadly.  <br>I am also looking forward to the proximity to nature and the relative ease of getting around that Umeå offers. </p><h3>What are the main research questions your group will focus on at MIMS, and why are they important? </h3><p>The history of infectious disease transmission is encoded, noisily, in the genomes of pathogens. Our driving question is: how can we make evolutionary modelling more useful for epidemiology? <br>We approach this through two complementary lenses: model adequacy, asking how trustworthy a given model is under particular circumstances, and model development, asking how we can make models work better. Both matter if phylodynamic inference is to genuinely inform how we understand and respond to outbreaks. </p><h3>How do you hope to build collaborations within MIMS, the Nordic EMBL Partnership, and the wider scientific community in the region? </h3><p>Like many of my compatriots in MIMS, EMBL, and especially IceLab, I am a modeller. As such, I am always on the lookout for interesting questions to translate into statistical models. With so many excellent groups in the region working on tough questions with rich data sources, I am excited to see how my group can contribute.  <br>And from the other direction, I am curious to explore how the phylodynamic models I work on can be made more realistic by incorporating expertise from colleagues at MIMS. </p><h3>Beyond the bench</h3><p>Andrew is an enthusiastic cyclist, mostly on road but increasingly on gravel. More than riding, though, he loves working on bikes themselves. He volunteered for over a year at a cooperatively owned bicycle repair shop in Los Angeles, a hands-on passion that offers a satisfying counterpoint to the abstract world of statistical modelling. </p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/reading-the-history-of-epidemics-in-pathogen-dna-with-andrew-magee_12179088/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/a-new-lens-to-lung-repair-with-meaghan-flagg_12179057/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/a-new-lens-to-lung-repair-with-meaghan-flagg_12179057/</guid><title /><description>We spoke to virologist and stem cell biologist Meaghan Flagg who joins The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS) at Umeå University as a new EMBL-style group leader. She is joining the MIMS with a mission to understand, and ultimately treat, the severe lung damage caused by emerging respiratory viruses. </description><pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:20:43 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/09b0af7d276044b3a3329d6bb99eceee/meaghan_flagg3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/09b0af7d276044b3a3329d6bb99eceee/meaghan_flagg3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/09b0af7d276044b3a3329d6bb99eceee/meaghan_flagg3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/09b0af7d276044b3a3329d6bb99eceee/meaghan_flagg3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/09b0af7d276044b3a3329d6bb99eceee/meaghan_flagg3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/09b0af7d276044b3a3329d6bb99eceee/meaghan_flagg3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Meaghan Flagg, Department of Clinical Microbiology and Group Leader at MIMS</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Lauran Zoppa</span></div></div><h3> </h3><h3>Can you tell us a bit about your scientific background and what first drew you to your research field? </h3><p><br>I have a longstanding interest in viruses, how they cause human disease, and how certain host processes, such as the immune response, can contribute to disease pathogenesis. For my PhD, I studied how HIV infection disrupts intestinal epithelial homeostasis, contributing to disease progression. Through this work I gained an appreciation for the central role that epithelial stem cells play in maintaining tissue function, and how disruptions to these stem cells can drive disease.  <br>Starting my postdoctoral fellowship during the COVID-19 pandemic, I shifted focus to the lung, studying how SARS-CoV-2, and later other emerging respiratory viruses including highly pathogenic avian influenza and Nipah virus, damage alveolar epithelial stem cells.  <br>Now as a group leader, I am excited to work at the intersection of virology and epithelial stem cell biology to understand how emerging viruses cause severe disease, and how we might develop new treatments aimed at promoting tissue repair to improve patient outcomes. </p><h3><br>What attracted you to MIMS and Umeå? </h3><p>In my work, I aim to integrate clinical data and human-derived model systems as much as possible to increase the likelihood of uncovering translationally relevant insights. For establishing my group, I was searching for a place with a focus on infectious disease, high containment facilities, access to human clinical samples, and a highly collaborative environment facilitating collaboration between basic researchers and clinicians. MIMS, together with the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Umeå University, offers all of these resources together with a local and international network of young investigators, creating a supportive and productive environment to launch my independent research program. </p><h3>What are the main research questions your group will focus on at MIMS, and why are they important? </h3><p>My group will focus on how emerging respiratory viruses such as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus cause severe disease with the aim of identifying novel therapeutic strategies to treat infections. Lower respiratory tract infections are among the top ten leading causes of death globally, but there are little to no therapeutics that are effective once patients develop severe disease. Epithelial stem cells play a critical role in tissue repair, and dysfunctional tissue repair contributes to poor patient outcomes including long-term compromised lung function and death.  <br>My group will evaluate how viruses and the immune response affect the ability of epithelial stem cells to repair the lung after injury. We will use human organoid systems and animal models to identify deregulated repair processes that can be modulated with host-targeted therapeutics. </p><h3>How do you hope to build collaborations within MIMS, the Nordic EMBL Partnership, and the wider scientific community in the region? </h3><p>The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the wide range of disease severity resulting from respiratory virus infection on a population level. The same applies for influenza, which can cause disease ranging from mild upper respiratory tract symptoms to pneumonia and respiratory distress. Collaboration with human genetics experts at FIMM and NCMBM would allow us to test how genetic variation impacts respiratory virus pathogenesis.  <br>Secondly, respiratory viruses can also cause neurologic manifestations under certain conditions, but it is unclear what factors influence this.  <br>Via collaboration with neuroscience experts at DANDRITE we can evaluate how differential immune responses or other factors impact respiratory virus neurovirulence. I am looking forward to the upcoming Nordic EMBL Partnership meeting to facilitate in-person discussion of potential collaborative projects. </p><h3>Beyond the bench</h3><p>When she is not in the lab, Meaghan is likely on a mountain. An avid rock and ice climber, skier, and mountain biker, she brings the same appetite for challenge to her leisure time as she does to her science. </p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/a-new-lens-to-lung-repair-with-meaghan-flagg_12179057/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/dna-boosts-marine-monitoring-but-cannot-stand-alone_12178881/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/dna-boosts-marine-monitoring-but-cannot-stand-alone_12178881/</guid><title>DNA boosts marine monitoring but cannot stand aloneDNA-based analyses detect more species than traditional microscopy in marine environments. At the same time, they are not yet sufficient to replace the methods currently used in environmental monitoring. This is shown by a new study from the Baltic Sea, the Kattegat and the Skagerrak.Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:47:34 +0200<p>The study compares DNA metabarcoding with classical light microscopy, which is currently the standard method in phytoplankton monitoring. The material comprises 232 water samples from 17 stations within the Swedish national marine monitoring programme.</p><p>The results point in two directions. The DNA method identifies more groups and more species, while also capturing organisms that are difficult to detect under the microscope. However, when it comes to estimating how much plankton is present in the water, the methods provide different pictures, and the relationship between them is often weak.</p><p>This means that the two approaches in practice answer different questions. Microscopy continues to provide a basis for assessments of quantity and biomass, while DNA analysis broadens the picture of which organisms are present.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/6b9da350a4f84b449e85801aa06eb320/icelablunchpitch-260422-dscf4418_sjn.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/6b9da350a4f84b449e85801aa06eb320/icelablunchpitch-260422-dscf4418_sjn.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/6b9da350a4f84b449e85801aa06eb320/icelablunchpitch-260422-dscf4418_sjn.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/6b9da350a4f84b449e85801aa06eb320/icelablunchpitch-260422-dscf4418_sjn.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/6b9da350a4f84b449e85801aa06eb320/icelablunchpitch-260422-dscf4418_sjn.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/6b9da350a4f84b449e85801aa06eb320/icelablunchpitch-260422-dscf4418_sjn.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Agneta Andersson, Professor at Department of Ecology, Environment and Geoscience, talking at IceLab Lunch Pitch. </p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>[Simon Jönsson]</span></div></div><p>–It is important to combine these two methods because phytoplankton constitute a key group for assessing the state of the marine environment, both in terms of biomass and biodiversity, says Agneta Andersson, Professor at Umeå University and scientific coordinator for EcoChange.</p><h3>Variation between sea areas and organism groups</h3><p>The study also shows that the differences between the methods vary. For some organism groups, the results are more consistent, for others less so. The patterns also shift between different marine areas.</p><p>One clear result is that the DNA method more frequently detects small and hard-to-identify species. This contributes to a more detailed description of biodiversity, particularly in complex environments where many species resemble each other morphologically. At the same time, there are limitations linked to reference databases and to how DNA signals are interpreted.</p><h3>Difficult to translate DNA into biomass</h3><p>The challenge of linking DNA data to actual quantities of organisms in the water remains. Despite various attempts to adjust the analyses, it is currently not possible to reliably convert DNA signals into biomass or cell numbers.</p><p>This means that DNA metabarcoding currently functions best as a complement, rather than a replacement.</p><p>–Development must take place on several fronts and follow a well-considered strategy and process, where a cross-section of species in different size classes is captured across different marine areas. This will contribute to increased knowledge of biodiversity and to improving reference databases.</p><p>There is also a need to develop quantitative DNA methods, possibly by gaining a better understanding of gene copy numbers in different phytoplankton and by further developing spiking methods using synthetic DNA, Agneta says.</p><p>With that said, the results clearly point forward. The method can help detect changes in species composition and provide information that is currently missed in routine monitoring. At the same time, further development is required, both in reference databases and in the interpretation of results, for the technique to play a larger practical role.</p><p> </p><p><a href="~/link/279429d605864aa3a4f47936cb216949.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Read more about the project</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?language=en&pid=diva2%3A2072393&dswid=-1915" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Fulltext article in DIVA</strong></a></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/dna-boosts-marine-monitoring-but-cannot-stand-alone_12178881/https://www.umu.se/en/news/potatoes-benefit-when-two-soil-bacteria-team-up_12177916/Potatoes benefit when two soil bacteria team upResearchers at Umeå University have shown that two soil bacteria can work together to influence potato development. The bacterial partnership triggered distinct responses in potato plants and was associated with earlier tuber initiation and improved yield under greenhouse conditions. The findings suggest that combinations of beneficial soil bacteria could become a valuable tool for potato growers in the future.Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:00:06 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>When introduced to potato plants, the bacteria quickly established in the roots and influenced signals involved in tuber formation.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mostphotos</span></div></div><p>Potato is one of the world's most important food crops and feeds millions of people. Yet maintaining high yields often requires substantial chemical inputs such as fertilisers. Benedicte Albrectsen and her group at the Department of Plant Physiology and Umeå Plant Science Centre therefore investigated whether naturally occurring soil microbes could help support potato production in a more sustainable way.</p><p>"We wanted to know if two types of helpful bacteria work even better together than alone," says Benedicte Albrectsen.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>Potato plants during the greenhouse experiments in which beneficial soil bacteria were applied to the roots.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>[Fotograf saknas]</span></div></div><p>The researchers focused on Pseudomonas protegens and Pseudomonas simiae, two well studied naturally occurring beneficial soil bacteria known to promote plant growth and health. They tested the bacteria individually and in combination to see how they affected potato plants and included different potato cultivars in the study.</p><h3>Bacteria influence each other</h3><p>When introduced to potato plants, the bacteria quickly established in the roots and influenced signals involved in tuber formation. The treated plants showed earlier signs of tuber formation than untreated plants, and gene expression analyses revealed increased activity of genes associated with tuber formation. In several cases, the combined treatment produced distinct responses that differed from those observed for the individual bacterial strains.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareleft"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>Benedicte Albrectsen.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>"We were pleasantly surprised. We anticipated positive effects but the synergistic interactions between the two bacterial strains were more pronounced than we expected," says Benedicte Albrectsen.</p><p>To better understand how the two bacterial strains interacted, the researchers analysed both the compounds produced by the bacteria and the responses triggered in the potato plants. With help from the Swedish Metabolomics Centre, they found that the bacteria released a unique mix of compounds when grown together, suggesting that the bacteria influence each other's behaviour.</p><h3>Affected plant defence</h3><p>The bacterial treatments affected not only plant growth but also genes involved in tuber formation and plant defence against stress and disease. This suggests that the bacteria influence both potato development and the plant’s ability to respond to challenges in its environment.</p><p>The researchers also found changes in tuber quality, including starch and vitamin C content. However, the responses varied between the potato cultivars ‘Mandel’ and ‘Désirée’, both of which are commonly grown in Sweden.</p><p>“We now want to test natural combinations of beneficial bacteria under field conditions to see if the greenhouse results translate to agricultural systems. What I find particularly fascinating is how the diversity of soil bacteria can shape potato growth and development. Understanding these interactions could also provide insights relevant to other crop systems,” says Benedicte Albrectsen.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="b70b6736-0460-4b3f-880a-8de3987795de" data-contentname="About the study">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/potatoes-benefit-when-two-soil-bacteria-team-up_12177916/https://www.umu.se/en/news/professor-at-umea-university-appointed-swedens-new-state-epidemiologist_12172696/Professor at Umeå University appointed Sweden’s new State EpidemiologistAnders Johansson, Professor of Infectious Diseases and Senior Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Infection Control at Umeå University, has been appointed Head of Department with the role of State Epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency of Sweden.Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:36:32 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/d00338dca9d648ee927575932bc49015/f_johansson_anders_0936_230602_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/d00338dca9d648ee927575932bc49015/f_johansson_anders_0936_230602_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/d00338dca9d648ee927575932bc49015/f_johansson_anders_0936_230602_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/d00338dca9d648ee927575932bc49015/f_johansson_anders_0936_230602_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/d00338dca9d648ee927575932bc49015/f_johansson_anders_0936_230602_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/d00338dca9d648ee927575932bc49015/f_johansson_anders_0936_230602_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Anders Johansson is a Professor of Infectious Diseases and Senior Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Infection Control at Umeå University. He has now been appointed Head of Department with the role of State Epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency of Sweden.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>simon ohman jonsson inhousebyran</span></div></div><p>“I would like to warmly congratulate Anders Johansson on his appointment. It is an important role for Sweden and an honour for Umeå University,” says Tora Holmberg, Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University.</p><p>Anders Johansson is a highly regarded researcher who became professor in 2023 at the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Umeå University. He has participated in popular science events on topics such as antibiotic resistance and COVID-19 and was a frequently consulted spokesperson on pandemic-related issues, both within the university and in the media.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Takes office on 1 October</h2><p>In its press release, the Public Health Agency of Sweden states that several highly qualified candidates applied for the position and that Anders Johansson was selected following an overall assessment:</p><p>“Among other areas, Anders Johansson has worked on antibiotic resistance, vaccine protection and biological preparedness. He has also served as an expert for several key authorities and held leadership roles in crisis management at both regional and national levels,” the press release states. It also includes a statement from Director-General Olivia Wigzell:</p><p>“We are pleased to announce that Anders Johansson will take up the position. He has excellent leadership skills and many years of experience as an associate professor and subsequently professor of infectious diseases, as well as a specialist in both infectious diseases and infection control. In his role as Head of Department and State Epidemiologist, Anders Johansson will lead and develop the agency’s communicable disease control work and promote continued collaboration with universities and regional authorities,” says Director-General Olivia Wigzell.</p><p>Anders Johansson will take up his position as Head of the Department for Communicable Disease Control and Preparedness, with the role of State Epidemiologist, on 1 October.</p><p><a href="https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/the-public-health-agency-of-sweden/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read more on the website of the Public Health Agency of Sweden</a></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/professor-at-umea-university-appointed-swedens-new-state-epidemiologist_12172696/https://www.umu.se/en/news/international-experts-gather-in-umea-for-course-on-mosquito-borne-diseases-in-a-warming-climate_12177042/International experts gather in Umeå for course on mosquito-borne diseases in a warming climateHow is climate change affecting the spread of mosquito-borne viruses? Could diseases such as dengue fever and West Nile virus become more common in Europe? These questions are at the heart of a course at Umeå University, 8–12 June, where international researchers and doctoral students will explore how mosquito-borne diseases spread and how they can be prevented.Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:37:05 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-30_besk3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-30_besk3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-30_besk3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-30_besk3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-30_besk3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-30_besk3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Anders Lindström, researcher at the National Veterinary Institute (SVA), in the field. Journalists are welcome to participate during the course’s field component on 9 June, with opportunities to interview both participating researchers and doctoral students from around the world.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Kristoffer Ahlm</span></div></div><p>“Several of the viruses covered in the course, including dengue, Zika and chikungunya, are on the WHO list of pathogens with the potential to cause future epidemics or pandemics. This makes the field particularly urgent,” says Olivia Wesula Lwande, researcher at the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Umeå University and course coordinator.</p><p>Mosquitoes are major vectors of viruses, bacteria and parasites that can cause disease in both humans and animals. While tropical mosquito-borne diseases remain rare in Sweden, climate change and increased global mobility have made the issue more pressing. In recent years, viruses such as West Nile virus have caused outbreaks in several European countries, and researchers are closely monitoring how both viruses and mosquito species are shifting their geographical ranges.</p><p>“Research on zoonotic viruses in mosquitoes is crucial, as it helps detect and prevent future disease outbreaks,” says Olivia Wesula Lwande.</p><p>The course combines lectures with hands-on training in both field and laboratory settings. Participants will learn how to identify mosquito species, collect mosquitoes in the field, and apply modern methods for pathogen surveillance and analysis. The course also highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration, spanning biology, medicine, public health and environmental science.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-6_besk2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-6_besk2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-6_besk2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-6_besk2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-6_besk2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-6_besk2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>PhD students working in the field.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Kristoffer Ahlm</span></div></div><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-482.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-482.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-482.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-482.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-482.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/8f446e923d7149b98ee1d20187ed8f51/mosquito_course_2022_-482.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Back in the laboratory, the captured mosquitoes are examined under the microscope.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Kristoffer Ahlm</span></div></div><p>The course is organised by the National Doctoral Programme in Virus Infections and Pandemics (NDP-VIP), funded by the Swedish Research Council (VR). NDP-VIP aims to strengthen education and recruitment of doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers in virology and pandemic preparedness. The programme is a collaboration between nine Swedish universities and is coordinated from Umeå University, where it is affiliated with the Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR). Learn more about NDP VIP: <a href="https://ndp-vip.se/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit ndp-vip.se</a></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/international-experts-gather-in-umea-for-course-on-mosquito-borne-diseases-in-a-warming-climate_12177042/https://www.umu.se/en/news/fernstrom-research-prize-awarded-to-brain-tumour-researcher_12178028/Fernström Research Prize awarded to brain tumour researcherThe 2026 Eric K. Fernström Prize for young, particularly promising and successful researchers is awarded to Associate Professor Silvia Remeseiro at the Department of Medical and Translational Biology for her groundbreaking research combining 3D genomics, epigenetics, and cancer neuroscience to understand how neurons drive glioblastoma growth.Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:01:27 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/582629d6a1ce44b6b6e81b4913732b5f/remeseiro-13.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/582629d6a1ce44b6b6e81b4913732b5f/remeseiro-13.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/582629d6a1ce44b6b6e81b4913732b5f/remeseiro-13.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/582629d6a1ce44b6b6e81b4913732b5f/remeseiro-13.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/582629d6a1ce44b6b6e81b4913732b5f/remeseiro-13.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/582629d6a1ce44b6b6e81b4913732b5f/remeseiro-13.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>The Fernström Prize is awarded to Associate Professor Silvia Remeseiro for her groundbreaking research combining 3D genomics, epigenetics, and cancer neuroscience to understand how neurons drive glioblastoma growth.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Privat</span></div></div><p>“My first reaction was a mix of gratitude and excitement! It is incredibly rewarding to see our work recognized,” says Silvia Remeseiro, Associate Professor at the Department of Medical and Translational Biology at Umeå University.</p><p>“This award is especially meaningful because it highlights the importance of our line of research, which bridges various disciplines and opens new directions for understanding the complex interactions between neurons and glioblastoma cells from a unique perspective. Looking ahead, it gives visibility and momentum to our research and motivates us to keep pushing the boundaries, with the goal of translating our discoveries into new therapeutic strategies for patients with this devastating brain cancer.”</p><p>In its citation, the prize committee at the Faculty of Medicine states:</p><p>“Silvia Remeseiro has established an internationally competitive research environment at Umeå University within molecular medicine, bioinformatics, and cancer biology. Through innovative multi-omics approaches and advanced glioblastoma models, her research has provided new insights into how communication between neurons and tumour cells drives tumour growth and aggressiveness. Furthermore, her work has identified gene regulatory networks and transcription factors that govern the crosstalk between neurons and tumour cells, opening new avenues for future treatments targeting epigenetic mechanisms.”</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/fernstrom-research-prize-awarded-to-brain-tumour-researcher_12178028/https://www.umu.se/en/news/how-vibrations-induced-by-snoring-may-contribute-to-sleep-apnea_12177978/How vibrations induced by snoring may contribute to sleep apneaSnoring is not just a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea – it may also contribute to the disease. Researchers at Umeå University show that the vibrations affect how muscle cells produce and manage energy. This, in turn, may weaken the muscles of the upper airway, making them more likely to collapse during sleep.Mon, 15 Jun 2026 08:29:27 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/73093036772a46fbae91e4f7e937f682/img_14802.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/73093036772a46fbae91e4f7e937f682/img_14802.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/73093036772a46fbae91e4f7e937f682/img_14802.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/73093036772a46fbae91e4f7e937f682/img_14802.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/73093036772a46fbae91e4f7e937f682/img_14802.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/73093036772a46fbae91e4f7e937f682/img_14802.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>The Laboratory for Vibration Biology, a unique research environment established with support from the Kempestiftelserna.  From left to right: Farhan Shah (group leader), Abdullah Azmi (visiting researcher from King’s College London), Roger Widmark (technical specialist), and Yu-Cheng Qian (postdoctoral researcher).</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Ingrid Söderbergh</span></div></div><p>Snoring has long been regarded as a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, but our findings suggest that the vibrations themselves may contribute to the disease process by damaging muscle tissue and impairing cellular energy metabolism,” says Farhan Shah, Associate Professor at the Department of Medical and Translational Biology at Umeå University.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Linking patient samples to a laboratory model</h2><p>A key strength of the study is that the researchers link findings from patient samples to a newly developed laboratory model that mimics snoring vibrations in muscle cells. Using this model, they were able to demonstrate how repeated vibrations affect the cells’ ability to sense mechanical load, regulate energy production, and maintain normal cellular function.</p><p>The research was conducted at Umeå University's Laboratory for Vibration Biology, a unique research environment established with support from the Kempe Foundations. The laboratory combines expertise in muscle biology, mechanobiology, mitochondrial function, and vibration research to investigate how physical forces influence cellular function, tissue adaptation, and disease. The experimental vibration model was developed and validated by postdoctoral researcher Yucheng Qian together with the technical team consisting of Roger Widmark, Anders Bäckström, and Per Utsi.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/73093036772a46fbae91e4f7e937f682/img_14833.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/73093036772a46fbae91e4f7e937f682/img_14833.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/73093036772a46fbae91e4f7e937f682/img_14833.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/73093036772a46fbae91e4f7e937f682/img_14833.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/73093036772a46fbae91e4f7e937f682/img_14833.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/73093036772a46fbae91e4f7e937f682/img_14833.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Yu-Cheng Qian (postdoctoral researcher) operating a customized vibration platform that enables precise control and monitoring of vibration frequency and amplitude in cell-based experiments.