Image: Gabrielle Beans Picón, © Gabrielle Beans
Image: Gabrielle Beans Picón, © Gabrielle Beans
Research group Starting out from research on photosynthesis the focus of my work currently is on two different subjects: The function of plant proteases and the potential of Nordic microalgae for wastewater reclamation and biomass generation. Research objects in my group range from cyanobacteria, via green microalgae and cryptomonad algae to higher plants.
Proteases are proteins that break down other proteins. They are involved in many different biological functions, e.g. the digestion of our food, cleaning the cell from malfunctioning proteins or cell signaling. Even though hundreds of proteases are encoded in the genomes of various plants, their biological roles are mostly unknown. Using molecular biological and biochemical methods, we try to find identify the function of some of them. Our model organisms range from cyanobacteria over algae to higher plants.
Wastewater reclamation and biomass generation by Nordic microalgae
Photosynthesis is a process where sunlight is highly efficiently converted into chemical energy and carbon dioxid from the air is diminished! We let microalgae perform photosynthesis and at the same time clean wastewater. The algal biomass then can be used for biofuel, biogas, biofertilizer or even bioplastic. Our challenge is the sub-arctic climate we have in Northern Sweden with low temperatures and short day lengths. Therefore we investigate the potential of local, natural algal strains. We test their performance in cleaning wastewater, analyze their biomass and investigate, how to prolong their growth phase.
Key publications
Corredor L., Vergou GA, Skalický V, Antoniadi I, Wheaton BJ, Ljung K, Gorzsás A, Funk C (2025) Apoptotic Bodies in Phytoplankton Suggest Evolutionary Conservation of Cell Death Mechanisms, Nature Communications 16, 8427. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63956-4.
Leon-Vaz A, Plöhn M, Cubero-Cardoso J, Urbano J, Funk C (2025) Nordic Microalgae immobilized to a sulfur-cooking oil copolymer form a highly efficient, sustainable and reusable sorbent to remove heavy metals from complex mixtures. Green Chemistry 27, 14658-14671, DOI: 10.1039/D5GC03769G.
Spain O, Funk C (2024) A step towards more eco-friendly and efficient microalgal harvesting: Inducing flocculation in the non-naturally flocculating strain Chlorella vulgaris (13-1) without chemical additives. Algal Research 79, 103450. DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2024.103450
Mehariya S, Plöhn M, Jablonski P, Stagge S, Jönsson LJ, Funk C (2023) Biopolymer production from biomass produced by Nordic microalgae grown in wastewater. Bioresource Technology 376, 128901. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128901.
Mehariya S, Plöhn M, Leon-Vaz A, Patel A, Funk C (2022) Improving the content of high value compounds in Nordic Desmodesmus microalgal strains. Bioresource Technology 359, 127445. DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127445.
Researchers found a type of programmed cell death in single-celled organisms thought to exist only in animals.
Christiane Funk is passionate about small organisms with great potential for a more sustainable future.
Biomass from algae is converted into plastic used in lamps and packaging.