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Ingrid Söderbergh</span></div></div><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Investigates other vibration-related injuries</h2><p>Beyond sleep apnea, the findings may also have implications for other vibration-related conditions. Understanding how cells respond to mechanical vibration is a central focus of the Laboratory for Vibration Biology. One example of a vibration-related disorder is hand–arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), an occupational condition caused by long-term exposure to vibrating tools such as drills and chainsaws., says Farhan Shah.</p><p>While the present study focused on snoring vibrations and sleep apnea, the research group investigates how mechanical stimuli and disease states influence muscle health across a range of conditions, including cancer cachexia, ageing, prolonged immobilization, occupational vibration exposure, and spaceflight. A common theme of the research is understanding how cellular energy metabolism and mitochondrial function determine muscle adaptation, resilience, and disease progression.</p><p>The results have been published in the journal Mitochondrion.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/how-vibrations-induced-by-snoring-may-contribute-to-sleep-apnea_12177978/https://www.umu.se/en/news/research-to-help-create-fairer-electricity-network-tariffs_12177819/Research to help create fairer electricity network tariffsA new research project at Umeå University will investigate how Swedish households are affected by and adapt to effect-based electricity network tariffs. It focuses in particular on low-income households and older adults – groups that may have less flexibility to adjust their electricity use and therefore risk higher costs.Mon, 15 Jun 2026 08:00:09 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>Laundry timing could become a cost issue.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Johnér BIldbyrå AB</span></div></div><p>The project has received SEK 8.7 million in funding from the Swedish Energy Agency and comes at a highly relevant moment. In March 2026, the Swedish government paused the nationwide requirement for all grid companies to introduce effect-based tariffs and asked the Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate to develop a new model. At the same time, such tariffs are already in use in parts of the country, and the broader need to shift electricity consumption to different times remains central as Sweden’s electricity system faces rising demand and continued electrification.</p><p>“We will investigate how different households perceive, understand and respond to effect-based tariffs in everyday life. A central ambition is to identify where the model may create barriers or unequal outcomes, and how policy and practice can be improved so that more households can adapt without increased stress, discomfort, or economic burden”, says Weizhuo Lu, project leader and professor at the Department of Applied Physics and Electronics.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Some households may be more affected</h2><p>Previous studies show that households’ ability to respond to new price signals varies. Financial resources, housing conditions, health and digital literacy all influence how easily people can manage and shift their electricity use.</p><p>“One example is an elderly household that needs to keep the home warm or cool for health reasons and therefore cannot shift its electricity use to other times. Another is a low-income family in an older home without smart technology, where cooking, laundry and heating often take place at the same time in the evening. In such cases, the tariff may lead to higher costs, even though the household is already trying to keep its total electricity use low”, says Weizhuo Lu.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Experiments in laboratory settings</h2><p>The project is carried out through the Intelligent Human-Buildings Interaction (IHBI) Lab at Umeå University, where researchers study the interaction between people, buildings and energy systems. The study is based on controlled experiments in which participants from different types of households act in simulated everyday situations – such as cooking, heating or charging – while encountering different tariff signals. The aim is to understand people’s behaviour, experiences and constraints, rather than solely analysing electricity consumption retrospectively.</p><p>The results will be translated into practical recommendations and decision-support tools for policymakers, grid companies, municipal energy and climate advisors, and housing stakeholders. This may include guidance on how electricity network tariffs can be designed more fairly, as well as advice and support materials to help households adapt their electricity use.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="edd7074e-8aa8-43a7-a268-4f8a999ef612" data-contentname="About the project">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/research-to-help-create-fairer-electricity-network-tariffs_12177819/https://www.umu.se/en/news/when-food-becomes-a-security-issue_12177749/<description>Food supply is an everyday system that can quickly become a security issue. When transport is disrupted, prices rise or public meals come under pressure, households, municipalities and public trust are affected. Armando Perez-Cueto, professor at Umeå University and Arctic Six Chair, shows why food habits, trust and collective behaviour change need to be understood as part of Arctic preparedness.</description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:31:16 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/120eb23c962d41bb9634193d733c9fda/perez-cueto-armando-4569-250822-mpn4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/120eb23c962d41bb9634193d733c9fda/perez-cueto-armando-4569-250822-mpn4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/120eb23c962d41bb9634193d733c9fda/perez-cueto-armando-4569-250822-mpn4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/120eb23c962d41bb9634193d733c9fda/perez-cueto-armando-4569-250822-mpn4.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/120eb23c962d41bb9634193d733c9fda/perez-cueto-armando-4569-250822-mpn4.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/120eb23c962d41bb9634193d733c9fda/perez-cueto-armando-4569-250822-mpn4.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Armando F J Perez Cueto Eulert Professor at Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Food shows what robustness means in practice</h2><p>When security in the Arctic is discussed, the focus often falls on defence, transport, energy, infrastructure and strategic resources. Sweden’s new Arctic Strategy reinforces that perspective, but also highlights sustainable and resilient societies, climate, health, research and regional development.</p><p>Food supply makes the broader security question concrete. A society may have strong crisis planning and functioning infrastructure, but it is still vulnerable if people cannot trust that basic food products are available, that public meals continue to function and that supply chains hold up during disruption. </p><p>For northern Sweden, this is about concrete dependencies: long distances, functioning transport, imported inputs and public kitchens that must be able to deliver even when the system is under pressure. If one part fails, households, farms, schools, elderly care and healthcare are affected at the same time. When food prices rise quickly, more than household finances are affected. Municipal costs also come under pressure, as does people’s trust in society’s basic functions.</p><p>Everyday food systems therefore need a clearer place in preparedness discussions: staple crops, feed flows, dairy production and public meals. They show how global dependencies can quickly become local problems. </p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Preparedness must work in everyday life </h2><p>Food preparedness is often described as a question of supply: is there enough food? Resilience requires other questions as well. Which parts of the system are most vulnerable? How quickly can disruptions spread? Which solutions work in people’s everyday lives? </p><p>The social side of preparedness is central to Armando Perez-Cueto’s research. He is professor of food, nutrition and culinary science at Umeå University and one of Umeå University’s Arctic Six Chairs. His research moves between nutrition, behaviour, sustainability and societal change. It starts from people as both consumers and citizens: how food choices are shaped, how habits change and how collective behaviours can move towards solutions that are healthy, sustainable and robust. </p><p>His research shows that food systems are shaped by more than production and logistics. Taste, culture, price, availability, norms and trust influence what people actually eat. Perez-Cueto describes several barriers to sustainable dietary change: beliefs about the nutritional adequacy of plant-based food, cultural norms around meat and identity, access to attractive and affordable alternatives, and the importance of taste. <br>Food preparedness only works if people trust the food, recognise it and want to eat it. </p><p class="quote-center">Food preparedness only works if people trust the food, recognise it and want to eat it</p><p>Schools, municipalities, healthcare, elderly care, the food sector and civil society are therefore central. They are places where robust food systems can be built through procurement, menu development, local anchoring, knowledge and habit. Perez-Cueto also points to public meals as a decisive arena for sustainable food habits. </p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">Research needs to show where systems are vulnerable </h2><p>A security perspective changes how we view plant-based food adapted to northern conditions. In a pressured system, resource-efficient food becomes strategic. Food that requires less feed, energy, transport and imported inputs gives society more options when systems are disrupted. <br>Plant-based foods can strengthen preparedness because it often require fewer steps between land and meal. Less dependence on feed chains, imported inputs and resource-intensive production can give society more room to act during disruptions. At the same time, a plant-dominated diet must be nutritious, tasty and socially accepted. Otherwise, it will not be robust in practice. <br>Northern-adapted crops, legumes, root vegetables, grains and other robust resources can broaden production and reduce dependence on single flows. This strengthens supply and increases society’s room to manoeuvre. </p><p>A simple analysis of upcoming research calls shows that food, preparedness and resilience increasingly meet in questions about data, agricultural dependencies, circular resource flows, biodiversity and governance. This points to a growing need for research that can connect technical solutions with local conditions and human behaviour. </p><p>Arctic Centre wants to encourage researchers and societal actors to see food supply as part of the Arctic security and preparedness agenda. Researchers at Umeå University and external actors connected to food, public meals, health, governance, infrastructure, environment, behaviour or regional development are welcome to get in touch to discuss possible links to research, collaboration or future proposals.</p><p>Food shows whether transport works, whether resources are sufficient, whether people trust the solutions, and whether societies can adapt before disruption becomes crisis. </p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/when-food-becomes-a-security-issue_12177749/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/art-research-and-arctic-issues-take-centre-stage-in-umea_12177898/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/art-research-and-arctic-issues-take-centre-stage-in-umea_12177898/</guid><title /><description>From 16 to 18 June 2026, artists, researchers, cultural practitioners and decision-makers from across the circumpolar region will gather in Umeå for Arctic Arts Summit. But you do not need to be a conference participant to take part. The city will be filled with exhibitions, public art, film, talks and off-summit activities, with Umeå University contributing an artistic research programme partly open to the public.</description><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:27:23 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/39ac2e03c73148cc8e156515b15cdb65/northern_lights_over_umea_fredrik_larssonvisit_umea5.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/39ac2e03c73148cc8e156515b15cdb65/northern_lights_over_umea_fredrik_larssonvisit_umea5.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/39ac2e03c73148cc8e156515b15cdb65/northern_lights_over_umea_fredrik_larssonvisit_umea5.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/39ac2e03c73148cc8e156515b15cdb65/northern_lights_over_umea_fredrik_larssonvisit_umea5.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/39ac2e03c73148cc8e156515b15cdb65/northern_lights_over_umea_fredrik_larssonvisit_umea5.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/39ac2e03c73148cc8e156515b15cdb65/northern_lights_over_umea_fredrik_larssonvisit_umea5.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Northern Lights over Umeå city</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Fredrik Larsson / Visit Umeå</span></div></div><p>The Arctic is often described through climate change, security policy and natural resources. But the Arctic is also about people’s homes, culture, experiences and creativity.</p><p>That is one of the starting points when Arctic Arts Summit is held in Umeå. This year’s theme, <em>Land, Power, Art</em>, focuses on how art and culture can contribute to the understanding of societal change in the North.</p><p>Umeå University is one of the co-hosts of Arctic Arts Summit 2026. In connection with the event, an open programme is also being carried out with, among others, UmArts, Tráhppie Sámi Cultural Centre, Arctic Centre, Várdduo and University of the Arctic.</p><p>Arctic Centre at Umeå University works to gather, highlight and strengthen the university’s Arctic research. During Arctic Arts Summit, that role becomes concrete: creating meetings between researchers, artists, students, cultural actors and societal questions that often cut across several disciplines.</p><p>- Arctic Arts Summit lets us see the Arctic through art, culture, stories, and lived experience. The Arctic is a human landscape where Indigenous communities have thrived for millennia. I hope their stories will resonate with people visitng Ubmeje, says Keith Larson, Director of the Arctic Centre at Umeå University.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Experience Arctic Arts Summit</h2><p>For anyone who is curious, there are several open ways into the programme. Here are five examples:</p><p><strong>1. The Many Ways We Love</strong></p><p>During the week, several tents, Sjadduo, will be set up at Rådhustorget. Around them, the 60-metre-long outdoor installation The Many Ways We Love will be shown.</p><p>The work brings together queer, trans, non-binary and Two-Spirit artists from across the Arctic region. It is a large public installation that can be encountered in the middle of the city.</p><p>Location: Rådhustorget<br>Time: 16–17 June, 10:00–15:00</p><p><strong>2. RANOR</strong></p><p>The artist duo Johdet Pirak presents an outdoor exhibition at Rådhusesplanaden. The work brings together Sámi and Tornedalian cultural heritage with urban subcultures.</p><p>Through traditionally woven wool blankets placed in new settings, the exhibition explores nature, storytelling and place. An artist talk will also be held in connection with the opening.</p><p>Location: The photo board exhibition at Rådhusesplanaden<br>Artist talk: Lavvu, Rådhustorget, 16 June, 12:15–13:00</p><p><strong>3. A River Runs Beneath</strong></p><p>A River Runs Beneath is an international AR project, Augmented Reality, making its world premiere during Arctic Arts Summit in Umeå.</p><p>By scanning QR codes around the city centre, visitors can experience interactive works by Indigenous artists. The works explore shared history, language and land, making the urban environment part of the art experience.</p><p>Location: Various locations in Umeå city centre<br>Time: 13–20 June</p><p><strong>4. Exhibitions at UmArts and Galleri Verkligheten</strong></p><p>At UmArts Studio on the Arts Campus, Tonia Carless presents house_Flow Counter Move. At Galleri Verkligheten on Pilgatan, Future Cartographies by Elena Mazzi and Rúrí is shown.</p><p>The exhibitions are open 11–18 June, 14:00–18:00. They offer two different ways to explore how art can investigate place, movement, landscape and the future.</p><p><strong>5. Real Arctic Tourist Shop</strong></p><p>Real Arctic Tourist Shop is shown at Tráhppie Sámi Cultural Centre and in Kommunhörnan at Väven. The project opens in Kommunhörnan on 13 June and will then be available for several days, with varying opening hours.</p><p>The title almost sounds like an ordinary tourist shop, but the project is an artistic entry point into questions about how the Arctic is displayed, sold, imagined and understood. This makes it an accessible starting point for anyone who is curious but does not know where to begin.</p><p>The five examples are only some of the open entry points. During the Arctic Arts Summit days, much more will be happening in Umeå: exhibitions, performances, art projects, film screenings, evening programmes and other cultural events. There is also an off summit programme where artists, cultural actors and other organisers connect their own activities to the international meeting place.</p><p>This means that you do not need to decide everything in advance. Start with a place, a film, an artwork or a conversation. Walk past Rådhustorget, Väven, the Arts Campus, Tráhppie, Galleri Verkligheten or one of the other places in the programme. See what is happening.</p><p>Together, the open parts of the programme show how Arctic questions can be explored through art, design, film, public spaces and meetings between people. For researchers, students and staff at Umeå University, the days are also an opportunity to discover the breadth of the university’s Arctic environments.</p><p>For times, locations and information about the full programme, including off summit activities, visit the Arctic Arts Summit website.</p><p> </p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/art-research-and-arctic-issues-take-centre-stage-in-umea_12177898/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/two-strategic-recruitment-initiatives-awarded-to-umea-university_12177909/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/two-strategic-recruitment-initiatives-awarded-to-umea-university_12177909/</guid><title>Two strategic recruitment initiatives awarded to Umeå University The Swedish Research Council has awarded funding under its initiative for the strategic recruitment of assistant professors. Umeå University has received funding for two researchers. Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:44:05 +0200<p>Sweden aims to be a world-leading nation in research and innovation. To achieve this, the best researchers must be recruited – regardless of where in the world they come from. As part of this effort, the Swedish Government has tasked the Swedish Research Council with establishing a programme for strategic recruitment, with a particular focus on the national career-development position of assistant professor.</p><p>The aim is to strengthen higher education institutions’ ability to recruit outstanding early-career researchers and to create long-term conditions for research of the highest scientific quality. Scientific excellence, researcher mobility and international experience have been central in the assessment.</p><p>Through this initiative, the awarded researchers will receive funding at assistant professor level for five years, with the possibility of additional funding at associate professor level following evaluation. In total, the Swedish Research Council is allocating SEK 330 million for the period 2026–2031.</p><p>A total of 109 applications were submitted, of which 22 were granted funding, 2 of these awards went to Umeå University: two researchers who have each been granted SEK 15 million over five years (one of the researchers accepted the funding). </p><p>The awarded researchers are: </p><h3>Gabriel Wallin</h3><p>Most recently assistant professor in statistics at the School of Mathematical Sciences at Lancaster University. He was previously a researcher at the Department of Statistics at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Before that, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the French national research institute Inria and received his PhD from the Department of Statistics at Umeå University.</p><p>His research focuses on developing flexible statistical machine learning methods to accurately identify latent (unobserved) structures in social, behavioural and health data. <br><strong>Research subject: </strong>Statistics in the social sciences <br><strong>Project title:</strong> Next-generation latent variable models for data-driven social science.<br><a href="https://gabrieltwallin.github.io/">Read more about Gabriel Wallin on his webpage. </a></p><p><em>The article has been updated July 20 2026 with information that only one researcher accepted the award. </em></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/two-strategic-recruitment-initiatives-awarded-to-umea-university_12177909/https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-arctic-strategy-opens-doors-for-more-researchers_12177691/<description>The Swedish Government has presented a new strategy for a peaceful, secure and sustainable Arctic. The strategy is shaped by a changing security policy landscape, but it also highlights issues related to climate, health, societal development, research and regional development. For researchers at Umeå University, it creates new opportunities to contribute knowledge on the issues that shape Arctic futures. </description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Jun 2026 23:19:02 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/05037c7cadbc4db8ade93c75b5310e04/ima2104702.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/05037c7cadbc4db8ade93c75b5310e04/ima2104702.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/05037c7cadbc4db8ade93c75b5310e04/ima2104702.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/05037c7cadbc4db8ade93c75b5310e04/ima2104702.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/05037c7cadbc4db8ade93c75b5310e04/ima2104702.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/05037c7cadbc4db8ade93c75b5310e04/ima2104702.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>A train is crossing Umeälven</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Jonas Gunnarsson</span></div></div><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">A new focus for Swedish Arctic policy </h2><p>Sweden’s new Arctic strategy marks a clear shift in how the Arctic is described in Swedish policy. Security, preparedness, critical infrastructure, strategic resources and economic security are given greater prominence than the previous strategy. The background is a changing international context, shaped by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Sweden’s membership of NATO and growing international interest in the Arctic. <br>- The new strategy confirms that Sweden increasingly sees the Arctic as part of its immediate security policy environment. Security issues are given a much more prominent role than before, while questions of societal preparedness, critical infrastructure and economic security are woven together with traditional security policy, says Niklas Eklund, Professor at the Department of Political Science at UmeåUniversity. </p><p class="quote-center">societal preparedness, critical infrastructure and economic security are woven together with security policy</p><p>At the same time, the strategy is considerably broader than a security policy agenda. It also covers climate and the environment, health, research, culture, digitalisation, Indigenous issues, regional development and international cooperation. The Government describes the Arctic as a region where security, sustainable development and societal development are increasingly interconnected. </p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Arctic issues concern more fields of research</h2><p>This broad approach means that the strategy concerns significantly more research disciplines than those traditionally associated with the Arctic or with security policy. <br>- The new strategy shows that Arctic issues concern far more areas of research than many people might assume. Questions of security, health, societal development, energy, climate and governance are interconnected. This means that many researchers at Umeå University have key knowledge that is relevant to the Arctic, even if they do not traditionally define their research as Arctic, says Keith Larson, Director of the Arctic Centre at Umeå University. </p><p class="quote-center">Questions of security, health, societal development, energy, climate and governance are interconnected</p><p>The strategy highlights, among other things, sustainable and resilient societies, health and well-being, research and innovation, the energy transition, critical raw materials, and the development of infrastructure and digital solutions in northern areas. </p><p>For researchers at Umeå University, this may create new opportunities to connect their research to current societal challenges. Healthcare in sparsely populated regions, democracy and governance, climate change, biodiversity, energy, transport and digitalisation are examples of areas with a clear connection to the priorities highlighted in the strategy. </p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/05037c7cadbc4db8ade93c75b5310e04/eklund_niklas_0869-240923-mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/05037c7cadbc4db8ade93c75b5310e04/eklund_niklas_0869-240923-mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/05037c7cadbc4db8ade93c75b5310e04/eklund_niklas_0869-240923-mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/05037c7cadbc4db8ade93c75b5310e04/eklund_niklas_0869-240923-mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/05037c7cadbc4db8ade93c75b5310e04/eklund_niklas_0869-240923-mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/05037c7cadbc4db8ade93c75b5310e04/eklund_niklas_0869-240923-mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Niklas Eklund</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>- Security is not only about military issues. Robustness and resilience are also built through functioning societies, trust, health, infrastructure and democratic institutions. That is why knowledge from many different fields of research becomes important as the Arctic changes, says Niklas Eklund. </p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">An opportunity to strengthen collaboration </h2><p>Umeå University holds a strong position in the Swedish part of the Arctic and conducts research in many of the areas identified as important in the strategy. For the Arctic Centre, the new strategy is an opportunity to make this breadth more visible and to create new encounters between researchers from different disciplines. <br>- An important task for the Arctic Centre is to help researchers see how their expertise can contribute to Arctic issues.  The strategy shows that the need for knowledge in an Arctic context is much broader than many might imagine, says Keith Larson. </p><p>The Arctic Centre works to create connections between researchers, support interdisciplinary collaboration and make research with Arctic relevance visible nationally and internationally. The new strategy provides further opportunities to connect research at Umeå University to issues high on the national and international agenda.</p><p>For researchers, the strategy does not mean that their own research needs to change. Rather, it shows that many fields of research already have an important role to play as the future of the Arctic unfolds. As questions of security, climate, health, resources and societal development become more important, so too does the need for the broad knowledge found across the university. </p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-arctic-strategy-opens-doors-for-more-researchers_12177691/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/awarded-for-research-on-ageing-and-alcohol_12177746/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/awarded-for-research-on-ageing-and-alcohol_12177746/</guid><title>Awarded for research on ageing and alcoholWossenseged Birhane Jemberie receives the Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly’s Junior Research Award 2026. His research highlights older adults with alcohol-related problems, a growing but still relatively under-researched group. His studies show that needs differ, and that care and support must be adapted to the individual.Thu, 11 Jun 2026 15:44:07 +0200<p>At the Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly’s annual alcohol research conference on 21 May 2026, this year’s award recipient was announced. The award goes to Wossenseged Birhane Jemberie, Assistant professor at Department of Social Work at Umeå University. His research focuses on a growing group, older people with alcohol-related problems.</p><p>He defended his doctoral thesis in 2023 on alcohol and ageing. In his work, he studied older individuals in addiction care, their experiences, and the risks of repeated hospital admissions and mortality. The results show that older adults with alcohol problems are not a homogeneous group. They differ in terms of life situation, disease progression, and needs. This indicates that care and support need to be adapted to the individual.</p><p>– Receiving the Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly’s Junior Research Award 2026 is both an honor and a great source of encouragement. I am happy and humbled by this recognition, which strengthens my motivation to continue studying alcohol use, health and living conditions among older adults, says Wossenseged Birhane Jemberie.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">How alcohol use varies among older adults</h2><p>After completing his PhD, he has continued his research at the Department of Social Work at Umeå University. There, he studies alcohol use among older adults, including through a population study of drinking patterns among people aged 65–90 in Sweden and Finland.</p><p>– My research is based on the understanding that alcohol is not risk-free and can have negative consequences for health, care needs and well-being. At the same time, alcohol use is often embedded in everyday life, social relationships, routines and personal life stories.</p><p>His research highlights a clear complexity. For some older adults, drinking is linked to social participation and continuity. For others, it may be associated with vulnerability, illness, isolation, or changing life circumstances.</p><p>– This complexity makes it important to study alcohol and ageing with both scientific rigor and sensitivity to people’s lived experiences.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Collaboration an important part of the research</h2><p>The work is also based on collaboration across disciplines. This has been an important part of the research.</p><p>– The award also reflects the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. My work has greatly benefited from support and contributions from supervisors, colleagues, collaborators, and research environments across disciplinary boundaries.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/eb4f04d05988460c82e80e16720017fa/juniora_priset_2_20264.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb4f04d05988460c82e80e16720017fa/juniora_priset_2_20264.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb4f04d05988460c82e80e16720017fa/juniora_priset_2_20264.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/eb4f04d05988460c82e80e16720017fa/juniora_priset_2_20264.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/eb4f04d05988460c82e80e16720017fa/juniora_priset_2_20264.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/eb4f04d05988460c82e80e16720017fa/juniora_priset_2_20264.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>The Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly’s Junior Research Award is presented annually at the Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly’s alcohol research conference.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Systembolaget</span></div></div><p>The Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly’s Junior Research Award is presented annually at the Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly’s alcohol research conference. Photo: Systembolaget.</p><p>He also highlights the importance of the study participants.</p><p>– I am particularly grateful to the older adults who have participated in our studies and shared their time, experiences, and perspectives.</p><p>The research is also linked to work within the Gerontological Regional Database (GERDA), where issues of ageing, health, and living conditions are central.</p><p>– I hope that the award can help to further highlight the importance of research on older adults’ alcohol use, care needs, and well-being, and inspire continued collaboration within this growing and socially important field.</p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">Award recognizing alcohol research</h2><p>The Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly’s Junior Research Award is awarded to early-career researchers who contribute new knowledge about the consequences of alcohol use. The winner is selected by an independent external committee.</p><p>– For the tenth year in a row, through the Junior Research Award, we want to highlight research that increases knowledge about the consequences of alcohol. Wossenseged Birhane Jemberie receives the award for his important contributions to the field of alcohol and health among older adults, says Ann Carlsson Meyer, CEO of the Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/awarded-for-research-on-ageing-and-alcohol_12177746/https://www.umu.se/en/news/melissa-bondy-appointed-honorary-doctor-at-umea-university_12177766/Melissa Bondy Appointed Honorary Doctor at Umeå UniversityThe Faculty of Medicine at Umeå University has appointed Professor Melissa Bondy, epidemiologist at Stanford University, as an honorary doctor. She receives the distinction for her long-standing commitment to underrepresented voices in epidemiology and for her distinguished collaboration with Umeå University.Thu, 11 Jun 2026 15:17:25 +0200<p>“This is a person who generously shares her vast knowledge and actively brings researchers together to foster new collaborations,” says Beatrice Melin, Professor of Oncology at the Department of Diagnostics and Intervention, who nominated Melissa Bondy for the honorary doctorate.</p><p>Melissa Bondy is Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at Stanford University and has previously served as a visiting professor at Umeå University. In addition to her successful research career, she has made significant contributions as a mentor to early-career researchers and students, for example by identifying relevant projects and collaborative opportunities.</p><p>“I am deeply honored by this appointment and look forward to visiting Umeå University again,” Melissa Bondy writes in an email.</p><p>Melissa Bondy’s research focuses primarily on cancer and the role of genetics in the development and progression of different types of the disease. She has collaborated with Beatrice Melin for more than 20 years, including work aimed at understanding why brain tumors arise. Their joint research has demonstrated, among other findings, that genetics plays an important role in the development of gliomas, a type of brain tumor that originates in the cells that surround and support nerve cells in the brain.</p><p>“If we understand how a brain tumor develops, there is also an opportunity to find new ways to detect it early or develop new treatments. These discoveries have provided us with a genetic map of glioma development, an aggressive form of brain tumor. This increases our understanding of the biological processes involved in brain tumor development,” says Beatrice Melin.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="90411689-e217-4384-9f58-8079195390bf" data-contentname="Annual Celebration Ceremony">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/melissa-bondy-appointed-honorary-doctor-at-umea-university_12177766/https://www.umu.se/en/news/international-collaboration-with-the-university-of-tartu-strengthens-educational-development_12177660/International Collaboration with the University of Tartu Strengthens Educational DevelopmentIn collaboration with the University of Tartu, Oskar Gedda and Eva Svedmark from the Centre for Educational Development (UPL) have delivered a professional development programme for educational developers, educational leaders, and vice rectors in Estonia.Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:54:45 +0200<p>The programme is part of a three year EU funded project aimed at strengthening pedagogical expertise in higher education and contributing to the long term enhancement of educational quality within Estonian higher education.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="52f533bb-89fb-4f18-8bad-eded37b063e4" data-contentname="Bild Eva och OskarTartu">{}</div><p>“For UPL, this assignment is a concrete expression of Umeå University's internationalisation ambitions. Not only participating in international contexts, but actively contributing to knowledge and capacity development among colleagues in other countries, is an important part of our mission,” says Eva.</p><p>During the spring, participants met for three residential workshops, where they deepened their understanding of current knowledge in higher education pedagogy, recent research on educational leadership, and strategic quality enhancement. A central component of the programme was participants' work on their own development projects, focusing on how educational development can be organised, led, and implemented in practice at their respective institutions.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="adc765b2-a2a1-423a-8645-a1ce7fca7ec2" data-contentname="Bildspel">{}</div><p>The programme brought together around twenty participants from thirteen universities and higher education institutions across Estonia. It provided opportunities for participants to exchange experiences across institutional boundaries, develop shared perspectives on educational leadership, and identify concrete ways forward for strengthening educational quality throughout the country.</p><h3>Deepened Collaboration with the University of Tartu</h3><p>The collaboration with the University of Tartu has provided UPL with opportunities to gain new perspectives on educational development and to contribute to the advancement of higher education pedagogy in an international context.</p><p>“What happens in courses like this is truly remarkable. From a cautious beginning, with participants bringing very different experiences, a strong community gradually emerges, one that courageously and playfully discusses and shapes important questions concerning quality in higher education,” says Oskar.</p><p>The collaboration has helped strengthen relationships between UPL, the University of Tartu, and colleagues at other Estonian higher education institutions. UPL aims to further develop this type of initiative and undertake similar collaborations in the future.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/international-collaboration-with-the-university-of-tartu-strengthens-educational-development_12177660/https://www.umu.se/en/news/alejandro-haiek-coll-at-the-umea-school-of-architecture-receives-collaboration-award_12177677/Alejandro Haiek Coll at the Umeå School of Architecture receives collaboration awardAlejandro Haiek Coll, Associate Professor at the Umeå School of Architecture, has been awarded the Faculty of Science and Technology’s collaboration award 2026. He receives the award for his work in creating new forms of collaboration between academia, the public sector, cultural institutions and local communities.Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:05:40 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/4f03e4e238284dbeb3bc418b3b2a09e3/alejandro_haiek_at_civitella_resindecy_umbria_itally3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/4f03e4e238284dbeb3bc418b3b2a09e3/alejandro_haiek_at_civitella_resindecy_umbria_itally3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/4f03e4e238284dbeb3bc418b3b2a09e3/alejandro_haiek_at_civitella_resindecy_umbria_itally3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/4f03e4e238284dbeb3bc418b3b2a09e3/alejandro_haiek_at_civitella_resindecy_umbria_itally3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/4f03e4e238284dbeb3bc418b3b2a09e3/alejandro_haiek_at_civitella_resindecy_umbria_itally3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/4f03e4e238284dbeb3bc418b3b2a09e3/alejandro_haiek_at_civitella_resindecy_umbria_itally3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Alejandro Haiek Coll.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Marco Giugliarelli</span></div></div><p>In Alejandro Haiek Coll’s projects, architecture, research and civic engagement come together in everything from public installations to international exhibitions. Through his work, he has developed new forms of knowledge dissemination and sustainable meeting places.</p><p>“I am very grateful for this award. It recognises an ethos that has been at the core of the research, pedagogical and artistic practices I have been developing, particularly over the past decade at Umeå University. It also acknowledges the students, colleagues, municipalities, institutions, and other partners who have participated in these shared experiments across disciplinary boundaries and in close dialogue with society,” says Alejandro Haiek Coll.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Shown at international exhibitions</h2><p>Among the projects highlighted are <em>Winter Garden Structures</em>, where architecture, informatics and UX Lab researchers collaborated to create interactive climate-related installations at the Arts Campus. Other examples include the VR installation <em>Liminal Phantoms</em>, presented at the Triennale di Milano, and <em>Future Garden</em>, which was presented at the Chicago Architecture Biennial 2025–2026 and brought together artistic research, molecular biology and questions of environmental justice in the Amazon.</p><p>He leads the research environment Laboratory of Intersectional Ecologies and the MA Design Studio 12, focusing this year on developing ideas of self-sufficiency and autonomy in the insular territories of Norrbyskär and Holmön in the Umeå Archipelago.</p><p>“I understand design as a form of mediation, capable of connecting people, places, evidence, materials, technologies and collective imagination. Collaboration is about creating the conditions where different forms of knowledge can become public conversations and spaces for creative exchange,” says Alejandro Haiek Coll.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Projects with the municipality</h2><p>He has led several long-term collaborative projects in Umeå, including <em>Pallet Parliament</em> and <em>Meadow Parklet</em>, in collaboration with the municipality and local actors. The projects have resulted in a pollinator garden, public environments and civic forums that function as spaces for learning, culture and hospitality.</p><p>“The aim is to test how research can become public, how pedagogy can engage real territorial questions, and how design can support social, ecological and cultural systemic transformation,” says Alejandro Haiek Coll.</p><p>The award citation particularly highlights his ability to create long-term collaborations and to make research and education relevant and accessible to a broader public – both nationally and internationally.</p><p>The collaboration award is presented every two years in connection with the University’s Annual Celebration in October.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="235c2219-c261-4f55-8246-baff9eb47251" data-contentname="Previous recipients">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/alejandro-haiek-coll-at-the-umea-school-of-architecture-receives-collaboration-award_12177677/https://www.umu.se/en/news/recognised-and-distinguished-teachers-spring-2026_12177575/Recognised and Distinguished Teachers, Spring 2026Since 2014, more than 425 teachers have been appointed within Umeå University's model for the recognition of teaching qualifications. In spring 2026, 25 teachers were recognised for their pedagogical competence: 18 as Recognised Teachers and 7 as Distinguished Teachers.Tue, 16 Jun 2026 11:57:01 +0200<div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="8856c0cf-d8ec-453e-a8b5-a5c44db8985f" data-contentname="Bild pedmer pins">{}</div><p>Applications to the model are handled by the respective faculties. There is also a Committee for the Recognition of Teaching Qualifications, comprising faculty representatives, students, representatives from the Centre for Educational Development (UPL), and two Distinguished Teachers. The committee’s task is to ensure the quality of the model by promoting equivalent assessment of pedagogical competence across the faculties and by recommending decisions to the faculties based on evaluations conducted by pedagogical experts.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Distinguished Teachers on the Committee</h2><p>Pontus Bergh (Unit of Police Work) and Sofia Mattsson (Department of Medical and Translational Biology) currently serve on the committee as Distinguished Teachers. In this role, they contribute perspectives drawn both from their own qualification journey and from experience of pedagogical assessment. Here, they share more about their role on the committee, the significance of the model, and their advice to colleagues considering applying.</p><p><strong>Pontus and Sofia, what is your role on the committee?</strong></p><p>We are co-opted members, which means that we do not participate in decisions, but we can contribute perspectives on how the model works from an applicant’s point of view, says Sofia. And we can also contribute experience from serving as pedagogical experts at other universities, adds Pontus.</p><p><strong>What function does the model serve at Umeå University, in your view?</strong></p><p>I believe it helps make teaching at our university even better by encouraging teachers to develop their pedagogical competence in higher education, says Pontus. The model is also a career opportunity for teachers and highlights the teaching and pedagogical development work taking place across the university, says Sofia.</p><p><strong>What advice would you give to someone considering applying?</strong></p><p>Apply! Writing a pedagogical portfolio provides insight into how your teaching influences student learning and helps you recognise your own pedagogical development, says Sofia.<br>Take time to understand what recognition of teaching qualifications involves and what is required to become a Recognised Teacher. Seek support from colleagues and consider participating in UPL’s workshops, advises Pontus.</p><p>All teachers appointed within the model receive a diploma, a pin, and a salary increase. Distinguished Teachers are also recognised during the university’s Annual Celebration, where they are invited to participate in pedagogical discussions and are presented in the official programme.</p><p><strong>The next application period for the model for the recognition of teaching qualifications will be 14 August to 15 September 2026.</strong></p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Appointments to Distinguished Teacher, Spring Semester 2026</h2><p><strong>Faculty of Social Sciences</strong><br>Karina Lundborg, Associate professor, Department of Social Work</p><p><strong>Faculty of Arts and Humanities</strong><br>Anna-Lill Drugge, Associate professor, Department of Language Studies<br>Erika Sturk, Associate professor, Department of Language Studies</p><p><strong>Faculty of Science and Technology</strong><br>Anders Rebbling, Associate professor, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics<br>Jonas Westin, Associate professor, Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics</p><p><strong>Faculty of Medicine</strong><br>Maria Gustafsson, Professor, Department of Medical and Translational Biology<br>Maria Lindström, Associate professor, Department of Epidemiology and Global Health</p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">Appointments to Recognised Teacher, Spring Semester 2026</h2><p><strong>Faculty of Social Sciences</strong><br>Christin Johansson, Lecturer, Department of Social Work<br>Johanna Lauri, Associate professor, Umeå Centre for Gender Studies (UCGS)<br>Hanna Lövgren, Lecturer, Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science<br>Sofia Molander, Associate professor, Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics, Business Administration<br>Daniel Nyström, Associate professor, Department of Education<br>Daniel Skog, Associate professor, Department of Informatics</p><p><strong>Faculty of Arts and Humanities</strong><br>Karin S Lindelöf, Associate professor, Department of Culture and Media Studies</p><p><strong>Faculty of Science and Technology</strong><br>Daniel Bergner, Lecturer, Department of Science and Mathematics Education<br>Jerker Fick, Associate professor, Department of Chemistry<br>Mehdi Moradi, Associate professor, Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics<br>Carina Widebo, Lecturer, Department of Science and Mathematics Education</p><p><strong>Faculty of Medicine</strong><br>Alexander Shayesteh Afshar, Associate professor, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine<br>Elisabeth Johansson, Associate professor, Department of Odontology<br>Susanne Lindqvist, Associate professor, Department of Odontology<br>Olivia Wesula Lwande, Researcher, Department of Clinical Microbiology<br>Anna Myleus, Assistant professor, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine<br>Johan Sommar, Associate professor, Department of Epidemiology and Global Health<br>Nikolai Stenfors, Associate professor, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine</p><h3>Asked Distinguished Teachers on the Committee</h3><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="dca52c8a-228b-41d3-ae39-e098d5056731" data-contentname="tillfrågade excellenta lärare i nämnden">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/recognised-and-distinguished-teachers-spring-2026_12177575/https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-researchers-take-the-lead-in-developing-more-understandable-ai-systems_12177536/Umeå researchers take the lead in developing more understandable AI systemsA new field of research, known as Social Explainable AI, is taking shape internationally within AI. It focuses on making the decisions taken by AI models more understandable to the general public. “Current explanations are primarily aimed at experts and do not meet the EU’s transparency requirements under the new AI Act. We want to change that,” says Kary Främling, whose new book has attracted international attention.Wed, 10 Jun 2026 14:34:52 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/e5ce64265e984b0bbe2e5fd46e35ed2e/framling_kary_0379_180817_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/e5ce64265e984b0bbe2e5fd46e35ed2e/framling_kary_0379_180817_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/e5ce64265e984b0bbe2e5fd46e35ed2e/framling_kary_0379_180817_mpn2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/e5ce64265e984b0bbe2e5fd46e35ed2e/framling_kary_0379_180817_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/e5ce64265e984b0bbe2e5fd46e35ed2e/framling_kary_0379_180817_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/e5ce64265e984b0bbe2e5fd46e35ed2e/framling_kary_0379_180817_mpn2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>The new book Social Explainable AI brings together ideas from many different fields, including AI research, linguistics, philosophy, psychology and the social sciences. "It places users, context and communication at the centre,” Prof. Kary Främling, explains.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>Kary Främling, professor at the Department of Computing Science at Umeå University, is one of the most cited researchers in his field. His work in <a href="~/link/5939b99a4f7a491e987b6511db90f667.aspx">Explainable AI</a>, the <a href="~/link/6c7b7ea204d94174a99e5c4d465506a2.aspx">Internet of Things</a>, and digital twins has laid the foundations for the systems we use across the globe today. Together with international researchers, he has highlighted the gap that has emerged between the tools and systems available to explain how AI models used by business and public authorities reason – and how they make decisions. </p><p>"We are seeing that the explanatory models are primarily aimed at professionals, who use their knowledge to gain insight into AI’s black box. But those affected by government decisions or whose loan applications are rejected do not have the means to absorb and understand the information,” says <a href="~/link/ee5a582399ad4cdfab214bbcadfb3f13.aspx">Kary Främling.</a></p><h3>International collaborative research</h3><p>Together with Prof. Dr. <a href="https://www.uni-paderborn.de/en/person/50352">Katharina Rohlfing</a> at the University of Paderborn, and <a href="https://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/cs/people/brianlim/">Brian Lim</a>, Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore, he has brought together a large number of researchers from various fields to develop a shared vision. The result is the new book <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-96-5290-7">Social Explainable AI</a>, a 30-chapter handbook that has attracted attention, particularly in Germany.<br>The book brings together insights from AI research, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, and the social sciences to re-examine the concept of explainability as a social, interactive process.</p><p>“Instead of focusing solely on AI models, it places users, context and communication at the centre,” Kary Främling explains.</p><h3>AI understandable to users</h3><p><a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20230601STO93804/eu-ai-act-first-regulation-on-artificial-intelligence">The EU AI Act</a> requires transparency – ensuring that everyday users have insight into decisions that affect their lives, such as why they are denied a loan, fail to secure a job, or how they can increase the value of their home.<br>Within this new field of research, experts aim to ensure that AI models genuinely tailor their explanations to the recipient’s level of knowledge and needs.</p><p>"We want the models to use language and a level of detail that is understandable and manageable. That the information is provided in appropriate steps, and that users should be able to interact and ask questions about more specific details." Kary Främling gives an example:<br>"If an AI model values a detached house at five million, it should first explain the decision using understandable facts such as condition, size and location, rather than, as is currently the case, providing the enquirer with a list of numerous of technical parameters."</p><h3>A void in the market</h3><p>"End-users should have greater insight into decisions that affect them, which is something that is currently in high demand and attracts considerable interest. We hope that those working in the field of Explainable AI will take note of the book and develop their methods in a direction that takes better account of end-users, says Prof. Främling. "But also that end-users, companies and other organisations realise that they can, and should demand more from AI systems in terms of explanations in order to comply with the AI Act."</p><h3>Shaping tomorrow’s AI</h3><p>The Department of Computing Science has expanded at a record pace in recent years. Several international researchers specialising in areas such as <a href="~/link/26489d362abc48258d78f9b82e00327e.aspx">AI, privacy, data security and autonomous distributed systems</a> are now based here in Umeå. Kary Främling is one of those affiliated with WASP – the <a href="https://wasp-sweden.org/">Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Programme</a>, Sweden’s single largest research programme.</p><h3>The latest in Data Science</h3><p>The courses offered by the department are closely linked to research, and Kary Främling teaches the course "<a href="/en/education/courses/data-preprocessing-and-visualisation-5dv217/">Data Preprocessing and Visualisation</a>". Here, students learn to analyse and present data and statistics in an accurate and humanly understandable way, so that decisions and actions can be taken based on rational information.</p><p>In 2025, he also launched a new course on <a href="/en/education/courses/explainable-artificial-intelligence-5dv249/">Explainable AI</a>, which covers fundamental principles, methods, challenges and even sXAI.</p><p>“Data science is one of the most important fields when it comes to shaping our current and future society. Regardless of sector or scale, organisations that want to remain competitive must keep up with developments or risk falling behind,” says Kary Främling.</p><h3>Further information </h3><p>Read more about Professor <a href="~/link/ee5a582399ad4cdfab214bbcadfb3f13.aspx">Kary Främling</a> and visit the research group web page, <a href="~/link/e16c1a166e7647968ad885c76a2c4f19.aspx">XAI, Explainable AI.</a> Read the book, Social Explainable AI <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-96-5290-7">here</a>, (open access).</p><h3>Contact information</h3><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="3e8282d7-d00c-47f2-a17c-9963ccacd63c" data-contentname="Kary Främling">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-researchers-take-the-lead-in-developing-more-understandable-ai-systems_12177536/https://www.umu.se/en/news/global-delegation-visits-the-project-solh_12177524/Global delegation visits the project Support Office for Life Science and Health On 22 May, the project Support Office for Life Science and Health and Luleå University of Technology welcomed an international delegation from George Washington University and the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity leadership program. During the visit, researchers and health experts from around the world and northern Sweden came together to share knowledge, experiences and solutions relating to one of the major challenges of our time – health equity.Wed, 10 Jun 2026 09:23:46 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/8eaa9bbb3bab408f89b6a2347295b539/wahsington_university23.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/8eaa9bbb3bab408f89b6a2347295b539/wahsington_university23.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/8eaa9bbb3bab408f89b6a2347295b539/wahsington_university23.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/8eaa9bbb3bab408f89b6a2347295b539/wahsington_university23.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/8eaa9bbb3bab408f89b6a2347295b539/wahsington_university23.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/8eaa9bbb3bab408f89b6a2347295b539/wahsington_university23.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Maria Jansson, Luleå University of Technology and Danielle Woodhouse Johnson, Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity </p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Staffan Westerlund</span></div></div><p>On 22 May, Luleå University of Technology and the Support Office for Life Science and Health project welcomed an international delegation from George Washington University and the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity leadership program. During the visit, researchers and health experts from around the world and northern Sweden came together to share knowledge, experiences and solutions relating to one of the major challenges of our time – health equity.</p><p>Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity is a global leadership program that equips health professionals with the knowledge and skills to understand and address health inequalities. Participants come from a range of sectors – healthcare, the public sector, academia and civil society – and are united by a shared commitment to creating fairer societies. The program includes a one-year fellowship and continues thereafter as a lifelong network of so-called Senior Fellows from more than 30 countries.</p><p>The visit to Luleå formed part of a thematic study tour in Sweden focusing on sustainability, innovation and collaboration. Sweden is highlighted as an interesting example due to its ongoing work in areas such as equitable healthcare, gender equality and climate transition.</p><p>During the day at Luleå University of Technology, participants were introduced to current research from both the university and Region Norrbotten. The program covered a wide range of topics – from nature-based health and accessible outdoor environments to mental health, cardiovascular prevention and digital innovations in primary care. Presentations included studies on COVID-19-related mortality among people with mental ill health, children’s physical activity habits and the health of young Sámi people, as well as the development of AI-supported tools to improve diagnostics in rural and remote areas.</p><p>– The visit is an important opportunity to showcase the research and collaboration taking place in northern Sweden, while also allowing us to learn from international experiences, says Maria Jansson, Collaboration Strategist at Luleå University of Technology, who opened the day.</p><p>The delegation consisted of professionals from across the globe with broad expertise in global health and health equity issues. It included doctors, researchers, policy experts and social entrepreneurs working to improve health outcomes in different parts of the world.</p><p>– The visit to Luleå University of Technology provided valuable insight into how research and collaboration in northern Sweden contribute to the development of more equitable and sustainable health systems, says Anna Helm, PhD, Faculty Director, GW-CIBER, and Associate Teaching Professor of International Business at George Washington University.</p><p>The meeting created a platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange on how research, innovation and collaboration can contribute to more equitable health systems – both locally and globally. At the same time, the visit strengthened Luleå University of Technology’s international collaborations and position within the fields of health and sustainable societal development.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/global-delegation-visits-the-project-solh_12177524/https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-school-of-business-economics-and-statistics-graduation-ceremony-2026_12177277/Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics Graduation Ceremony 2026On 4 June, Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics (USBE) held its 20th annual graduation ceremony in Aula Nordica. Around 300 students and their guests took part in the celebration, and once again the auditorium was filled to capacity.Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:25:30 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/1e2e995fa64a46c6b342b4754dd041b0/usbe_graduation_2026_-_smp_74.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/1e2e995fa64a46c6b342b4754dd041b0/usbe_graduation_2026_-_smp_74.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/1e2e995fa64a46c6b342b4754dd041b0/usbe_graduation_2026_-_smp_74.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/1e2e995fa64a46c6b342b4754dd041b0/usbe_graduation_2026_-_smp_74.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/1e2e995fa64a46c6b342b4754dd041b0/usbe_graduation_2026_-_smp_74.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/1e2e995fa64a46c6b342b4754dd041b0/usbe_graduation_2026_-_smp_74.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>USBE Graduation Ceremony 2026.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Rickard Lindberg</span></div></div><p>Students received their diplomas from the USBE Dean Agneta Marell. Prestigious awards were presented, alumni sent congratulatory messages to the newly graduated students, and beautiful music filled the auditorium throughout the evening. Musical performances were given by Johan Wållberg, Viktor Edlund Hansson, and Malin Jonsson.</p><p>– The graduation ceremony is a wonderful tradition, and it is with joy and pride that we gather to celebrate the students’ achievements together with their loved ones. This day marks both the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new! says Dean Agneta Marell.</p><h3>Siemens Financial Services Thesis Scholarship in Finance </h3><p>This award is presented in collaboration with Siemens Financial Services and aims to encourage student interest in finance and financial economics, with potential positive impact on regional skills development. The 2025 recipients are Felix Forsgren and Albin Renlund from Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics.</p><p><a href="~/link/54213463066b4329a02274ecf105012d.aspx">Read more</a></p><h3>Umeå Sustainability Award for Theses in Business Administration </h3><p>The Research Institute for Organization and Business in Sustainable Transition (ROBUST), together with Umeå Energi, has established an annual thesis award to encourage business students to engage with and deepen their understanding of sustainability and business ethics. This year’s award goes to John Pettersson and William Di Francesco from Luleå University of Technology.</p><p><a href="~/link/e10553503d024f948c4dd2716597696b.aspx">Read more</a></p><h3>USBE Pedagogical Prize</h3><p>Two recipients have been selected for the 2026 USBE Pedagogical Prize: one teaching team in Business Administration and one programme coordinator in Statistics. Both recipients stand out for their deliberate, systematic, and pedagogically grounded work in integrating and developing USBE’s competencies within education, with a clear focus on students’ learning and professional development.</p><p><a href="~/link/7e1016b4f13a43679dce881628dc22c9.aspx">Read more</a></p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/1e2e995fa64a46c6b342b4754dd041b0/usbe_graduation_2026_-_ute3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/1e2e995fa64a46c6b342b4754dd041b0/usbe_graduation_2026_-_ute3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/1e2e995fa64a46c6b342b4754dd041b0/usbe_graduation_2026_-_ute3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/1e2e995fa64a46c6b342b4754dd041b0/usbe_graduation_2026_-_ute3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/1e2e995fa64a46c6b342b4754dd041b0/usbe_graduation_2026_-_ute3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/1e2e995fa64a46c6b342b4754dd041b0/usbe_graduation_2026_-_ute3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>USBE Graduation Ceremony 2026.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Rickard Lindberg</span></div></div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-school-of-business-economics-and-statistics-graduation-ceremony-2026_12177277/https://www.umu.se/en/news/long-standing-data-challenge-solved-paving-the-way-for-faster-and-safer-data-management_12177206/Long‑standing data challenge resolved, paving the way for faster and safer data management Organisations today struggle to handle vast amounts of information stored across multiple databases, registers, and systems. In his doctoral thesis, Romuald Esdras Wandji at Umeå University presents a new solution that may transform how both humans and AI systems work with data – in a safer and more accessible way. Tue, 09 Jun 2026 10:52:00 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/a792babac16946e6898c405e233043d7/esdras_wandji_romuald_3745_220621_hkn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/a792babac16946e6898c405e233043d7/esdras_wandji_romuald_3745_220621_hkn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/a792babac16946e6898c405e233043d7/esdras_wandji_romuald_3745_220621_hkn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/a792babac16946e6898c405e233043d7/esdras_wandji_romuald_3745_220621_hkn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/a792babac16946e6898c405e233043d7/esdras_wandji_romuald_3745_220621_hkn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/a792babac16946e6898c405e233043d7/esdras_wandji_romuald_3745_220621_hkn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Research by Dr. Romuald Esdras Wandji at the Department of Computing Science, Umeå University, opens the door to faster and more secure data handling across complex systems.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Hans Karlsson</span></div></div><p>Romuald Esdras Wandji at the <a href="~/link/f1ccf1d251be4f538a13df854f18fb07.aspx">Department of Computing Science</a> has developed a new framework that enables not only the retrieval but also the updating of data through Virtual Knowledge Graphs. The technology has existed for decades, but until now, it has only worked in one direction – users could query information through a conceptual layer, while any changes still required technical expertise and direct manipulation of the underlying databases.</p><h3>Removes a bottleneck</h3><p>This new research makes knowledge graphs <em>bidirectional</em>, allowing both humans and AI agents to correct, add, and update information through the same conceptual layer they use to search for it.</p><p>“My research helps remove a major bottleneck by enabling both people and AI assistants to manage data using familiar concepts rather than technical languages,” says <a href="~/link/6afcd477b81c4f14a4fbbc969720fefc.aspx">Romuald Esdras Wandji</a>. “What previously required specialist developers can now be carried out by anyone. It fundamentally changes who can work with data.”</p><h3>Solving a long‑standing challenge</h3><p>Most organisations store their information in many different systems, each with its own technical structure. Virtual Knowledge Graphs have made it possible to retrieve data from these systems through a shared conceptual model – but only for reading. Wandji’s research addresses this long‑standing limitation by giving the conceptual layer update capabilities. This allows users to work with a single, unified view of information — both when retrieving data and when modifying it.</p><h3>Handles large and complex datasets</h3><p>Data is one of society’s most valuable resources, yet managing it still requires specialised technical skills. This creates bottlenecks, slows down decision‑making, and increases the risk of errors.</p><p>“By allowing both humans and AI agents to work through a clear and semantically structured layer, these barriers are reduced. It becomes easier to correct mistakes, add new information, and keep systems up to date – without writing database code,” says Wandji.</p><p>The technology is particularly relevant for organisations that handle large and complex datasets, such as public authorities with extensive records, healthcare providers integrating patient information across systems, research‑intensive fields like biomedicine, and large enterprises with fragmented data environments.</p><p>“Complex information systems can become more flexible, more accessible to domain experts, and far more adaptable as organisational needs change,” Wandji adds.</p><h3>Safer use of AI</h3><p>As AI systems take on greater responsibility for interacting with data in both the public and private sectors, secure data management becomes increasingly important. Giving AI direct access to databases carries significant risks. <br>With Wandji’s framework, the knowledge graph acts as a safety layer: AI systems interact with data through a controlled conceptual vocabulary, reducing the likelihood of incorrect or harmful updates.</p><p>“As AI systems assume more responsibility, it becomes crucial that they operate through structured and understandable interfaces. My research contributes to that foundation,” says Wandji.</p><h3>Further information </h3><p>Romuald Esdras Wandji defended his thesis at the <a href="~/link/f1ccf1d251be4f538a13df854f18fb07.aspx">Department of Computing Science</a> in May 2026. Principal supervisor: Professor and world-leading expert in artificial intelligence for data management, <a href="~/link/63284e4dfa5147229fa94740c4dc6090.aspx">Diego Calvanese</a>, <a href="https://wasp-sweden.org/">WASP</a>, (The Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program). Download the thesis <em>"Ontology-based Update in Virtual Knowledge Graphs"</em> <a href="http://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:2056610">here.</a></p><h3>Contact information </h3><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/romuald-esdras-wandji-588a5215b/">Contact Dr. Romuald Esdras Wandji</a></p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="bf230bae-1bc4-473d-8fc1-8edb9a87c129" data-contentname="Romuald Esdras Wandji">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/long-standing-data-challenge-solved-paving-the-way-for-faster-and-safer-data-management_12177206/https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-university-professor-awarded-prestigious-nih-grant_12177279/Umeå University professor awarded prestigious NIH grantDespite decades of research, we still do not fully understand how some of our most widely used antibiotics kill bacteria. Now, Professor Felipe Cava at Umeå University has received a prestigious NIH grant to solve this puzzle using new technology in close collaboration with a leading US researcher.Tue, 09 Jun 2026 10:43:13 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/c4a42b22d8964342a557b3f53e5be3b8/cava_felipe_4155_220422_mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/c4a42b22d8964342a557b3f53e5be3b8/cava_felipe_4155_220422_mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/c4a42b22d8964342a557b3f53e5be3b8/cava_felipe_4155_220422_mpn3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/c4a42b22d8964342a557b3f53e5be3b8/cava_felipe_4155_220422_mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/c4a42b22d8964342a557b3f53e5be3b8/cava_felipe_4155_220422_mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/c4a42b22d8964342a557b3f53e5be3b8/cava_felipe_4155_220422_mpn3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Professor Felipe Cava receiving the NIH fgrant highlights the strength of Umeå University’s international research environment in infection biology and the value of long-term collaboration.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson, simon ohman jonsson inhousebyran</span></div></div><p>“It feels very rewarding. This grant builds on several years of work in my lab, particularly the development of technologies that allow us to study the bacterial cell wall in unprecedented detail,” says Felipe Cava, professor at the Department of Molecular Biology at Umeå University.</p><p>He adds:</p><p>“It also reflects a long and highly productive collaboration with Associate Professor Tobias Dörr at Cornell University, which has been central to shaping the project. We came close in a previous round, so we refined our ideas and strengthened the science. Seeing that persistence pay off is very satisfying.”</p><p>Beta-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin, are among the most widely used treatments for bacterial infections. They target the bacterial cell wall, which is essential for survival. While we know these drugs block the enzymes that build the wall, how this ultimately leads to cell rupture remains unclear. In this project, Felipe Cava and Tobias Dörr aim to understand what happens inside the cell once wall construction is disrupted and how this process leads to cell death.</p><p>“By combining genetics, cell biology and biochemistry, we will track how the cell wall is remodelled and destabilised during treatment. We aim to build a more complete picture of how these antibiotics work,” says Felipe Cava.</p><p>The grant enables the team to tackle this challenge in ways not previously possible. A key limitation in the field has been the lack of tools to observe how the cell wall breaks down during treatment.</p><p>“In my lab, we recently developed a high‑throughput approach that changes this. For the first time, we can analyse not only intact cell wall material but also the fragments released as it is dismantled. These fragments are highly informative, as they reflect the processes that ultimately lead to bacterial lysis and death.”</p><p>This approach will now be applied at scale, in combination with genetic and systems-level analyses to map bacterial responses to antibiotics under different conditions. Beyond advancing fundamental knowledge, the work could reveal new vulnerabilities in bacterial pathogens and guide the development of improved antibiotics or compounds that enhance existing treatments, an urgent need as antimicrobial resistance continues to rise.</p><p>Felipe Cava’s collaboration with Tobias Dörr dates back to their postdoctoral days.</p><p>“We were both at Harvard around the same time. Early on, we realised we were interested in similar questions but approached them from different angles, which made collaboration a natural next step.”</p><p> </p><p>Since then, their labs have co-authored numerous papers. Felipe Cava’s group focuses on the biochemical and genetic basis of cell wall structure, while Tobias Dörr’s group specialises in antibiotic mechanisms and tolerance – together linking molecular detail with broader physiological responses.</p><p>“This project is the culmination of that collaboration, with shared experiments, regular discussions and lab visits, including Tobias’s visit to Umeå in 2023 and my visit to Cornell in 2024. Interestingly, this is our first joint grant, which makes it especially meaningful.”</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Highly competitive funding in biomedical science</h2><p>NIH R01 grants are among the most competitive in biomedical research, with success rates typically around 10–15%. For researchers outside the US, the bar is often even higher, as proposals must demonstrate clear added value beyond the US research landscape.</p><p>The project directly addresses antimicrobial resistance, one of the most pressing global health threats. By understanding in detail how beta-lactam antibiotics ultimately cause bacterial death – and why they sometimes fail – new strategies can be developed, including “antibiotic adjuvants” that enhance the effectiveness of existing drugs.</p><p>The grant is ca. 3M USD to share between the two researchers and it runs for five years. The project highlights the strength of Umeå University’s international research environment in infection biology and the value of long-term collaboration.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-university-professor-awarded-prestigious-nih-grant_12177279/https://www.umu.se/en/news/building-bridges-within-language-research-renders-honorary-doctorate_12177061/Honorary doctor builds bridges within language researchEnlli Thomas, Professor at Bangor University in Wales, has been appointed honorary doctor 2026 by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Umeå University. She is an internationally prominent linguist and has had a significant impact on both research and society.Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:36:26 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/c2b72cf3e7104e49bf49a85a4d30abf4/enlli_thomss_p1035938_33.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/c2b72cf3e7104e49bf49a85a4d30abf4/enlli_thomss_p1035938_33.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/c2b72cf3e7104e49bf49a85a4d30abf4/enlli_thomss_p1035938_33.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/c2b72cf3e7104e49bf49a85a4d30abf4/enlli_thomss_p1035938_33.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/c2b72cf3e7104e49bf49a85a4d30abf4/enlli_thomss_p1035938_33.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/c2b72cf3e7104e49bf49a85a4d30abf4/enlli_thomss_p1035938_33.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Enlli Thomas</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Dafydd Pattinson</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">I am guided by a belief that academic work should not only generate knowledge, but also contribute to policy, practice, and wider society</p><p>She is awarded the honorary doctorate for her long-standing and significant commitment to research and postgraduate education at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, and Umeå School of Education at Umeå University.<br> <br>The motivation describes how Enlli Thomas' main research interests and expertise include psycholinguistic approaches to the study of bilingual language acquisition, including children's acquisition of complex linguistic structures under conditions of minimal language input, bilingual assessment (psychometrics), and educational methods for language transfer, learning, and use.<br> <br>Enlli Thomas says that being appointed honorary doctor by Umeå University is a deeply meaningful and humbling recognition.<br> <br>“I see it as not only an acknowledgement of my own work, but also of the many collaborations and shared efforts that have developed over time between Bangor and Umeå”, says Enlli Thomas and continues:<br> <br>“Our relationship has grown organically through collegial collaborations with individuals such as Kirk Sullivan, Yvonne Knospe, Virginia Langum, and others across the Faculty. This honour therefore reflects a partnership that I value greatly and that has enriched my own work as much as it has contributed to others.”</p><h3>Support for linguistic diversity</h3><p>Enlli Thomas says that her main driving forces are a strong sense of social purpose and a commitment to ensuring that research has meaningful impact—particularly in relation to language, education, and communities.<br> <br>“I am especially motivated by questions around how bilingualism develops, how minority languages are sustained, and how education systems can support linguistic diversity.”<br> <br>“In teaching, I am driven by the opportunity to support students and early-career researchers—including doctoral students I have worked with at Umeå—in developing their ideas and confidence.”<br> <br>“Across both research and teaching, I am guided by a belief that academic work should not only generate knowledge, but also contribute to policy, practice, and wider society.”<br> <br>Her interests in bilingualism, language development, and education stems from a longstanding fascination with the relationship between language, identity, and opportunity.<br> <br>“Working within the Welsh language context brought into sharp focus the challenges and possibilities surrounding minority language use and transmission. This inspired a deeper interest in understanding how children acquire language in bilingual settings, particularly under conditions where input may be limited, and how educational approaches can support this process.”<br> <br>“Over time, this has evolved into a broader commitment to both theoretical and applied research, particularly where it can inform language policy and practice.”</p><h3>Building bridges within the academy and the society</h3><p>She describes her collaboration with colleagues at Umeå University as something that has been extensive and highly rewarding.<br> <br>“Since my first visit in 2017— as a member of Yvonne Knospe’s PhD examination committee—this has grown into a wide-ranging partnership. I have contributed regularly through lectures, workshops, and seminars, and have worked closely with doctoral students and early-career researchers through mentoring and feedback.” <br> <br>“I have also had the pleasure of engaging with colleagues including Yvonne Knospe, Virginia Langum, and Niclas Lindström through research visits, joint teaching activities, and ongoing academic exchange.”<br> <br>“Our collaborations have included joint research projects, such as an ESRC IAA seed-funded project and involvement of Kirk Sullivan and Hanna Outakoski on the Advisory Board of our Ein Llais Ni (Our Voice) oracy project, as well as publications and doctoral-level cooperation.” <br> <br>“I am also delighted to see collaborations extending further—for example, the joint work between Niclas Lindström and Gareth Evans-Jones and Eirini Sanoudaki and Sue Niebrzydowski’s participation in Umeå University’s doctoral education programmes.”<br> <br>“I have particularly valued the opportunity to connect Umeå colleagues to wider European networks in minority language research, while also learning from their important work on Sámi languages and Meänkieli.”</p><h3>Shared interests sustain through relationships</h3><p>An important aspect of her work has been building bridges—between institutions, disciplines, and communities.<br> <br>“The collaboration between Bangor and Umeå is a strong example of this, grounded in shared interests but sustained through relationships with colleagues at all career stages.”<br> <br>“I would also emphasise the importance of international collaboration in minority language research. The challenges we face are shared across contexts, and partnerships like those with colleagues at Umeå University demonstrate how much can be gained through sustained exchange and mutual learning.”<br> <br>“Looking ahead, I am particularly excited about deepening these connections further—through the continuation of initiatives such as joint doctoral programmes, enhanced research networks, and expanded opportunities for colleagues and students to work together.”</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/building-bridges-within-language-research-renders-honorary-doctorate_12177061/https://www.umu.se/en/news/using-agricultural-waste-to-clean-wastewater_12176534/<description>Water pollution caused by pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and other organic contaminants is an increasing global issue, especially in regions with limited wastewater treatment infrastructure. A new doctoral thesis from Umeå University, Sweden, offers an innovative and sustainable solution by demonstrating how agricultural waste can be converted into effective materials for water purification.</description><pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 08:00:11 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>The thesis focuses on water systems in Rwanda, where rapid urbanization, agriculture, and limited wastewater treatment contribute to widespread pollution.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Brigitte Mukarunyana</span></div></div><p>In her doctoral research in Chemistry, Brigitte Mukarunyana demonstrates how biochars and hydrochars, carbon-based materials produced from biomass such as coffee husks, coffee pulp, wood, and sugarcane residues, can effectively remove harmful contaminants from wastewater. The research combines advanced laboratory experiments with field studies to address real-world water pollution challenges.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareleft"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>Brigitte Mukarunyana. </p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Hans Karlsson</span></div></div><p>“Wastewater bears our mark; biomass restores,” says Brigitte Mukarunyana. “This research shows that locally available materials can become part of the solution to protect water resources and public health.”</p><h3>Traps and adsorbs pollutants</h3><p>The work focuses on water systems in Rwanda, where rapid urbanization, agriculture, and limited wastewater treatment contribute to widespread pollution. Field investigations revealed high levels of organic contaminants in both hospital wastewater and rivers. In hospital effluent, pharmaceutical concentrations reached 244,000 nanograms per litre, while river samples contained more than 50 different pharmaceutical compounds, alongside pesticides and plant-derived substances. These patterns showed that urban areas are mainly affected by pharmaceutical pollution, while rural and agricultural regions are more impacted by pesticides and natural organic compounds.</p><p>To address these challenges, the thesis investigates how agricultural waste can be transformed into water treatment materials through thermochemical processes such as pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization. The resulting biochars and hydrochars act as adsorbents, meaning they trap and retain contaminants from water. Experiments using real wastewater demonstrated that these materials can remove between 14 and 66 per cent of pharmaceuticals, approximately 75 per cent of pesticides, and, in some cases, achieve complete removal of specific compounds such as polyphenols. Under optimal conditions, some materials reached removal efficiencies above 90 per cent.</p><h3>Reduces wastes and costs</h3><p>A key contribution of the research is explaining why these materials are effective. Their performance depends on several factors, including the type of biomass used, the production process, and the resulting surface structure and chemistry. Rather than being driven by a single factor, pollutant removal is governed by a combination of mechanisms such as chemical interactions, hydrophobic attraction, and trapping within microscopic pores.</p><p>The study emphasizes the potential of transforming waste into a valuable resource, endorsing a circular approach where agricultural by-products are reused for environmental safety. This process reduces waste, lowers the cost of water treatment, and creates opportunities for local production of purification materials. It is particularly important for regions where centralized treatment systems are not feasible, as these materials can be produced locally and used in decentralized or small-scale applications.</p><p>The research, conducted at the Department of Chemistry at Umeå University in collaboration with international partners, provides a foundation for future development of sustainable water treatment technologies. Continued work will focus on scaling up production, testing the materials in real-life systems, and integrating them with existing treatment methods.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="ac18c03c-3f2d-42dd-b4f4-c96950a35e0f" data-contentname="About the dissertation">{}</div></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/using-agricultural-waste-to-clean-wastewater_12176534/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/arctic-six-fellow-strengthens-arctic-tourism-research-ties_12176606/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/arctic-six-fellow-strengthens-arctic-tourism-research-ties_12176606/</guid><title /><description>As Arctic tourism continues to expand, researchers are examining how rapid growth affects local communities, ecosystems and regional development. During an Arctic Six fellowship visit to Nord University, postdoctoral researcher Dorothee Bohn from Umeå University contributed to discussions on sustainable and interdisciplinary approaches to Arctic tourism research, while strengthening collaboration between researchers across the Nordic region.</description><pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:45:18 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><p>Tourism in the Arctic has grown rapidly in recent years, bringing new economic opportunities to northern communities but also increasing pressure on infrastructure, housing and local environments. These developments are creating new research questions that require collaboration across disciplines and national borders.</p><p>As part of her Arctic Six fellowship, Dorothee Bohn, postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Geography at Umeå University, recently visited Nord University in Norway to strengthen cooperation on interdisciplinary Arctic tourism research.</p><p>During the visit, Bohn participated in a seminar on polar tourism organised by the research groups Arctic Research group (ARISE) and Marketing, Management and Innovation of Experiences (MMIE) at Nord University. The seminar brought together researchers working on tourism development, sustainability and Arctic futures.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Rethinking communities in Arctic tourism</h2><p>In her presentation, Bohn discussed the need to rethink how communities are understood in tourism research. Arctic tourism is often described as a positive force for sparsely populated regions, generating jobs, income and development opportunities. However, she highlighted that the benefits and challenges of tourism are rarely distributed equally within communities.</p><p>“Tourism is often framed as something that benefits entire communities, but local communities are not homogeneous,” said Dorothee Bohn. “Different groups experience tourism development in very different ways, and these differences need greater attention in research and policy discussions.”</p><p class="quote-center">Tourism is often framed as something that benefits entire communities, but local communities are not homogeneous.</p><p>The presentation also addressed how rapid tourism growth can contribute to land-use conflicts, increased housing costs linked to short-term rentals, and widening socioeconomic inequalities. At the same time, researchers are increasingly calling for broader perspectives that include not only human communities, but also animals and ecosystems as part of Arctic social and environmental relations.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Interdisciplinary perspectives on polar tourism</h2><p>The seminar featured additional perspectives on Arctic tourism, including research presented by Alix Varnajot from the University of Oulu on icebreaker cruise tourism in the Central Arctic Ocean. Discussions from the seminar will continue during an upcoming ARISE writing retreat in May, where researchers will further develop collaborative ideas on tourism and community dynamics in the Arctic.</p><p>Following the seminar, Bohn spent several days at Nord University’s Levanger campus working together with Associate Professor Albina Pashkevich on future research initiatives focusing on labour, livelihoods and communities in Arctic tourism.</p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">Strengthening Arctic research collaboration</h2><p>The collaboration reflects the growing importance of interdisciplinary research on tourism in the Arctic, where economic development, environmental sustainability and social change are becoming increasingly interconnected. Through the Arctic Six network, universities across northern Sweden, Finland and Norway continue to strengthen research cooperation on issues that are central to the future of the Arctic region.</p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/arctic-six-fellow-strengthens-arctic-tourism-research-ties_12176606/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/why-do-rival-plants-coexist-_12176396/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/why-do-rival-plants-coexist-_12176396/</guid><title>Why do rival plants coexist? The secret is in the soil beneath the oaksResearchers from the Global Change Research Institute at Rey Juan Carlos University (IICG-URJC) and other institutions, including IceLab at Umeå University, have discovered that trees can act as mediators that balance competition between plants, preventing the strongest species from eliminating the weaker ones.Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:09:22 +0200<p>How can plants that compete for the same resources grow in the same area without one driving the other to extinction? Ecologists have been trying to answer this question for decades, and a surprising new explanation has now emerged: the soil surrounding oak trees acts as a silent mediator that restrains the dominant species and gives an advantage to weaker ones, allowing both to coexist.</p><p>A team of researchers led by Ezequiel Antorán and Joaquín Calatayud from the Global Change Research Institute at Rey Juan Carlos University (IICG- URJC) has published a study in the journal <em>Ecology Letters</em> — one of the most prestigious journals in the field — revealing how Pyrenean oaks (<em>Quercus pyrenaica</em>) alter the chemical and microbial composition of the surrounding soil.  This creates conditions different from those found elsewhere in the landscape. These conditions reduce the germination of gum rockrose (<em>Cistus ladanifer)</em>, the dominant and more aggressive species, while promoting the growth of laurel-leaf rockrose (<em>Cistus laurifolius</em>), the weaker species. The result: both species coexist.</p><p><strong>A mediator in the shadows</strong></p><p>The team designed experiments in which seeds from both rockrose species were grown in soils collected near oak trees and compared with soils unaffected by oaks. The results were clear: seeds of the dominant rockrose germinated less successfully in oak soil, while seedlings of the weaker rockrose grew better in it. These effects are driven both by chemical compounds that oaks accumulate in the soil — through their roots and decomposing leaves — and by the specific microorganisms living in that soil.</p><p>“It is as if the oak redistributes resources from below,” explains Ezequiel Antorán. “Without its presence, gum rockrose ends up dominating and laurel-leaf rockrose disappears. But with the oak acting in between, there is room for both,” adds the IICG-URJC researcher.</p><p><strong>Theory and nature agree</strong></p><p>To test whether these effects were sufficient to sustain coexistence over the long term, the team developed computer simulations based on the experimental data. Ezequiel Antorán worked on these simulations while visiting IceLab at Umeå University. </p><p>Linking ecological theory with mathematical models is one of the core strengths of IceLab. The computer simulations developed during Antorán’s research stay reproduced with remarkable accuracy the distribution patterns observed in nature.</p><p>The models reproduced the distribution patterns observed in nature with remarkable accuracy: the weaker rockrose species clustered near the oaks, while the dominant species thrived farther away. The simulations also showed that both populations remained stable over a period of 100 years.</p><p>"What makes this study special is that we not only explain the 'why' through experiments and field observations, but, thanks to the simulations I carried out while I was a visitor at IceLab in Umeå, we can also see the true importance of the mechanisms isolated in those experiments. Their effects hold up mathematically over time and are reflected in the field. That is quite difficult to achieve in ecology," says Ezequiel Antorán.</p><p><strong>Why this matters beyond the forest</strong></p><p>The findings have implications that extend far beyond the Central Mountain Range in Spain, where the study was carried out. Understanding how indirect interactions between species maintain biodiversity is crucial for ecosystem management, habitat restoration, and predicting how plant communities will respond to climate change or species loss. If we remove ecosystem mediators — trees such as oaks — we may unknowingly disrupt the balances that allow many other species to coexist.</p><p>The study involved researchers from the University of Valladolid, Umeå University (Sweden), the Doñana Biological Station (CSIC), and the Autonomous University of Madrid. Funding was provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the Community of Madrid.</p><p><strong>Connection to IceLab at Umeå University  </strong></p><p>The discovery was made possible through close international collaboration. A key part of the research took shape at Umeå University, where researcher Ezequiel Antorán was a guest researcher in 2025 and 2026. </p><p>"I took advantage of the strongly interdisciplinary environment at IceLab in Umeå to carry out the computer simulations and data analysis together with Rubén Bernardo," explains Ezequiel Antorán. "The scientific ecosystem at IceLab, which is highly focused on connecting mathematics with theoretical ecology, provided the perfect environment for digitally testing what we observed in the field," he adds.</p><p> </p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/why-do-rival-plants-coexist-_12176396/https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-research-project-selected-for-ivas-list-for-research-impact-2026_12176505/Umeå research project selected for IVA’s List for Research Impact 2026The project "Sustainable farming of shrimp and fish in Umeå", led by Olivier Keech, has been selected for the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences’ (IVA) 2026 list for research impact.Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:56:26 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/2ad9bc9e0d6b4c2b86cf2a8151e3088e/olivierkeech-2499-fredriklarsson2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2ad9bc9e0d6b4c2b86cf2a8151e3088e/olivierkeech-2499-fredriklarsson2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2ad9bc9e0d6b4c2b86cf2a8151e3088e/olivierkeech-2499-fredriklarsson2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/2ad9bc9e0d6b4c2b86cf2a8151e3088e/olivierkeech-2499-fredriklarsson2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2ad9bc9e0d6b4c2b86cf2a8151e3088e/olivierkeech-2499-fredriklarsson2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2ad9bc9e0d6b4c2b86cf2a8151e3088e/olivierkeech-2499-fredriklarsson2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Olivier Keech.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Fredrik Larsson</span></div></div><p>The list highlights Swedish research projects with strong potential to create tangible societal benefits through innovation, commercialisation and collaboration. This year’s list includes 30 projects from 13 higher education institutions across Sweden.</p><p>“I am very happy to hear that our project was selected for this prestigious opportunity; it may open up constructive paths forward, both for scientific and business-related aspects,” says Olivier Keech, Associate professor at the Department of Plant Physiology.</p><p>The project focuses on developing a circular system for locally farming tropical shrimp and fish in Umeå using surplus heat from the Dåva combined heat and power plant. The first trials will take place in 2026, with the ambition that food producers, energy companies and municipalities will be able to benefit from the solution for climate-smart and resilient food production.</p><p>“There is still a lot of work ahead, but there is a growing interest in securing food production in Sweden, especially when the goal is to deliver high quality products with low carbon footprint and proper animal welfare.”</p><p>A key component of the project is the interaction between different systems, where waste from one process becomes a resource for another.</p><p>“Industrial symbiosis is clearly the key to a sustainable future. We need to draw inspiration from all biological organisms that thrive from their symbiotic environment,” says Olivier Keech.</p><p><a href="~/link/88b6043753374a50a362823be873e366.aspx">Read more about Olivier Keech’s project</a></p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="1f1ecdce-304a-4d51-82ee-e7793240c241" data-contentname="About IVA's list">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/umea-research-project-selected-for-ivas-list-for-research-impact-2026_12176505/https://www.umu.se/en/news/ase-tieva-appointed-director-of-upl_12176182/<description>On 1 July, Åse Tieva will take up the position of Director of the Centre for Educational Development (UPL), succeeding Eva Svedmark.</description><pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:52:39 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="763283fe-6ef5-43b8-9f78-f96291bd8978" data-contentname="Bild Åse, Nyhet föreståndare">{}</div><p>Originally trained as a biologist, Åse Tieva has been part of Umeå University since the 1990s. She earned her PhD in 2002 at the Faculty of Medicine and subsequently worked as a researcher for several years. During that period, she began reflecting on her role as a natural scientist working within a medical context.</p><p>“I enjoyed both the subject and the research, but I think I missed the human connection.”</p><p>A temporary teaching position at the Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science gave her the opportunity to start teaching, a shift that would have a lasting impact on her career. She taught natural science subjects in a social science environment, where students’ primary interests often lay elsewhere in their degree programmes. This experience came to shape her approach to teaching.</p><p>“The students were not always there because they were interested in the subject itself. It became important to find ways of making the content meaningful and accessible. There was something rewarding in helping students understand something they had not initially been interested in.”</p><p>In 2008, she was appointed Senior Lecturer at the department. Over the following years, her interest in teaching and student learning continued to grow. At the same time, she attended courses offered by UPL, where she encountered educational perspectives and built a network that would become highly significant for her future work.</p><p>Through this engagement, she became involved in the development of learning environments, including projects connected to Humanisthuset and Rooms for Learning. Together with colleagues, she explored new approaches to teaching, moving from more lecture-based formats towards increasingly student-centred and active learning methods.</p><p>Since then, she has participated in several major educational development and research projects related to learning environments, including Learning Lab and initiatives focusing on hybrid teaching. These projects have been carried out in collaboration with teachers, professional services staff and external partners, providing her with an extensive network both within and beyond the university, nationally as well as internationally.</p><h3>Experience from Across the University</h3><p>On 1 July, Åse will assume the role of Director of UPL. Issues relating to learning environments, student learning, teachers’ conditions for teaching and educational quality have long been central to her work. At the same time, she emphasises the importance of staying close to educational practice and understanding what actually happens in teaching and learning contexts.</p><p>“We need to keep our ear to the ground and understand what is happening across the university. That is where we can make a difference.”</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="6a79a237-5fd9-40ee-af35-7ecbe8940e14" data-contentname="Bild Åse, tittar åt sidan, Nyhet föreståndare">{}</div><p>For Åse, the role involves moving between different levels of the university: leading UPL’s work in close collaboration with educational practice while also contributing to strategic discussions about teaching and learning at the institutional level. In her view, these dimensions are closely connected. Educational development should be grounded in research and proven experience, while also responding to the questions and needs that arise in everyday educational practice.</p><p>With a background spanning several faculties and areas of university activity, from the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Faculty of Medicine to social science teaching and educational development, Åse has experience from a wide range of academic environments. This has given her an understanding that teaching and educational development take different forms in different contexts, something she sees as a strength in her new role.</p><p>“It is important to recognise that different parts of the university have different conditions and needs.”</p><h3>A Foundation for Future Development</h3><p>Artificial intelligence is one of the areas that Åse believes will have a major impact on higher education in the years ahead. For her, an important question is how universities can create opportunities for shared learning and reflection around emerging challenges and possibilities. The recently launched initiative AI for Learning is one example of how UPL responds to needs within the organisation by providing a common platform for knowledge sharing, dialogue and collegial learning. Through this initiative, teachers and other university staff can explore together how AI can be used in thoughtful and responsible ways within education.</p><p>At a time when higher education is undergoing significant change, she sees a need both to build on existing knowledge and to create space for new ways of thinking about teaching and learning. For Åse, the role is largely about moving between the immediate and the strategic: between teachers’ everyday practice, students’ learning and the broader questions shaping the future development of the university.</p><p>“There is already a great deal of knowledge and commitment across the university. I hope to contribute by creating contexts where that can continue to grow and develop.”</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="3be96cad-e120-42b8-9768-45f84b443147" data-contentname="Åse Tieva">{}</div></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/ase-tieva-appointed-director-of-upl_12176182/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/new-perspectives-on-course-and-programme-design_12176363/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-perspectives-on-course-and-programme-design_12176363/</guid><title>New Perspectives on Course and Programme DesignDuring the 2025–2026 academic year, UPL offered a workshop series on course and programme design, bringing together participants from all four faculties and Student Services.Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:02:39 +0200<div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="ddee0ba9-dd02-43e4-b538-c19cec74a577" data-contentname="Bild programdesignverkstad">{}</div><p>Through six workshops, participants explored questions that many higher education programmes face today: how education can evolve in response to societal change, how student learning can be strengthened, and how courses and programmes can be designed to create coherent and sustainable educational experiences.</p><p>One of the perspectives explored was Curriculum Agility, which focuses on how educational programmes can remain flexible and responsive to changing conditions. Against a backdrop of technological developments, generative AI, changing student populations and economic challenges, participants reflected on how education can evolve while remaining aligned with university quality systems.</p><p>The workshops encouraged participants to identify and prioritise the changes most relevant to their own educational contexts and to consider how programmes can adapt without losing coherence or quality.</p><h3>Putting the Student Perspective at the Centre</h3><p>Several workshops focused on Learning Experience Design and how educational design influences students’ opportunities to learn and thrive. Participants worked with concepts such as intrinsic motivation, agency, recovery and well-being, exploring how course and programme design can support meaningful learning experiences.</p><p>A recurring feature of the workshop series was the combination of new perspectives and practical development work connected to participants’ own courses and programmes.</p><p>Eva Tengman, Director of Studies and Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, participated in the workshop series and highlights the value of viewing education through the students’ eyes.</p><p>“The Empathic Course Design workshop provided valuable perspectives by placing the student at the centre and reflecting on course design from the standpoint of different student circumstances.” She also emphasises the broader programme perspective:</p><p>“In the Learning Experience Design workshop, the programme is analysed from a student and learning perspective. Many different learning and pedagogical perspectives are discussed.”</p><h3>Integrated Programme Design</h3><p>Another recurring theme was integrated programme design and how courses and programmes can be connected more intentionally. Participants explored questions related to progression, alignment between courses, and the planning of assessment and examination to support student learning and study progression throughout an entire programme.</p><p>The series also included workshops on the Flexpert Teacher perspective. Participants discussed the importance of clear communication, the relationship between parallel courses, and the many roles teachers take on in higher education, including subject expert, coach and facilitator.</p><p>A central idea was that teachers need to move flexibly between different roles depending on the needs of their students and learning context. Participants also reflected on how their own values, beliefs and assumptions about good education influence the choices they make in their teaching through the exploration of different Curriculum Perspectives.</p><h3>Continuing the Conversation</h3><p>Although the workshop series has now concluded, the questions at its core remain highly relevant. How can courses and programmes be designed to remain coherent and sustainable over time? How can the student perspective be used as a resource in educational development? And how can education continue to evolve in a changing world?</p><p>Departments and programmes interested in exploring these questions further are welcome to contact UPL. The workshops can be offered as tailored professional development activities adapted to local needs, providing opportunities for continued dialogue, collaborative exploration and exchange of experiences.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-perspectives-on-course-and-programme-design_12176363/https://www.umu.se/en/news/study-shows-how-the-fetal-environment-may-reduce-the-risk-of-type-1-diabetes_12176110/Study shows how the fetal environment may reduce the risk of type 1 diabetesResearchers at Umeå University have shown in a new study that the environment in the womb can leave lasting imprints on the immune system and influence the risk of developing type 1 diabetes, even when genetic background is the same. The findings refine our understanding of how genetic and early environmental factors interact in autoimmune diseases.Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:27:24 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/b188eae927f248dc8089eaca50116b5d/lejon_renman_labb_260601-jnm5.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b188eae927f248dc8089eaca50116b5d/lejon_renman_labb_260601-jnm5.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b188eae927f248dc8089eaca50116b5d/lejon_renman_labb_260601-jnm5.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/b188eae927f248dc8089eaca50116b5d/lejon_renman_labb_260601-jnm5.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b188eae927f248dc8089eaca50116b5d/lejon_renman_labb_260601-jnm5.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b188eae927f248dc8089eaca50116b5d/lejon_renman_labb_260601-jnm5.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Professor Kristina Lejon and research engineer Emma Renman show that the environment in the womb can shape immune system development and help reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes, independent of genetic factors. </p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Johanna Nordström</span></div></div><p>“Our results from a mouse study suggest that the maternal immune system influences how the offspring’s immune cells mature and function, beyond what genetics alone can explain,” says Kristina Lejon, Professor at the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Umeå University, who led the study.</p><p>The study is based on a well-established experimental model using mice that spontaneously develop type 1 diabetes, known as NOD mice. The researchers transferred NOD embryos into females of another mouse strain (B6). This approach allowed them to investigate how the fetal environment – independent of genetics – affects immune system development and the subsequent risk of disease.</p><p>NOD mice that developed in B6 females showed around a 50 percent lower incidence of type 1 diabetes compared with NOD mice carried by NOD females. At the same time, the degree of inflammatory infiltration in the pancreas was comparable between the groups, suggesting that the difference lies in how the immune response is regulated rather than whether inflammation occurs.</p><p>When the researchers examined the immune systems of these mice, they observed long-lasting changes. The immune system appeared more balanced, with an increased number of cells that dampen excessive immune responses and altered patterns of self-reactive antibodies. This in turn may reduce the likelihood of disease development.</p><p>The researchers were able to rule out genetic differences and postnatal influences from the maternal gut microbiota as explanations for the effect.</p><p>“One possible explanation is instead that antibodies transferred via the placenta influence how the immune system is programmed early in life,” says Emma Renman, research engineer at the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Umeå University.</p><p>“This shows that maternal factors can shape the offspring’s immune system in a deeper way than previously understood,” says Kristina Lejon.</p><p>The study raises new questions about whether similar mechanisms may influence disease risk in humans, and how early factors during pregnancy could potentially contribute to preventing autoimmune disease.</p><p>The study was conducted at Umeå University and funded by the Odd Fellow Order and Umeå University.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/study-shows-how-the-fetal-environment-may-reduce-the-risk-of-type-1-diabetes_12176110/https://www.umu.se/en/news/on-language-and-identities-in-the-seychelles-_12176083/On language and identities in the Seychelles The history of the Seychelles is marked by having been a French slave-based settlement and British colony. In a new dissertation, Ronia Anacoura at Umeå University examines how historical and contemporary language policy influences society's perceptions and practices regarding language in the Seychelles. Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:00:55 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/a2f38df5467a48e49dfbd437f7007e53/ronia_anacoura_img_6269-1.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/a2f38df5467a48e49dfbd437f7007e53/ronia_anacoura_img_6269-1.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/a2f38df5467a48e49dfbd437f7007e53/ronia_anacoura_img_6269-1.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/a2f38df5467a48e49dfbd437f7007e53/ronia_anacoura_img_6269-1.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/a2f38df5467a48e49dfbd437f7007e53/ronia_anacoura_img_6269-1.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/a2f38df5467a48e49dfbd437f7007e53/ronia_anacoura_img_6269-1.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Ronia Anacoura</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Per Melander</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">The thesis highlights the importance of language in the construction of Seychellois identity</p><p><strong>The dissertation is</strong> a sociolinguistic study of language ideologies in the Seychelles, which has English and French as national languages alongside Seselwa, which is the country's first language. The focus is on the roles that Seselwa, English and French have played in language policy over time and within different sociopolitical domains throughout the country's history to date. <br> <br><strong>Ronia Anacoura says</strong> she has used various methods to investigate the continuing interaction between declared and actual language policy in the Seychelles. Her thesis highlights the importance of language in the construction of Seychellois identity, as well as the ongoing negotiation between dominant and subordinate languages in public sector domains , including the judiciary, the parliament and politics, the public space, the public media and public education.<br> <br><strong>Ronia Anacoura uses</strong> <strong>Shohamy’s</strong> <em>De Facto Language Policy Framework</em>, formulated around the postcolonial concepts of language hegemony and the formation of Creole identities, my study aims to uncover the ideologies that underpin language policy, the historical and social factors that shape it, and their practical impact on national identity, social inclusion and language governance in Seychelles.” <br> <br><strong>She concludes by</strong> <strong>highlighting</strong> that the thesis aims to contribute to academic debates on language hegemony, Creole identity and policy development, while offering insights for future language governance in multilingual postcolonial societies.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/on-language-and-identities-in-the-seychelles-_12176083/https://www.umu.se/en/news/siemens-financial-services-best-student-thesis-award_12175979/Siemens Financial Services Best Student Thesis Award 2026The Siemens Financial Services Thesis Award in Finance is awarded to Felix Forsgren and Albin Renlund, Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics, for their thesis entitled “Capital Structure Adjustment in Nordic M&A: The Speed of Post-Acquisition Leverage Convergence.” The award includes a scholarship of SEK 20 000 and will be presented at the USBE graduation ceremony, 4 June, 2026.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:31:15 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/f63173a214344e39b994e01a8d94c7cf/albin_renlund2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/f63173a214344e39b994e01a8d94c7cf/albin_renlund2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/f63173a214344e39b994e01a8d94c7cf/albin_renlund2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/f63173a214344e39b994e01a8d94c7cf/albin_renlund2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/f63173a214344e39b994e01a8d94c7cf/albin_renlund2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/f63173a214344e39b994e01a8d94c7cf/albin_renlund2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Albin Renlund</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Private</span></div></div><h3>Albin Renlund:</h3><p>First, I would like to thank Siemens Financial Services for awarding us the Best Student Thesis Award in finance 2026. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to my thesis partner, Felix, for his outstanding work throughout the entire writing process.</p><p>It is incredibly rewarding and an honor that our thesis has been recognized as being of high quality and relevant to the field of finance. Finally, I would like to thank our supervisor, Ebrahim Bazrafshan, for his support, guidance, and valuable criticism throughout the thesis process, which helped ensure that our study maintained a high standard and contributed to the field of research.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/f63173a214344e39b994e01a8d94c7cf/felix_forsgren2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/f63173a214344e39b994e01a8d94c7cf/felix_forsgren2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/f63173a214344e39b994e01a8d94c7cf/felix_forsgren2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/f63173a214344e39b994e01a8d94c7cf/felix_forsgren2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/f63173a214344e39b994e01a8d94c7cf/felix_forsgren2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/f63173a214344e39b994e01a8d94c7cf/felix_forsgren2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Felix Forsgren</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Hamrén</span></div></div><h3>Felix Forsgren:</h3><p>I'm very grateful to Siemens Financial Services and Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics for this award. Receiving this recognition is both an honor and a meaningful confirmation of the time and effort we put into this thesis, and it's especially rewarding that our work has been recognized for its relevance to the field of finance. I would like to thank my thesis partner Albin for his work ethic and dedication throughout the entire process. I would also like to express my appreciation to our supervisor Ebrahim Bazrafshan whose guidance, feedback, and mentorship were valuable in helping us improve and deliver a high-quality thesis.</p><h3>Word from the jury</h3><p>The jury mention in their decision that the winning thesis has a well motivated research question, that is commendable analyzed with relevant methods and data. The thesis, that is well written, contribute with both theoretical and practical knowledge regarding capital structure adjustments among Nordic firms following a firm acquisition. </p><p>The price, which is handed out as a scholarship, has been made financially possible through USBE’s collaboration with <a href="https://new.siemens.com/se/sv/produkter/finansiering.html">Siemens Financial Services</a>.</p><h3>About the thesis</h3><p>The thesis supervisor was <a href="~/link/ca2077e227644d94806491ff4bdac108.aspx">Ebrahim Bazrafshan</a>.</p><p>The thesis can be found <a href="#mce_temp_url#">here</a>.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/siemens-financial-services-best-student-thesis-award_12175979/https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-material-can-purify-water-store-energy-and-emit-light_12174292/<description>By adding small amounts of metal to an established biomaterial, a doctoral researcher at Umeå University has developed new functionalities with potential applications ranging from environmental remediation to electronics and lighting.</description><pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:04:59 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><p>One and the same material, but with completely different properties depending on which metal is added. This is the core of the research presented by Sana Elbashir in her upcoming doctoral thesis at the Department of Applied Physics and Electronics at Umeå University.</p><p class="quote-center">The same crystal structure produces two entirely different outcomes depending on which metal we add</p><p>By “doping” the synthetic biomaterial β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) with zinc or copper, she has demonstrated how the material’s function can be directed in different ways – from light emission to the chemical breakdown of pollutants.</p><p>– The same crystal structure produces two entirely different outcomes depending on which metal we add. Zinc directs the energy into chemical reactions, while copper instead converts it into light, says Sana Elbashir.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Can break down pollutants using sunlight</h2><p>The zinc-doped variant showed particularly promising results as a photocatalyst. Under simulated sunlight, the material efficiently broke down organic dyes while maintaining good stability.</p><p>This opens up potential applications in areas such as environmental technology, where sunlight can be used to enhance the breakdown of pollutants in water.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="fe331496-a9b1-4589-898b-c0807849c7a7" data-contentname="Sana - XR">{}</div><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Relevant for electronics and sensors</h2><p>At the same time, the metal-modified materials exhibited improved electrical properties. Their ability to store electrical charge increased significantly, and charge dynamics became faster compared to the pure material.<br>These properties make the material relevant for future electronics, for example in small capacitors or sensors.</p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">From biomaterial to multifunctional applications</h2><p>β-TCP is already used in medical applications, for example in bone regeneration and drug delivery. The new research shows that the material can also be adapted for entirely different uses without losing its biocompatibility.</p><p>– This means that in the future, we could develop materials that combine medical functionality with additional features, such as preventing infections or enabling controlled drug release, says Sana Elbashir.</p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-material-can-purify-water-store-energy-and-emit-light_12174292/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/after-the-war-mostar-is-shaped-by-struggles-over-memory-and-the-future_12175595/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/after-the-war-mostar-is-shaped-by-struggles-over-memory-and-the-future_12175595/</guid><title>After the war, Mostar is shaped by struggles over memory and the futureWhat should be preserved, rebuilt or forgotten after a war? New research from Umeå University shows how conflicts over history, identity and the future continue to shape the Bosnian city of Mostar, three decades after the Bosnian War.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:00:07 +0200<p class="quote-center">Places are never experienced solely as physical locations</p><p>The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995 left large parts of the city of Mostar in ruins. But rebuilding the city has involved far more than repairing houses and streets. That is the conclusion of new research from Umeå University.</p><p>According to Matheus Souza, a doctoral student in political science, the city’s spaces still carry different narratives about the past and competing visions of the future.</p><p>"My research shows that places are never experienced solely as physical locations. They are also shaped by different memories of the past, experiences of the present and expectations for the future," he says.</p><p>For some politicians and other influential actors, the remaining war ruins symbolised stagnation and a need for modernisation. Other residents and organisations instead saw value in preserving places connected to memory and continuity from before the war.</p><p>"Other people described certain places through feelings of waiting, stagnation and uncertainty, arguing that everyday life in the city had become “stuck” after the war," says Souza.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Competing visions of the city</h2><p>The different perspectives became visible in several places across Mostar. The conflicts concerned not only war ruins and memorial sites, but also new commercial developments and artistic initiatives.</p><p>"Cities after war are shaped not only through physical reconstruction, but also through conflicts over which histories should remain visible, what kinds of changes should take place and what kind of future the city should move towards," says Souza.</p><p>Among the sites highlighted in the research are memorial spaces such as Partisan Memorial Cemetery, Liska Cemetery and Ljiljan Memorial. Souza also examines development projects including Rondo Commercial Complex, as well as local initiatives connected to Street Arts Festival Mostar and Bulevar of Friendship.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Interviews conducted while walking through the city</h2><p>The material is based on qualitative fieldwork carried out in Mostar between 2023 and 2025. Through interviews and walking conversations with residents, artists, politicians and representatives of local organisations, Matheus Souza explored how people experience the city’s transformation after the war.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>The city of Mostar. Photo: Matheus Souza.</p></div></div><p>Instead of conducting traditional interviews, the conversations took place while participants moved through environments marked by both destruction and reconstruction. Discussions were held at ruins, memorial sites, cafés and new urban development projects. The method made it possible to capture how emotions, memories and expectations for the future become connected to specific places in the city.</p><p>"These walks showed how people connected emotions, memories and expectations for the future directly to specific places throughout the city," says Souza.</p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">Peace is also shaped through everyday life</h2><p>The research also points to a broader perspective on peacebuilding after war. According to Matheus Souza, peace cannot be understood solely through political agreements or the absence of violence.</p><p>"Peace is also shaped through the organisation of urban space and time: through whether people are able to maintain continuity in everyday life, whether they can recognise themselves in the city around them and whether they can imagine sustainable futures after the war," he says.</p><p>In Mostar, new urban development projects could be perceived both as progress and as loss. When familiar buildings and shared meeting places disappeared, people’s sense of belonging to the city was also affected.</p><p>The research therefore shows that post-war urban development is not only a technical or economic issue.</p><p>"They also affect whether life after the war feels socially meaningful, familiar and liveable for the people who live in the city," says Matheus Souza.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/after-the-war-mostar-is-shaped-by-struggles-over-memory-and-the-future_12175595/https://www.umu.se/en/news/graduate-course-collaboration-sparks-new-plant-growth-insights_12175699/Graduate course collaboration sparks new plant growth insightsA chance encounter between a plant physiologist and a computational biologist at Umeå University’s interdisciplinary "IceLab Camp" has developed into an ongoing collaboration exploring how plants regulate root growth in response to nutrients. Mathematical models were a crucial component to bypass a major experimental bottleneck.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:59:30 +0200<h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">From IceLab Camp project to research collaboration</h2><p>The collaboration began in September 2024 during IceLab Camp, an interdisciplinary graduate course organized by the Integrated Science Lab (IceLab) at Umeå University. The course is designed to spark new interdisciplinary research ideas. Barbora Pařízková, a plant physiologist at the Umeå Plant Science Centre, and Suvam Roy, a computational biologist at the Department of Molecular Biology, were brought together through the course’s interdisciplinary team-building approach.</p><p class="quote-center">This collaboration showed how mathematical models can help us test scenarios that are simply not possible in real life. It turned a biological wall into a roadmap for discovery.</p><p>As participants presented their research projects to one another, the pair discovered that Suvam Roy’s expertise in computational modelling could help Barbora Pařízková in her research on how different forms of nitrogen affect plant architecture. Specifically, it could help overcome a major limitation in her experimental work.</p><p>"When we started talking about our projects, I realised Suvam might provide computational tools that could help to overcome an experimental bottleneck in mine. I study the role of plant hormones in root development, but these hormones are so essential that we cannot remove them genetically. We needed modelling to simulate situations we cannot create experimentally," Barbora Pařízková explains.</p><p>This formed the basis for their joint project for the course. While the course came to an end, the collaboration did not – Barbora and Suvam continued working together and now, in the spring of 2026, their research is ready to be submitted to an academic journal. </p><h3>Mathematical modelling reveals hidden root growth mechanisms</h3><p>Barbora Pařízková was interested in the effect organic nitrogen has on root development. She looked closely at the amino acid L-Glutamine (L-GLN) and its growth-promoting effects. Barbora discovered that L-GLN triggers auxin, a plant hormone critical for root development. To further study this auxin link, she would need to isolate different pathways to produce auxin – unfortunately, this was not something she could do experimentally.  </p><p>Because auxin is essential for survival, plants have evolved multiple overlapping pathways for producing it.  If one pathway is blocked, other pathways can compensate, and production continues. This makes it nearly impossible for traditional lab experiments to study individual auxin biosynthetic pathways. </p><p>When some biological questions cannot easily be tested experimentally, mathematical models can help researchers explore possible scenarios and generate predictions. This was exactly what Barbora and Suvam began to do.  <br> <br>Using metabolic simulations based on transcriptomics data, Suvam explored how plants respond to L-GLN via auxin. “The model suggested that plants supplied with glutamine activated an alternative auxin biosynthesis pathway compared with plants supplied with nitrate, promoting root growth", explains Suvam Roy. <br> <br>The computational modeling also helped identify candidate regulatory genes involved in activation of specialized root primordia in response to L-GLN. Two of these genes appeared to limit activation of lateral root growth. To validate the model’s predictions, the team generated plants lacking these genes and observed increased lateral root activation. <br> <br>Barbora Pařízková and Suvam Roy are excited to share more details on their discoveries once the scientific peer review process is completed. </p><h3>The value of interdisciplinary collaboration</h3><p>Barbora Pařízková had sought help with how to study individual biosynthesis pathways of the critical plant growth hormone auxin before. She presented her research problem at an IceLab Lunch Pitch event in the spring of 2024 but did not find the right connection to other researchers then. She persisted, however, and at IceLab Camp the right ingredients came together to make the research possible. </p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/dad8526f5ad84b90b1f36caac56be579/20240313_icelablunchpitch-07.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/dad8526f5ad84b90b1f36caac56be579/20240313_icelablunchpitch-07.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/dad8526f5ad84b90b1f36caac56be579/20240313_icelablunchpitch-07.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/dad8526f5ad84b90b1f36caac56be579/20240313_icelablunchpitch-07.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/dad8526f5ad84b90b1f36caac56be579/20240313_icelablunchpitch-07.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/dad8526f5ad84b90b1f36caac56be579/20240313_icelablunchpitch-07.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Barbora Parizkova discusses lateral root growth at an IceLab Lunch Pitch on March 13, 2024.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>GABRIELLE BEANS</span></div></div><p>"This collaboration showed how mathematical models can help us test scenarios that are simply not possible in real life," says Barbora Pařízková. "It turned a biological wall into a roadmap for discovery."</p><p>For Suvam Roy, the project highlights the value of interdisciplinary environments and activities where researchers with very different expertise can exchange ideas early on.</p><p>“The project emerged directly from conversations during IceLab Camp,” he says. “It showed how computational and experimental approaches can complement one another in unexpected ways.”</p><p> </p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/graduate-course-collaboration-sparks-new-plant-growth-insights_12175699/https://www.umu.se/en/news/more-than-300-international-masters-graduates-celebrated_12175538/More than 300 international master’s graduates celebrated at Umeå UniversityOn 27 May, Umeå University celebrated more than 300 graduates from over 40 international master’s programmes at its annual Graduation Ceremony. Aula Nordica was filled with pride as students, staff, family, and friends gathered to honour this year’s graduating class and the journeys behind their success.Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:12:08 +0200<p>During the festive ceremony, students from around the world marked the near completion of their studies and the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. Deputy Vice-Chancellor Cathrine Norberg delivered the graduation address, offering both encouragement and practical advice as the graduates prepare for their next steps.</p><p class="quote-center">Thank you for enriching our university with your presence and for contributing with your knowledge and valuable new perspectives that make Umeå University even stronger.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9885_260527_mgg.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9885_260527_mgg.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9885_260527_mgg.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9885_260527_mgg.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9885_260527_mgg.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9885_260527_mgg.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Deputy Vice-Chancellor Cathrine Norberg delivers an address to the 2026 international master's graduates.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Malin Grönborg</span></div></div><p>”You have reached an important milestone in your lives, and should be really proud of yourselves,” said Cathrine Norberg. “I want to thank you for enriching our university with your presence and for contributing with your knowledge and valuable new perspectives that make Umeå University even stronger. My hope is that your thirst for knowledge will continue. Your future workplaces need people like you who are innovative, who think critically, who are equipped with knowledge, who care for others, and who want to make a difference.”</p><h3>A student perspective on the journey</h3><p>Each year, a student is nominated to represent the graduating class by delivering a speech at the ceremony. This year’s student speaker was Marcos Cardoso de Souza from Brazil, graduating from the Master’s programme in Public Health.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9908_260527_mgg.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9908_260527_mgg.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9908_260527_mgg.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9908_260527_mgg.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9908_260527_mgg.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9908_260527_mgg.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Marcos Cardoso de Souza, the 2026 Graduation Ceremony student speaker, pointed out in his public health classroom, there were people from seventeen different countries provided a cultural mix that opens your mind to different points of view. </p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Malin Grönborg</span></div></div><p>In his speech, he reflected on the challenges he faced before coming to Umeå and the diversity of the student group within his programme.</p><p class="quote-center">Always trust yourself and your capability. You will make it through!</p><p>”Over these years of studying here, I have had the opportunity to meet so many people of diverse backgrounds and cultures,” said Marcos Cardoso de Souza. ”In my public health classroom, there were people from seventeen different countries. It provided a culture mix that opens your mind to different points of view. I wish you all the next step to be smooth and linear, gently towards your desirable future. But if it takes more time than expected, always trust yourself and your capability. You will make it through!”</p><h3>An alumni perspective on education and intellectual freedom</h3><p>This year’s alumni speaker was Jessica K. Ljungberg, who earned her PhD in Public Health and Clinical Medicine at Umeå University in 2006. She is now Professor of Engineering Psychology at Luleå University of Technology. Her research focuses on attention and memory, as well as how distractions such as noise affect performance, alongside areas such as ageing, brain plasticity, and lifelong learning.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9934_260527_mgg.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9934_260527_mgg.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9934_260527_mgg.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9934_260527_mgg.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9934_260527_mgg.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/d0ae7ca4d5514069b35ee65e4dbaee5c/graduationceremony_ceremony-9934_260527_mgg.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>2026 Graduation Ceremony alumni speaker Jessica K. Ljungberg delivered a heartfelt and motivational speech.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Malin Grönborg</span></div></div><p>In her speech, she highlighted the role of universities as spaces for free thinking, curiosity, and critical reflection.<br><br>“Universities gave me something larger than a career, it gave me freedom. The freedom to think, to ask questions, to collaborate with people from other cultures and disciplines. Your background does not define your limits. Your uniqueness matters. Your voice matters. The world needs people who dare to think freely. Education is not about building a career, it is about becoming a freer human being,” said Jessica K. Ljungberg.</p><h3>A dynamic celebration shaped by international diversity</h3><p>The ceremony also included three performances by the Umeå Student Choir, an ensemble closely connected to both university ceremonies and Umeå’s cultural life. The formal programme was followed by a reception, where students and guests gathered to celebrate and capture memories at a popular photo booth.<br><br>The new graduates from a wide range of degree programmes and backgrounds came together, reflecting the strong international dimension of Umeå University. As they now take the next step, they carry with them knowledge, experiences and networks that will connect them to Umeå for years to come.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/more-than-300-international-masters-graduates-celebrated_12175538/https://www.umu.se/en/news/continuous-cover-forestry-favour-hair-lichens_12175113/Continuous cover forestry favour hair lichensIndustrial forestry has through clearcutting caused a large-scale decline of hair lichens in Sweden’s forests. Researchers in Umeå University, University of Northern British Columbia, Canada, and Norwegian University of Life Sciences have in a large-scaled field-experiment shown that partial cutting can increase abundance of hair lichens. The study is published in Forest Ecology and Management which publishes original research in forest ecology.Mon, 01 Jun 2026 08:00:10 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>The study was carried out in Vindeln Experimental Forests. The photo shows strongly thinned forest (67 percent removal) with datalogger that measures temperature, relative humidity and light.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Per-Anders Esseen</span></div></div><p>“Hair lichens have important functions in coniferous forest ecosystems and provide forage, habitat and nest material for mammals, birds, insects, and spiders. These lichens are particularly important for reindeer husbandry and can be decisive for the survival of reindeer in winter when ground lichens are unavailable. Knowledge of how environmental factors regulate abundance of hair lichens is important to develop forest management methods that can maintain hair lichens, and to understand how lichens are affected by climate change” says Per-Anders Esseen, professor emeritus at the Department of Ecology, Environment and Geoscience at Umeå University.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="0ee3249e-91a1-4d46-a39a-9ce677ab7044" data-contentname="About the study">{}</div><h3>Strong thinning decreased hair lichens</h3><p>“The lichen mass in a forest depends on the balance between colonization, growth and losses, and is regulated by the amount of available substrate, microclimate, the lichen’s colour and dispersal capacity” says Per-Anders Esseen.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>Per-Anders Esseen measures the mass of hair lichens in a sample tree of spruce.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Per-Anders Esseen</span></div></div><p>The lichen mass per tree decreased shortly after logging but thereafter decreased up to four times in partial cuts, with largest increase in the lower part of the trees. The stand-level lichen mass increased after moderate thinning, but decreased after strong thinning, due to fewer host trees and loss of lichens by strong wind.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>Horsehair lichen (Bryoria) with dark cortical pigments.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Per-Anders Esseen</span></div></div><p>“Increased light is the most important factor promoting hair lichen accumulation after partial cutting” says Per-Anders Esseen.</p><h3>Dark hair lichens increased faster</h3><p>Lichens are complex partnerships between fungi and photobionts (an alga, or a cyanobacterium), which passively take up water. The researchers found that dark hair lichens with melanin pigments increased faster with increased thinning level than pale lichens. The algae in dark lichens receive less light than algae in pale lichens. Dark lichens have lower photosynthesis in dense forests than pale lichens but have higher photosynthesis and growth in thinned forest with high availability of light.</p><p>“Our results show that continuous cover forestry can significantly increase the amount of hair lichens in managed forests, which is particularly important in important winter grazing areas for reindeer” says Per-Anders Esseen.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="d2be013f-beaa-416d-8399-36f3482afebe" data-contentname="Original article">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/continuous-cover-forestry-favour-hair-lichens_12175113/https://www.umu.se/en/news/four-umea-researchers-appointed-arctic-six-chairs_12175411/<description>Four researchers from Umeå University have been appointed Arctic Six Chairs for the period 2026-2028. The appointment provides funding to develop research collaborations with five other Arctic universities in Sweden, Norway and Finland. The appointments show how Arctic issues concern health, technology, working life, resources and living conditions in northern societies.</description><pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 12:35:50 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/976c578b81a148288ab8b2ab557a8bdd/ans_winter_scott_wilson2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/976c578b81a148288ab8b2ab557a8bdd/ans_winter_scott_wilson2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/976c578b81a148288ab8b2ab557a8bdd/ans_winter_scott_wilson2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/976c578b81a148288ab8b2ab557a8bdd/ans_winter_scott_wilson2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/976c578b81a148288ab8b2ab557a8bdd/ans_winter_scott_wilson2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/976c578b81a148288ab8b2ab557a8bdd/ans_winter_scott_wilson2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Abisko Scientific Research Station, <span class="photo" style="color: #666666; font-size: 0.66667rem; white-space: nowrap;">Image</span><span style="color: #666666; font-size: 0.66667rem; white-space: nowrap;">Scott Wilson</span></p></div></div><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">More than a title</h2><p>Arctic issues rarely stay within one discipline, one university or one country. They concern climate, health, technology, working life, resources and societal development at the same time. This calls for research collaborations that bring together knowledge across disciplines and national borders.</p><p>This is a key part of the Arctic Six Chairs programme. Being a Chair means both becoming part of a wider network and receiving funding to build relationships, formulate shared research questions and develop collaborations that can lead to larger projects and applications.</p><p>Together, the four appointments show that Arctic research at Umeå University is about more than climate and geography. It also concerns health, technology, working life, healthcare, resources and the concrete conditions that shape life in northern societies.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Four Umeå researchers, four approaches to the Arctic</h2><p>Anna Baranowska-Rataj, Pedro Sanches, Marcus Schmitt-Egenolf and Linda Lundmark from Umeå University have been appointed Arctic Six Chairs for the period 2026-2028.</p><p><strong>Linda Lundmark</strong>, at the Department of Geography, studies sparsely populated Arctic areas and how people, places and economies are affected when resources, climate and societal conditions change. Her research asks what is needed for people to live and work in northern regions over time, and what development means in places where distance, infrastructure and natural conditions shape everyday life.</p><p><strong>Pedro Sanches</strong>, at the Department of Informatics, works at the intersection of design, human-computer interaction and critical data studies. His research examines how bodies, data and digital technologies become entangled, and how design can make visible the assumptions often built into measurements and digital systems. As an Arctic Six Chair, he wants to bring these design methods into an Arctic context and build a collaboration that connects environmental data, Arctic environmental science and participatory design.</p><p><strong>Anna Baranowska-Rataj</strong>, at the Centre for Demographic and Ageing Research, CEDAR, studies how labour markets, family and health are connected. Her research shows how changes such as unemployment can have consequences far beyond the individual and affect the wellbeing of entire families. In northern societies, where labour markets, distances and welfare structures can differ, such connections are important to understand.</p><p><strong>Marcus Schmitt-Egenolf</strong>, at the Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, studies the individual and societal burden of psoriasis and melanoma in a Nordic context. His work highlights how people living with chronic diseases are affected when social solidarity and equity in healthcare are under pressure. As an Arctic Six Chair, he wants to explore how patient empowerment, shared decision-making and the meeting of traditional and modern health concepts can point to new ways of improving health in Arctic societies.</p><h2 id="info2" data-magellan-target="info2">Part of Arctic Six</h2><p>The Arctic Six is a collaboration between six Arctic universities in Sweden, Norway and Finland: Luleå University of Technology, Nord University, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Umeå University, University of Lapland and University of Oulu.</p><p>Through a joint Arctic Agenda, the universities work to promote and share knowledge, education, research and innovation for a more sustainable Arctic. Arctic Six Chairs is one of the alliance’s central programmes for developing research collaboration.</p><p>“The overarching aim is to strengthen the ability of the Arctic Six universities to secure external funding, thereby supporting our shared goal of developing research-based solutions to the joint challenges facing our northern societies,” says Jørgen Berge, Director of the Arctic Six.</p><p>For Umeå University, the appointments strengthen the university’s role in Arctic Six and in the Nordic Arctic research landscape. For researchers, partners and funders, they point to areas where new collaborations can grow during the period 2026-2028.</p><p>Would you like to know more? Contact us at the Arctic Centre.</p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/four-umea-researchers-appointed-arctic-six-chairs_12175411/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/digitalisation-of-forests-overlook-important-values_12175178/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/digitalisation-of-forests-overlook-important-values_12175178/</guid><title /><description>Digital technology today maps forests in detail. But new research shows that the way data is collected and selected determines how nature is represented in digital systems. The result is often a one-sided picture, where important natural and cultural values are lost.</description><pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 16:31:19 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><p class="quote-center">When data on forests is primarily collected and controlled by large commercial actors, the representations produced tend to reflect their interests. But when more knowledge and perspectives are given space in the systems, the results also change.</p><p>Satellites, sensors and apps are increasingly used to monitor and manage natural environments. But what happens when nature is translated into data within a research field that has primarily studied digital technology in organizations and business processes rather than in nature?</p><p>In her doctoral thesis in information systems, Malaika Torto, examines what happens when natural environments become data, based on several years of studies of digitalization projects in the Swedish forest industry.</p><p>” Information systems research has traditionally focused on companies and organizations, where processes are relatively stable and defined. When the same logic is applied to nature, a mismatch occurs, because natural envorinments behave in very different ways from the human-made environments we usually study. Forests, for example, are more dynamic, change with the seasons, involve complex ecological relationships and hold different meanings for different people," says Malaika Torto.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Data shapes the image of the forest</h2><p>The thesis shows that digitalisation in practice is shaped by a series of concrete choices: what is measured, how it is measured and by whom. These choices in turn determine how the forest appears in digital systems. When data is collected primarily for commercial purposes, certain aspects tend to become visible, while others are left invisible.</p><p>"Data is often perceived as something neutral that simply existes. But in reality, it is the result of many decisions. In the projects I followed, the focus was often on optimising production, which meant that things like timber volume and wood quality were prioritised, while other values were simply not measured," says Malaika Torto.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/0e0a891ec7694f029644226d4e1ccafc/skogsmaskinskog3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0e0a891ec7694f029644226d4e1ccafc/skogsmaskinskog3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0e0a891ec7694f029644226d4e1ccafc/skogsmaskinskog3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/0e0a891ec7694f029644226d4e1ccafc/skogsmaskinskog3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0e0a891ec7694f029644226d4e1ccafc/skogsmaskinskog3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0e0a891ec7694f029644226d4e1ccafc/skogsmaskinskog3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>The use of self-learning computer programs that interact with sensors on forestry machines is increasing in the forestry industry.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Image’in/Adobe Stock</span></div></div><p>The consequence is that the complexity of nature is reduced. Forests are not only raw material resources, but also ecological systems and cultural landscapes. They change over time, support biodiversity and have different significance for different groups – from the forest industry to outdoor recreation and Sami communities.</p><p>This becomes particulary clear in digital representations such as maps and visualizations. The thesis analyzes, among other things, the use of LiDAR technology, which can create highly detailed images of vegetation and terrain.</p><p>”The maps may be technologically advanced and highly accurate in their field, but they only show what they are designed to show. If the starting point is commercial values, you see a certain kind of forest. If, instead, ecological or cultural perspectivesare are used, a completely different picture emerges. So it's not just about technology, but also about selection," says Malaika Torto.</p><p>The research shows that these choices are also linked to questions of influence. Different actors have different interests in how the forest is defined and represented.</p><p>”When certain perspectives dominate data collection, others become invisible. This may involve biodiversity that is not captured, or the use of land by Sámi communities that does not appear on maps. In this way, digitalisation affects not only how we describe nature, but also which decisions seem reasonable,” says Malaika.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Who decides what becomes visible in the systems?</h2><p>At the same time, the study indicates that alternative approaches are possible. When more actors are involved in how data is collected and used – such as environmental organisations or Sami communities – the picture becomes more nuanced.</p><p>”When data on forests is primarily collected and controlled by large commercial actors, the representations produced tend to reflect their</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/0e0a891ec7694f029644226d4e1ccafc/dronare3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0e0a891ec7694f029644226d4e1ccafc/dronare3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0e0a891ec7694f029644226d4e1ccafc/dronare3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/0e0a891ec7694f029644226d4e1ccafc/dronare3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0e0a891ec7694f029644226d4e1ccafc/dronare3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0e0a891ec7694f029644226d4e1ccafc/dronare3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Drones are used for tasks including surveying, planning, monitoring, and managing storm damage.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Image’in/Adobe Stock</span></div></div><p>interests. But when more knowledge and perspectives are given space in the systems, the results also change. Then the same forest can include information about production, biodiversity and cultural use, making the representations both richer and more legitimate," says Malaika.</p><p>Digitalisation of natural environments is not only a technical issue, but also a social and political process. The tension between commercially driven and more inclusive approaches to digitalisation is fundamentally about power. The choices made today therefore have long-term consequences.</p><p>”The key is to build inclusion from the start. Otherwise, we risk creating digital systems that provide too narrow a picture of nature and thus also affect how it is managed in the future," says Malaika Torto.</p><p><a href="https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?aq2=%5B%5B%5D%5D&c=7&af=%5B%5D&searchType=SIMPLE&sortOrder2=title_sort_asc&query=torto&language=en&pid=diva2%3A2057306&aq=%5B%5B%5D%5D&sf=all&aqe=%5B%5D&sortOrder=author_sort_asc&onlyFullText=false&noOfRows=50&dswid=9126">Link to the thesis</a></p><p> </p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/digitalisation-of-forests-overlook-important-values_12175178/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/it-is-now-clear-what-data-was-affected-by-the-cyberattack--less-than-feared_12175213/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/it-is-now-clear-what-data-was-affected-by-the-cyberattack--less-than-feared_12175213/</guid><title>It is now clear what data was affected by the cyberattack – less than fearedIt is now clear which data were accessed by the attackers in connection with the cyberattack on Canvas. At Umeå University, neither personal identity numbers nor UmU IDs were affected. The impact varies between universities.Tue, 26 May 2026 15:50:48 +0200<p>In early May, the learning platform Canvas was subjected to a cyberattack, which led, among other things, to the system being taken offline for several days. At the time, there were concerns that data relating to students and staff had been leaked outside the system. On 12 May, it was reported that an agreement had been reached between the attackers and Instructure, the provider of Canvas. As a result, the data accessed by the attackers were returned, and Canvas once again became safe to use as normal.</p><p>Canvas contains, among other things, contact details, personal identity numbers, study-related information and communication between teachers and students.</p><p>Until now, it has been unclear which data the attackers accessed. However, based on new information from the provider, it can now be established that, for Umeå University, the data included:</p><ul><li>Names.</li><li>Short names/aliases chosen by users.</li><li>Messages within Canvas, including both subject lines and content.</li><li>Email addresses belonging to individuals who have sent messages to someone within Canvas.</li><li>Metadata such as time zone and selected language for the user, as well as internal system metadata, for example when a particular record was updated in the system.</li></ul><p>The attackers did not access personal identity numbers, UmU IDs, or large volumes of other personal data relating to students and staff at Umeå University.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Always remain vigilant</h2><p>The extent of data affected varies between higher education institutions. Umeå University is considered to have been relatively lightly impacted. At some other universities, the attackers accessed significantly larger amounts of data.</p><p>“Although this cyberattack is assessed to have had limited impact on Umeå University, it is of course very serious that this type of attack occurs. Unfortunately, such incidents are becoming increasingly common, and we all need to work together to remain vigilant and cautious in order to create safe and secure digital environments,” says Per Ragnarsson, Assistant University Director at Umeå University.</p><p>If you suspect any intrusion or malware in your IT environment, it is important to act without delay.</p><p><a href="/en/student/help-and-support/if-something-happens/it-security-breach/">IT security breach.</a></p><p>Anyone experiencing any kind of anxiety related to the incident can contact Occupational health service through Student Health Service.</p><p><a href="/en/student/help-and-support/student-health-service/">More information about Student Health Service.</a> </p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/it-is-now-clear-what-data-was-affected-by-the-cyberattack--less-than-feared_12175213/https://www.umu.se/en/news/ice-may-release-more-iron-than-climate-models-predict_12174679/Ice may release more iron than climate models predictMost people think of ice as frozen and lifeless, but research at Umeå University shows the opposite. A new study published in PNAS demonstrates that ice actively speeds up the breakdown of iron minerals and may release more iron than current environmental models account for. This is crucial for predicting how nutrient cycles, carbon storage, and water quality will change in polar and mountain regions as the planet warms.Tue, 26 May 2026 10:00:06 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>When water freezes, salts become concentrated in small pockets between ice crystals, where they can accelerate the breakdown of iron minerals.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Johnér Bildbyrå AB</span></div></div><p>Roughly 17 percent of Earth's land surface sits on permafrost, and vast additional areas experience seasonal freezing. As climate change increases the frequency of freeze-thaw cycles and causes permafrost to degrade, ice-driven mechanisms could be releasing iron and other trace elements at rates that current environmental models do not account for.</p><p>“To understand how climate change affects natural systems, we also need to understand the chemistry inside ice,” says Jean-François Boily, Professor at the Department of Chemistry, who led the study.</p><p>Iron is a key nutrient that controls algae growth in lakes and oceans, binds carbon in soils, and affects water color and quality. Changes in iron release could therefore have cascading effects on ecosystems from mountain streams to Arctic coastlines.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">The stronger the binding, the greater the boost</h2><p>The research group looked at how different dissolved salts, found everywhere in nature, affect iron minerals. They specifically examined the dissolution of goethite, a rust-colored iron mineral abundant in soils, sediments, and dust.</p><p>“The result was remarkably clear. Ice boosted the dissolution rate for every salt that binds to iron, and the stronger the binding, the greater the boost,” says Jean-François Boily. “This reveals a simple rule: If you know how strongly a substance binds to iron, you can likely estimate how much ice will amplify its.”</p><p>Fluoride, the strongest binder tested, released more than four times as much iron in ice as in liquid water. Sulfate, a weaker binder, showed a smaller but still measurable boost. Perchlorate, which barely interacts with iron at all, produced no dissolution in either phase.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Valuable tool for modeling</h2><p>The mechanism lies in what happens when water freezes. Substances that cannot be incorporated into the ice are concentrated into tiny pockets of remaining liquid trapped between ice crystals. In these environments, where salt concentrations can increase up to 500-fold, chemical reactions can proceed much faster, which helps explain the increased breakdown of minerals observed in the study.</p><p>"What surprised us most was how consistent this effect appeared across the compounds we tested. If the pattern holds more broadly, we could potentially predict ice-enhanced mineral breakdown based on a single chemical property. That would be a valuable tool for environmental modeling," says Jean-François Boily.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="3d8d9d20-4b5c-4198-9983-3800748ed38b" data-contentname="About the study">{}</div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/ice-may-release-more-iron-than-climate-models-predict_12174679/https://www.umu.se/en/news/ec2u-forum-2026-highlights-collaboration-and-quality-education_12174955/EC2U Forum in Turku highlights collaboration and quality educationThe European Campus of City-Universities (EC2U) Alliance annual forum took place at the University of Turku, Finland, from 18 to 21 May 2026. The event brought together more than 500 staff, students, partners and stakeholders from across Europe to exchange ideas, strengthen collaboration and discuss the role of high-quality education in building a stronger Europe. The next EC2U Forum will be held in Umeå in April 2027.Tue, 26 May 2026 09:10:15 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/day_2_-_group_photos._drone-22.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/day_2_-_group_photos._drone-22.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/day_2_-_group_photos._drone-22.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/day_2_-_group_photos._drone-22.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/day_2_-_group_photos._drone-22.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/day_2_-_group_photos._drone-22.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Over 460 delegates from all EC2U member universities gathered on site at the EC2U Forum in Turku, Finland (18–21 May 2026), alongside 60 participants joining online.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>EC2U</span></div></div><p>Organised under the theme “<strong>Shaping European Futures through Quality Education,</strong>” the <a title="10th EC2U Forum" href="https://www.ec2u.eu/ec2u-forum-university-turku">10th EC2U Forum</a> provided a platform for discussions on current challenges, the development of future collaborations and the strengthening of networks across the Alliance’s universities and partner cities. Umeå University was represented by a delegation of 40 researchers, staff and students, including three representatives from Umeå Municipality.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/lexelius_peter_5113_231129_mpn.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/lexelius_peter_5113_231129_mpn.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/lexelius_peter_5113_231129_mpn.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/lexelius_peter_5113_231129_mpn.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/lexelius_peter_5113_231129_mpn.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/lexelius_peter_5113_231129_mpn.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Peter Lexelius, EC2U Project Coordinator.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>"The forum gave us a valuable opportunity to exchange perspectives with colleagues from across Europe and explore new avenues for collaboration in education and research, with a view of creating a fairer, more equal and sustainable world,” says Peter Lexelius, EC2U project coordinator at Umeå University.</p><h3>Advancing quality education via collaboration and student engagement</h3><p>The themes of the EC2U Forums are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year’s programme focused on the importance of high-quality education and addressed topics such as sustainability, wellbeing, multilingualism, inclusion, accessible education, talent retention and active European citizenship.<br><br>As part of the Forum programme, the EC2U Student Challenge brought together ten groups of students who worked collaboratively on themes including equitable and accessible learning, digital transformation and the future of education, and sustainability and employability. Each group developed a poster presenting their ideas and proposed solutions, which were shared during the Voice of Students poster walk session. </p><p class="quote-center">The most valuable part for me was the exchange of knowledge, with students and staff from different backgrounds sharing experiences to build a better European future.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/img_0257.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/img_0257.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/img_0257.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/img_0257.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/img_0257.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/img_0257.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Karina Eremin participated in the EC2U Student Challege which resulted in the <em>Voice of Students</em> poster session on 21 May 2026.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>David Meyers</span></div></div><p>“The most valuable part for me was the exchange of knowledge, with students and staff from different backgrounds sharing experiences to build a better European future,” says Karina Eremin, student in the International Business and Economics programme at Umeå University and one of ten students from the Umeå delagtation.<br><br>“The discussion on employability and supporting local communities stood out,” she continues. “Universities face similar challenges but take different approaches, which pushed us to think beyond our own context and find solutions together.” </p><p>At the Forum, the outcomes of local EC2U Think Tank sessions were presented and discussed, highlighting the role of education systems in developing digital skills and promoting digital citizenship. The discussions also emphasised the importance of addressing existing power structures in language use and strengthening cultural competences to support inclusion and mutual understanding. These insights will form the basis for future policy recommendations within the Alliance.</p><h3>Team Umeå wins EC2U Science Contest semi-final</h3><p>The Forum also hosted the semi-final of the EC2U Science Contest, where teams of researchers and doctoral students from Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany), the University of Turku and Umeå University developed solutions to challenges submitted in advance by the public. One question the teams had to answer in less than 60 seconds was, “If AI suddenly became human, what would it do first and why?”</p><p>Following a very close vote, Team Umeå was selected as the winner and will advance to the final in 2027, where they will compete against teams from the University of Pavia and Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași.<br><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/l7NNk-3CJrE?si=Y317ivAmFRNsxvX4&t=140">Watch the Science Contest recording on the EC2U Youtube channel</a></p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/ec2u_-_day_3_competition-54.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/ec2u_-_day_3_competition-54.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/ec2u_-_day_3_competition-54.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/ec2u_-_day_3_competition-54.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/ec2u_-_day_3_competition-54.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/ec2u_-_day_3_competition-54.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Team Umeå from left to right: Hanna Söderlund, Associate Professor, Language Studies; Jesper Enbom, Associate Professor, Media and Communications; Manju Maharjan, Doctoral Student, Plant Physiology; Kristina Lejon, Professor, Immunology; and Jerker Fick, Associate Professsor Chemistry (not seen in photo).</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>EC2U</span></div></div><h3>Umeå to host the 2027 Forum</h3><p>The Forum in Turku also marked the starting point for the next EC2U Forum, which will be held in Umeå on<strong> 12–15 April 2027</strong>. As the eleventh Forum and the first to be hosted in Umeå, preparations are already well underway in close cooperation with local and regional stakeholders. Approximately 500 delegates are expected to attend.</p><p class="quote-center">We are proud to host the next Forum and warmly invite the EC2U community to join us in creating an open, inclusive and meaningful event.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/norberg_cath_rine9157_230112_mpn.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/norberg_cath_rine9157_230112_mpn.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/norberg_cath_rine9157_230112_mpn.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/norberg_cath_rine9157_230112_mpn.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/norberg_cath_rine9157_230112_mpn.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/norberg_cath_rine9157_230112_mpn.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Cathrine Norberg, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Education.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Mattias Pettersson</span></div></div><p>“The EC2U Forum is an important platform for strengthening collaboration and advancing high-quality education and research," says Cathrine Norberg, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Education at Umeå University. <br><br>"It reflects Umeå University’s commitment to working together with partners, students and society to shape knowledge that contributes to a sustainable and democratic future," she continues. "We are proud to host the next Forum and warmly invite the EC2U community to join us in creating an open, inclusive and meaningful event. We also encourage participants to experience the culture, environment and natural surroundings of Umeå and northern Sweden."</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/day_2_-_group_photos-24.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/day_2_-_group_photos-24.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/day_2_-_group_photos-24.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/day_2_-_group_photos-24.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/day_2_-_group_photos-24.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/b29ac6a32709416c8f9b621117230a8e/day_2_-_group_photos-24.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Umeå delegation at the EC2U Forum 2026 in Turku, Finland.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>EC2U</span></div></div>https://www.umu.se/en/news/ec2u-forum-2026-highlights-collaboration-and-quality-education_12174955/https://www.umu.se/en/news/crisis-communication-healthcare-at-home-and-future-mobility_12174845/Crisis communication, healthcare at home and future mobilityOn 2–3 June 2026, Umeå Institute of Design (UID), part of Umeå University, presents UID26 | Design Talks & Degree Show. Graduating students from MFA Advanced Product Design, MFA Interaction Design, MFA Transportation Design, and the BFA Programme in Industrial Design share their final projects through talks and a public exhibition.Tue, 26 May 2026 08:00:07 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>UID26 explores what design leaves behind: in materials, systems, and people’s lives.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>David Dahlberg</span></div></div><p>This year’s student-chosen theme, <strong>TRACES</strong>, explores what design leaves behind: in materials, systems, and people’s lives. It reflects the journey behind each project, from early research and fieldwork to tangible proposals, and invites discussion about the long-term impact of design on society and the planet.</p><h3>Design proposals grounded in real-world challenges</h3><p>UID26 presents design proposals that respond to current challenges across healthcare, mobility, sustainability, and everyday life. The projects move beyond concepts to address how systems work in practice, from hospital workflows and infrastructure to domestic routines and public spaces.</p><p>The exhibition brings together work that explores:</p><p>·      how care is moving from hospitals into the home</p><p>·      how cities adapt to changing mobility needs and climate conditions</p><p>·      how everyday products can support independence, dignity, and inclusion</p><p>·      how design can strengthen resilience in uncertain or fragile systems</p><p><strong>Highlights from the Class of 2026</strong></p><p>In <strong>MFA Advanced Product Design, Cosima Pauli</strong> explores how people can stay connected when digital infrastructure fails, proposing a discreet communication device designed for censorship, shutdowns, and crisis situations.</p><p>Also in Advanced Product Design, <strong>Pierre Brand</strong> develops a multisensory learning system that supports children with dyslexia through haptic feedback, translating reading into tactile cues that reduce cognitive overload and build confidence.</p><p>In the same programme, projects also address healthcare systems directly, from a next-generation anaesthesia platform that reduces complexity and material waste in operating rooms, to concepts that make long-term treatment in the home more manageable and less intrusive in everyday life. At the same time, other projects shift focus to everyday rituals, including a tactile music system designed to counter digital fatigue and restore a sense of presence at home.</p><p>In <strong>MFA Interaction Design, Ece Günesen</strong> questions how women’s health technologies represent the body, proposing more open and interpretative ways of engaging with health data that prioritise lived experience over constant optimisation.</p><p>“I would love to explore women’s health data as something that is to be lived with, and not something to be fixed,” says Günesen.</p><p>Across the <strong>Interaction Design programme</strong>, projects also explore how design can support attention, inclusion, and participation in everyday life, from gaze-aware interfaces in cars to tools that help people feel more confident navigating unfamiliar public spaces.</p><p>In <strong>MFA Transportation Design, David Dahlberg</strong> explores how long-distance rail travel could become more attractive by improving the social and emotional experience of night trains, balancing privacy with safe and optional interaction.</p><p>Other mobility projects in the programme address urgent challenges such as emergency response in remote terrain, climate adaptation in extreme heat, and how shared mobility can support more inclusive and service-oriented travel experiences.</p><p>In the <strong>BFA Programme in Industrial Design</strong>, students focus on everyday systems and lived experience, developing tangible solutions for areas such as home-based healthcare, food storage and preparedness, workplace safety, and access to nature. These projects show how design can make systemic challenges more manageable in daily life, without requiring large-scale change to existing infrastructure.</p><h3>A platform for critical conversation</h3><p>UID26 is both a public showcase and a moment to reflect on the responsibilities behind design decisions.</p><p>For Demian Horst, Head of Institute at Umeå Institute of Design, the theme highlights process as well as impact.</p><p>“TRACES reminds us that design is never only what we make, but also what we change through the act of making. At UID26, our students show how careful research, collaboration, and craft can lead to work that is inclusive, sustainability-minded, and honest about the imprint design leaves on the world,” says Horst.</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="486d2a83-995d-4d2f-9d01-33a23e7262ac" data-contentname="Global access: digital exhibition and live programme">{}</div><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="363de611-b0b7-4a5b-b8bd-5f318a713306" data-contentname="Public exhibition: welcome to visit">{}</div><p> </p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/crisis-communication-healthcare-at-home-and-future-mobility_12174845/https://www.umu.se/en/news/human-geographer-receives-umea-municipalitys-scientific-prize_12174990/Human geographer receives Umeå municipality's scientific prize Dorothee Bohn, postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Geography, receives the prize for her research that highlights how the development of tourism, climate change and political decisions are reshaping the relationship between society and nature in the Arctic. The prize will be awarded during the Annual Ceremony on October 17, 2026.Mon, 25 May 2026 15:17:49 +0200<p>Dorothee Bohn defended her doctoral thesis in Human Geography at Umeå University in April 2024 with the thesis Arctic geographies in the making, in which she analyzed the political economy and institutional governance of tourism in Arctic regions. Since her dissertation, she has been active as a postdoc at the Department of Geography with the project Understanding society–nature relationships in regional development.</p><p>Her research is clearly focused on environmental issues in northern and Arctic areas, with a particular focus on how societal processes affect natural resources, landscapes and ecological conditions. Through qualitative and theoretical in-depth analysis, she examines how climate change, tourism development and regional forms of governance reshape the relationship between society and nature.</p><p>Several of her publications deal with environmentally sensitive environments in the Arctic and subarctic regions. She analyses, for example, how the expansion of tourism affects natural environments and how notions of "untouched nature" are produced and commercialised in Arctic landscapes. In other work, she studies how public funding and multi-level governance shape development pathways in sparsely populated regions, with consequences for land use, natural resource utilisation and long-term sustainability.</p><p>A central part of her research concerns the importance of climate change for tourism and regional development, including snow- and glacier-based tourism in a warming world. Here, she contributes to the understanding of how climate-related risks and uncertainties affect local communities, planning and policy-making.</p><p>In addition to empirical studies, Dorothee Bohn contributes to theoretical development by critically examining how nature and the environment are treated in social science theory. She problematizes the use of scientifically inspired metaphors in, for example, economic geography and argues for more integrated and environmentally conscious theoretical frameworks for understanding the contemporary so-called polycrisis, where climate change is a central component.</p><p>Since her dissertation, she has received the Arctic Six Fellowship (2025–2027), been a co-applicant in international projects and established international collaborations within Critical Arctic Studies and the International Polar Tourism Network. All in all, she has quickly established herself as an independent and internationally visible researcher in environmental social science research with particular relevance to northern Sweden.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/human-geographer-receives-umea-municipalitys-scientific-prize_12174990/https://www.umu.se/en/news/the-growth-of-sami-political-institutions_12174996/The growth of Sámi political institutionsA new doctoral thesis by Luke Laframboise, Umeå University, demonstrate that Sámi political institutions have historically grown through adaptive, relational strategies that enabled significant political gains. Mon, 25 May 2026 15:03:17 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/0e049a31a4534287804049c99d1028f3/luke_laframboise_img_6228-1.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0e049a31a4534287804049c99d1028f3/luke_laframboise_img_6228-1.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0e049a31a4534287804049c99d1028f3/luke_laframboise_img_6228-1.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/0e049a31a4534287804049c99d1028f3/luke_laframboise_img_6228-1.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/0e049a31a4534287804049c99d1028f3/luke_laframboise_img_6228-1.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/0e049a31a4534287804049c99d1028f3/luke_laframboise_img_6228-1.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Luke Laframboise</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Per Melander</span></div></div><p class="quote-center">Shows a growing gap between expected outcomes and political realities</p><p>Luke Laframboise says that the Sámi of Sápmi are an Indigenous people of one nation, split across four borders. <br> <br>“Perhaps unsurprisingly, working within and across four separate state systems has made them excellent diplomats. Yet, until recently, their role in international politics has been underexplored”, Luke Laframboise says and continues:  <br> <br>“Moreover, the question of how and why they engage with state institutions has become ever more relevant, as Sámi–state relations across the Nordics have become increasingly strained. This has only been made worse by climate change, neglect and the changing nature of international politics”.</p><h3>Adaptive and pragmatic strategies</h3><p>He further says that using three case studies spanning three political levels, and how his dissertation explores how the structures that govern Sámi-state relations have been shaped over time, and what the current state of relations says about placing faith in state institutions. <br> <br>“Through this process, this project finds that historically Sámi political institutions grew through adaptive, pragmatic strategies of engagement. However, as these institutions have matured and become embedded within state frameworks, their strategic flexibility has diminished”. <br> <br>As a result, Sámi actors now face barriers towards expanding their political influence through the very same institutions they have come to rely on. <br> <br>“What this demonstrates is a growing rift between expected outcomes and political realities, highlighting risks inherent in pursuing Indigenous sovereignty through formal political institutions.” <br> <br>This dissertation contributes to Sámi research, Indigenous studies, and International Relations by theorising the effects of institutional maturation on Indigenous political agency, empirically tracing Sámi engagement across borders and governance levels, and critically problematising state-based pathways to Indigenous self-determination. In doing so, it highlights the structural limits and risks inherent in pursuing Indigenous sovereignty through formal political institutions. </p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/the-growth-of-sami-political-institutions_12174996/https://www.umu.se/en/news/same-data-different-answer-a-new-nature-study-counts-the-gap_12174815/Same data, different answer? A new Nature study counts the gapSame data, a different result? A new study published in Nature measures how much published findings depend on who analyses them — and a recently arrived researcher at Umeå University was part of the work.Mon, 25 May 2026 08:00:05 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>The study has looked into how much a finding depends on the particular person who happens to analyse the data.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Johnér Bildbyrå AB</span></div></div><p>A new study in Nature has put a number on something the published literature usually leaves unmeasured: how much a finding depends on the particular person who happens to analyse the data. Across 100 social and behavioural science studies reanalysed by 457 independent researchers, only a third of the new effect-size estimates fell close to the original. Marcus Kubsch, recently appointed Associate Professor at the Department of Science and Mathematics Education (NMD) at Umeå University, contributed three of those reanalyses.</p><p>The project, known as Multi100 and led by Balazs Aczel and Barnabas Szaszi at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary, gave each of 100 published claims to at least five independent analysts. Each analyst received the data and the claim, but no instructions about how to test it. The question was simple: if competent researchers are left to make their own justifiable choices about how to analyse the same data, do they reach the same answer?</p><h3>One third of the numbers, three quarters of the conclusions</h3><p>Results often differed — at least when it came to the exact numbers. In just over a third of cases, the new estimates were close to the original, and with a wider margin this rose to just over half. However, the overall conclusions were more consistent: in nearly three out of four cases, researchers reached the same general conclusion as in the original study. The differences could not be explained by the analysts’ statistical expertise, and larger datasets did not make the results more consistent.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareleft"><div class="bildImage"></div><div class="bildText"><p>Marcus Kubsch, associate professor at the Department of Science and Mathematics Education.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Hans Karlsson</span></div></div><p>The implication is not that the published literature is broadly wrong but that a single analytical path through a dataset is not, by itself, enough to settle a question. The authors behind the study recommend that high-stakes findings be accompanied by structured robustness reports or multi-analyst checks.</p><h3>A question that predated the project</h3><p>Marcus Kubsch took three of the 100 datasets, built his own analysis from the claim and the raw data, and submitted code and results to the lead team. His interest in the subject actually predates the paper. As a master's student he read John Ioannidis's Why most published research findings are false, and the argument stayed with him. As a PhD student, while analysing data for the project he was working on, he found a quiet bug in an R script that had been inflating effect sizes.</p><p>"Once you have seen one of those errors, you start asking how often the same kind of thing happens and never gets caught” he says. “Multi100 is the systematic version of that question."</p><p>The work travelled with him geographically. He began the reanalyses as a postdoctoral research group leader, continued them through his time as assistant professor, and saw the paper appear shortly after taking up his Umeå University position in May 2026.</p><h3>A global effort</h3><p>Multi100 is part of the Systematizing Confidence in Open Research and Evidence (SCORE) programme, funded by DARPA and coordinated by the Center for Open Science. The wider SCORE collaboration drew on 865 researchers across the social and behavioural sciences.</p><p>"Several hundred people on every continent were willing to spend real hours on a problem whose only payoff is a clearer picture of how science actually works" Kubsch says. "That tells you something about the field as well as about the finding."</p><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="2de77d63-d201-48a5-9061-b5288c70ba82" data-contentname="About the author">{}</div><div data-classid="36f4349b-8093-492b-b616-05d8964e4c89" data-contentguid="b58ab23e-5907-4be1-98da-dc62e8a39df8" data-contentname="About the study">{}</div><p> </p><p> </p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/same-data-different-answer-a-new-nature-study-counts-the-gap_12174815/https://www.umu.se/en/news/whole-organ-3d-imaging-reveals-remaining-insulin-producing-cells-in-type-1-diabetes_12174867/Whole organ 3D imaging reveals remaining insulin producing cells in type 1 diabetesResearchers at Umeå University have conducted a unique three-dimensional mapping of an entire human pancreas. The study shows that insulin-producing cells can remain long after the onset of type 1 diabetes – a finding that suggests the disease progression is more complex than previously assumed.Mon, 25 May 2026 07:48:35 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/e3862f35da31471dbbcf09ba8ecd6a6e/image_1_3d2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/e3862f35da31471dbbcf09ba8ecd6a6e/image_1_3d2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/e3862f35da31471dbbcf09ba8ecd6a6e/image_1_3d2.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/e3862f35da31471dbbcf09ba8ecd6a6e/image_1_3d2.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/e3862f35da31471dbbcf09ba8ecd6a6e/image_1_3d2.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/e3862f35da31471dbbcf09ba8ecd6a6e/image_1_3d2.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Three‑dimensional images of entire human pancreases in which the islets of Langerhans are stained for insulin (red). Despite the marked difference between the pancreas from the non‑diabetic and the type 1 diabetic donor, the latter still contained hundreds of thousands of insulin‑producing cells.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Ulf Ahlgren</span></div></div><p>“Our results suggest the pancreas can retain β cells – those insulin‑producing cells that are typically destroyed in type 1 diabetes – in a way that has not previously been recognized,” says Ulf Ahlgren, Professor at the Department of Medical and Translational Biology at Umeå University.</p><p>Using advanced imaging technologies, researchers at Umeå University have created the first complete 3D map of an entire pancreas from a donor with late‑onset type 1 diabetes, at a microscopic resolution. The analysis revealed that while traditional islets of Langerhans were largely depleted of β-cells, a substantial number of insulin‑producing cells still remained outside the islet structures. These were primarily found as individual cells or as small clusters of b-cells, in which the cells were distanced from all other endocrine cell types. In total, the researchers identified hundreds of thousands of insulin‑positive objects.</p><p>“The fact that these cells are located outside the islets and are more numerous than the islet‑associated β-cells, i.e. in inversed proportions compared to non-diabetic subjects, suggests that they may either be more resistant to destruction or that new β-cells can be formed,” says Ulf Ahlgren.</p><p>The researchers argue that analyses traditional islet-focused analyses risk underestimating how many β-cells actually survive in type 1 diabetes. The new findings point to a previously overlooked cellular reservoir that could, in the long term, become a target for novel therapeutic strategies.</p><p>“The ability to study individual cells throughout an entire organ and from all angles has the potential to change how we think about β‑cell loss,” explains Ulf Ahlgren. “If certain regions of the pancreas promote β‑cell survival, understanding these microenvironments could help guide the development of therapies that stabilize, or even expand the remaining b-cells in type 1 diabetes.”</p><p>Doctoral student Joakim Lehrstrand also emphasizes the importance of broadening the perspective.</p><p>“This work shows that we must look beyond the islets when studying β‑cell biology in type 1 diabetes,” he says.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/e3862f35da31471dbbcf09ba8ecd6a6e/joakim_och_ulf3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/e3862f35da31471dbbcf09ba8ecd6a6e/joakim_och_ulf3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/e3862f35da31471dbbcf09ba8ecd6a6e/joakim_och_ulf3.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/e3862f35da31471dbbcf09ba8ecd6a6e/joakim_och_ulf3.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/e3862f35da31471dbbcf09ba8ecd6a6e/joakim_och_ulf3.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/e3862f35da31471dbbcf09ba8ecd6a6e/joakim_och_ulf3.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>PhD student Joakim Lehrstrand (foreground) and Professor Ulf Ahlgren at a so‑called light sheet fluorescence microscopy, one of the techniques they use to create three-dimensional images of the pancreas in diabetes. </p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Björn Morén</span></div></div><p>The research group believes that whole‑organ 3D imaging will become a key tool in future studies of type 1 diabetes and other pancreas related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and pancreas cancer. The method makes it possible to identify specific regions or even individual cells throughout the entire organ, something that has previously been extremely difficult using conventional techniques. These regions can then be isolated for further molecular analyses.</p><p>“Hopefully, this will help us understand whether and how β-cells and their microenvironment differ within the pancreas in diabetes,” says Ulf Ahlgren.</p><p>The results have been published in Science Advances.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/whole-organ-3d-imaging-reveals-remaining-insulin-producing-cells-in-type-1-diabetes_12174867/https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-project-investigates-how-plants-stay-strong-while-growing_12174532/New project investigates how plants stay strong while growingThe cell wall gives plants strength and structure, but contrary to what one might assume, it is not a rigid structure. Instead, it is highly dynamic and constantly interacts with the rest of the cell and the neighbouring cells as the plant grows. There are still many open questions about the nature of these interactions and this is what Laura Bacete Cano investigates in her project DYNAMO, recently funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.Thu, 21 May 2026 17:34:02 +0200<p>Fast growth and structural stability often pull in opposite directions. In agriculture, plants that grow quickly can become weak and prone to bending or collapsing. In forestry, rapid growth can reduce wood quality. Finding ways to combine speed and strength is therefore a long-standing goal in plant science with important implications for agriculture and forestry.</p><p class="quote-right">When we think of a wall, we imagine something rigid and inert: a city wall, the side of a house. But the plant cell wall is constantly changing</p><p>At the heart of this challenge lies the plant cell wall - a tough, flexible outer layer that surrounds every plant cell. The wall gives plants their shape, supports their growth, and forms materials from dietary fibers to wood used for construction. But it is not just a passive structure.</p><p>“When we think of a wall, we imagine something rigid and inert: a city wall, the side of a house. But the plant cell wall is constantly changing: it senses its own state, loosens and stiffens as the plant grows, and actively interacts with neighbouring cells,” says Laura Bacete Cano, who recently received an Emerging Investigator Grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation for her project DYNAMO.</p><p>As plant cells grow, their walls must loosen to allow expansion. At the same time, the walls also need to maintain enough strength to support the growing tissue. Plants therefore continuously adjust the properties of their cell walls as they develop.</p><p class="quote-left quote-center">We know that genes and hormones play a central role in controlling how plants grow. What DYNAMO asks is whether the wall itself is also part of that conversation.</p><p>The DYNAMO project explores how this process is regulated. The researchers propose that chemical and mechanical changes in the cell wall - meaning how stiff or flexible it is - act as signals. They describe the wall as a communication system, where structural changes are encoded, transmitted, and decoded into decisions about how the plant grows. In other words, the wall itself may tell the cell how to coordinate continued growth with mechanical support.</p><p>“We know that genes and hormones play a central role in controlling how plants grow,” says Laura Bacete Cano. “What DYNAMO asks is whether the wall itself is also part of that conversation: whether the chemical and mechanical changes in the wall are not just consequences of growth, but signals that actively help guide plant development.”</p><p>To test this idea, the team aims to identify early signals in the cell wall by modifying certain wall components. Preliminary results in the laboratory model Arabidopsis thaliana are already promising. Now, they want to continue and track how these signals spread between neighbouring cells, which is crucial for the plants to coordinate growth across tissues and maintain overall stability.</p><p>The researchers will also build computational models linking early wall properties to later developmental outcomes. These models will then be tested in hybrid aspen, a fast-growing tree species widely used in forestry research.</p><p>Beyond the fundamental science, the project could open new possibilities for plant breeding. By identifying structural and chemical changes in the cell wall linked to plant growth, the findings may eventually help breeders identify crop varieties and tree lines that combine speed and strength earlier and more reliably. This could save both time and resources in plant breeding. In the longer term, this could contribute to more productive and resilient crops and forests.</p><p> </p><p>The project: <strong>DYNAMO - Dynamics of Mechanochemical Signals in Plant Cell Walls</strong></p><p><a href="https://researchleaderprogramme.com/">More information about the Research Leader Programme of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, including the Emerging Investigator Grant</a></p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/new-project-investigates-how-plants-stay-strong-while-growing_12174532/https://www.umu.se/en/news/swedes-seek-a-life-between-the-countryside-and-the-city_12174410/Swedes seek a life between the countryside and the cityWhen you arrive in a big city, do you feel energised by the diversity of opportunities around you – or overwhelmed by crowds, stress, noise and the sense that everything moves too fast? New research from Umeå University suggests that many Swedes are looking for something in between. Neither the pace of city life nor the limitations of remote rural areas appear to be the most attractive option.Thu, 21 May 2026 07:45:04 +0200<p>For a long time, major cities have been seen as natural centres of opportunity, innovation and economic growth. At the same time, many people in Sweden continue to move from metropolitan regions to non-metropolitan areas in search of different ways to organise work, family life and everyday wellbeing.</p><p>Sarper Neyse, a doctoral student at Umeå University, has examined the interaction between people and regions in Sweden’s non-metropolitan areas. These places are often overshadowed by Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö, despite the fact that a large share of Sweden’s population actually lives there.</p><p>Using survey and register data, he has studied why people leave large cities, how they experience life after moving and which factors influence whether they stay long term.</p><h2 id="info0" data-magellan-target="info0">Findings that challenge common assumptions</h2><p>The findings suggest that many people who leave large cities do not experience the trade-off between career opportunities and quality of life that is often assumed. Several respondents reported improvements in their living environment, reduced stress and more time with family. At the same time, many also experienced positive changes in their working lives.</p><p>“The findings challenge the common assumption that people must choose between career opportunities and quality of life,” says Sarper Neyse.</p><p>His research also shows that many people do not move to isolated rural areas. Instead, they tend to choose accessible areas outside major cities that still maintain strong connections to larger labour markets.</p><p>“This suggests that counterurban migration is less about completely leaving urban systems behind and more about repositioning oneself within them,” says Sarper Neyse.</p><p>He describes this development as an attempt to create a more sustainable everyday life where work, family life and leisure are easier to combine.</p><h2 id="info1" data-magellan-target="info1">Cities continue to attract people</h2><p>Large cities continue to attract young people, investments and specialised labour markets. At the same time, a growing body of research points to increasing stress, housing pressure and mental health issues linked to the fast pace of urban life. More remote rural areas, on the other hand, often struggle to attract and retain younger populations due to more limited job opportunities.</p><p>“These in-between areas could perhaps be described as a geographical form of the Swedish concept of ‘lagom’ – a balance between accessibility and opportunities on the one hand, and wellbeing and continuity in everyday life on the other,” says Sarper Neyse.</p><p>Another finding is that long-term settlement matters more than temporary relocation. People tend to remain longer when job opportunities, accessibility, family circumstances and social integration reinforce each other over time.</p><p>“Families with children, individuals with stronger labour market attachment and people who become socially integrated in their destination regions are more likely to stay long term,” he says.</p><p>Sarper Neyse also raises a broader question about the human need for social context and manageability in everyday life.</p><p>“Perhaps this tension reflects something deeply human: our constant search for environments where social relationships, work, family life and daily routines feel manageable and meaningful,” he says.</p><p>He believes that the human need for overview and social belonging may also influence where we choose to live. Humans evolved in relatively small and socially cohesive groups, and even in modern societies our ability to maintain relationships, routines and a sense of belonging remains limited by time, attention and the organisation of everyday life.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/swedes-seek-a-life-between-the-countryside-and-the-city_12174410/https://www.umu.se/en/news/investigative-journalist-and-internationally-recognised-professor-appointed-honorary-doctors_12174287/<description>The Faculty of Social Sciences at Umeå University appoints two new honorary doctors: a journalist and author with extensive experience of investigative work in northern Sweden, and an internationally recognized professor from South Africa focusing on global educational transition and the development of green skills.</description><pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2026 14:47:17 +0200</pubDate><atom:content type="html"><p>Journalist and author Arne Müller is awarded an honorary doctorate for his prominent role as an investigative journalist with a focus on industrial transformation, mining, energy and climate policy and regional development.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareleft"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/2aea15ea6ae24a4ea013fff8c4037de1/muller_arne4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2aea15ea6ae24a4ea013fff8c4037de1/muller_arne4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2aea15ea6ae24a4ea013fff8c4037de1/muller_arne4.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/2aea15ea6ae24a4ea013fff8c4037de1/muller_arne4.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2aea15ea6ae24a4ea013fff8c4037de1/muller_arne4.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2aea15ea6ae24a4ea013fff8c4037de1/muller_arne4.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Arne Müller, honorary doctor at the Faculty of Social Sciences, 2026.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Erland Segerstedt</span></div></div><p>For over thirty years, he has through independent and investigative journalism provided in-depth perspectives on how resource extraction affects the economy, society and the environment, with a particular focus on northern Sweden. His work is characterized by extensive document studies, economic analysis, interview-based empirical data and systematic review of political decision-making processes. Through his writing, he has become an important voice in debates on industrial growth, state support and regional development.</p><p>With a background in economics from Umeå University, Arne Müller  has on several occasions been invited as a lecturer and also collaborated with researchers at the Department of Geography and the Centre for Regional Science. The honorary doctorate is a recognition of his exceptional contribution to critical knowledge development and public education on social issues of great importance for our time.</p><p>The Faculty of Social Sciences also appoints Professor Heila Lotz-Sisitka as an honorary doctor for her groundbreaking research on transformative learning, for her global leadership in sustainability education and for her long-term and</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink halfwidthsquareright"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/2aea15ea6ae24a4ea013fff8c4037de1/lotz-sisitka_heila_12.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2aea15ea6ae24a4ea013fff8c4037de1/lotz-sisitka_heila_12.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2aea15ea6ae24a4ea013fff8c4037de1/lotz-sisitka_heila_12.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/2aea15ea6ae24a4ea013fff8c4037de1/lotz-sisitka_heila_12.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2aea15ea6ae24a4ea013fff8c4037de1/lotz-sisitka_heila_12.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2aea15ea6ae24a4ea013fff8c4037de1/lotz-sisitka_heila_12.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Heila Lotz-Sisitka, honorary doctor at the Faculty of Social Sciences, 2026.</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Jackie Grove</span></div></div><p>rewarding collaboration with Umeå University. Heila Lotz-Sisitka is an internationally recognized professor and Distinguished Professor at Rhodes University in South Africa. Since 2016, she has held a national research professorship focusing on how education systems around the world can respond to global change, including through learning for green skills. In 2000, she was awarded Africa's first professorship in environmental education and has since established herself as one of the world's leading voices in education for sustainable development.</p><p>Lotz-Sisitka has collaborated with Umeå University for over fifteen years, first within the national doctoral program GRESD (Graduate School in Education and Sustainable Development) and later within the STINT-funded collaboration SASUF (The South Africa-Sweden University Forum). Her contribution to the research environment at the Department of Applied Educational Sciences and other departments, as well as to the graduate school of educational sciences at Umeå School of Education, has been of great importance to both doctoral students and researchers at the faculty.</p></atom:content><link>https://www.umu.se/en/news/investigative-journalist-and-internationally-recognised-professor-appointed-honorary-doctors_12174287/</link></item><item xml:base="en/news/key-takeaways-from-scilifelab-infrastructure-day-in-umea_12174277/"><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.umu.se/en/news/key-takeaways-from-scilifelab-infrastructure-day-in-umea_12174277/</guid><title>Exploring the infrastructure landscape and data management challenges: key takeaways from SciLifeLab Infrastructure Day in UmeåSciLifeLab Infrastructure Day gave participants a clearer picture of the infrastructures and support systems available for life science research in Umeå. At the same time, the event highlighted both the complexity of today’s research data landscape and the ongoing efforts to make it easier to navigate, particularly during the panel discussion on data management where the audience played an active role in shaping the conversation.Tue, 19 May 2026 14:09:42 +0200<div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_114338.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_114338.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_114338.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_114338.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_114338.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_114338.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Participants of the SciLifeLab Infrastructure Day 2026 at Umeå University</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Anna Shevtsova</span></div></div><p>For one day, a little over 130 researchers, technical staff and support functions gathered at Umeå University to discuss the infrastructures behind modern life science research. Participants from SciLifeLab, SLU, Umeå University and Region Västerbotten came together around a shared question: how can research infrastructures and data management better support science?<br>Throughout the day, participants moved between infrastructure pitches, presentations and poster sessions showcasing a broad range of technologies, infrastructures and support functions linked to life science research. Some were connected to the national SciLifeLab network, while others represented local initiatives and research environments from Umeå University, SLU and Region Västerbotten.<br>Overall, SciLifeLab Infrastructure Day offered participants both a clearer understanding of the infrastructure available within the national SciLifeLab network and a space for new conversations around future collaboration. The event reflected both the complexity of today’s research landscape and the ongoing efforts to build systems that allow researchers to spend more time on science and less time navigating fragmented infrastructures.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_102017.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_102017.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_102017.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_102017.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_102017.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_102017.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Participants of the SciLifeLab Infrastructure Day 2026 at Umeå University are mingling during the poster session</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Anna Shevtsova</span></div></div><p><br>While the day covered a wide range of infrastructures and technologies, one part of the programme focused specifically on the growing challenges connected to research data management. Vivien Horváth Wallemberg fellow, who joined Umeå University in 2025 commented on the day:</p><p class="quote-center">“I think the day was great and it was a very good opportunity to hear about the available infrastructure at Umeå University, especially for someone like me who recently joined as a group leader. I thought the topic of the panel discussion was very important and timely and it seemed that the facilities and responsible staff are aware of the challenges that we face when it comes to data storage and analysis, especially sensitive data, and I hope that in the future they will actively work on trying to find solutions.”</p><h3><br>When research data becomes difficult to manage</h3><p><br>One of the most engaged discussions of the day centred on the practical realities of working with research data. The panel discussion highlighted challenges many researchers recognise: fragmented systems for storing and accessing data, increasing legal and security requirements, and the amount of time needed to organise data correctly throughout a project.<br>The panel brought together perspectives from several parts of the infrastructure landscape. Dr. Björn Nystedt represented NBIS, the national bioinformatics infrastructure, while Dr. Björn Torkelsson discussed the role of the high-performance computing infrastructure HPC2N and member of NAISS. Dr. Nicolas Delhomme, Coordinator for Data and Computational Support within the Wallenberg Initiative for Forest Research (WIFORCE), spoke about the challenges he is currently facing in research data management in connection with the establishment of the new data and computational support centre for WIFORCE.<br>Dr. Kelly Swarts reflected on the challenges researchers face when generating and organising large amounts of data in practice and said that she spent a lot of time at the beginning of her project thinking through and drafting a clear plan for how the data her research would be managed and used. Elisabeth Mach, legal officer at Umeå University, also highlighted how legal and ethical requirements surrounding research data are an important part of research workflows and that should not be overviewed.<br>Throughout the session, the audience contributed through Mentimeter questions that helped shape the discussion in real time. The format illustrated how many different competences are involved in supporting modern research data management, from bioinformatics and computing infrastructure to legal expertise and practical research experience.</p><h3>A need for simpler systems</h3><p>Several participants including members of the panel, described current data management systems as difficult, fragmented and time-consuming. A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the need for more coordinated solutions that allow researchers to spend less time navigating systems and more time focusing on science.</p><p class="quote-center">“There is a need to simplify how researchers work with data”</p><p>was a message that was expressed by Teresa Frisan and agreed by both panel and participants.The discussions also pointed toward ongoing national efforts to improve coordination between infrastructures, support functions and data systems. Shared platforms, national registries and improved support services were highlighted as important steps toward making research data easier to handle securely and efficiently, particularly when sensitive data are involved. Several speakers also pointed to ongoing efforts to improve coordination between infrastructures, support functions and data systems. Shared platforms, national registries and improved support services were highlighted as important steps toward making research data easier to handle securely and efficiently, particularly when sensitive data are involved. At the same time, it was noted that researchers also need to understand the importance of following institutional guidelines and regulations, and of attending relevant training and courses in data management to ensure good research practice.</p><div class="mediaflowwrapper bildlink"><div class="bildImage"><picture><source srcset="/contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_133414.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_133414.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_133414.jpg?format=webp&mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" type="image/webp" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"><source srcset="/contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_133414.jpg?mode=crop&width=640 640w, /contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_133414.jpg?mode=crop&width=854 854w, /contentassets/2421721080e54550ac1851d9b568d8f0/img_20260511_133414.jpg?mode=crop&width=1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 640px, (max-width: 854px) 854px, 1280px"></picture></div><div class="bildText"><p>Members of the panel discussion on Data Management at the SciLifeLab Infrastructure Day, 11 May 2026, at Umeå University. From left to right: Nicolas Delhomme (Coordinator for data and computational support for WIFORCE), Björn Nystedt (NBiS, UU), Kelly Swarts (DDLS Fellow, SLU & UMU), Elisabeth Mach (Legal Officer at Legal and Infromation Management Office UMU), Björn Torkelsson (Assistant Director of HPC2N, UMU)</p><span class="bildPhotografer"><span class="photo">Image</span>Anna Shevtsova</span></div></div><h3>Connecting local research to national infrastructure</h3><p>Beyond the discussions on data management, the event also highlighted SciLifeLab Site Umeå role within the national SciLifeLab network. Through the network, local expertise is connected to shared large-scale infrastructures and services across Sweden, allowing researchers access to technologies, support and collaborations beyond their own institutions.<br>Throughout the day, the conversations reflected both the opportunities and the growing complexity of modern life science research. More importantly, they showed how collaboration between researchers, infrastructures and support functions is becoming increasingly essential in a research landscape shaped by growing amounts of data.<br>Throughout the day, the conversations reflected both the opportunities and the growing complexity of modern life science research. More importantly, they showed how collaboration between researchers, infrastructures and support functions is becoming increasingly essential in a research landscape shaped by growing amounts of data.<br>The event was originally aimed at users, postdocs and young PIs. Still, several infrastructure representatives joked that the intended audience seemed somewhat difficult to spot in the room.<br>One thing became clear during SciLifeLab Infrastructure Day, it is that modern life science research no longer depends only on producing data — but also on understanding how to work with it together. The challenge for future events may simply be convincing even more PhD students, postdocs and young group leaders to step away from the lab bench for a day and join the conversation.</p>https://www.umu.se/en/news/key-takeaways-from-scilifelab-infrastructure-day-in-umea_12174277/