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Life science

Image: Malin Grönborg

Life science is the study of biological life and living organisms. It is a very broad field of study, fundamentally based on chemistry and biology.

Life science encompasses everything from diseases to how we function, as well as our interaction with nature and all its components. Here in Umeå, we have been conducting life science-related research since the university was founded, with a focus on molecular and microbiology as well as chemistry.

One example of groundbreaking life science research at Umeå University is the discovery of the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9, for which Emmanuelle Charpentier was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020.

Latests news in life science at Umeå university

Nadeem UllahPostdoktor vid Institutionen för klinisk mikrobiologisamt Constantin UrbanProfessor vid Institutionen för klinisk mikrobiologiEnhet: Immunologi, Avdelningen för infektion och immunologi
Researchers uncover how immune cells use zinc to fight infections — challenging long-held beliefs

The reseachers show that immune cells drain microbes of zinc, making them more vulnerable.

Postdoc  Alef dos Santos, student assistant Frida Folkesson Ragnebrandt, PhD student Zoe Asimaki, postdoc Surendra Vikram Singh, and group leader Merve Yeşilbaş
Life at the limits: Meet the lab that hunts for life on Mars

Microorganisms are exposed to UV, cold, and high salinity. The goal? To find biosignatures on Mars.

Fyra fötter sticker fram under täcke
Gonorrhoea is spreading and outsmarting antibiotics

Tomas Gustafsson's experiences with patient encounters led him to research new antibiotic candidates.

Lars-Anders Carlson
WHO warns of chikungunya virus outbreak – 5 questions to virus researcher

Let us learn about the virus by asking 5 curious questions to virus researcher Lars-Anders Carlson.

En ritad bild av sjöar med olika färger som hälls ner i en tratt. Tratten har samma färger som sjöarna.
The world's lakes merge into one – revealing new patterns

The combined structure of millions of lakes more closely mirrors land than oceans.

Elin Chorell, forskare vid Institutionen för folkhälsa och klinisk medicin, Umeå universitet.
Aiming to detect and halt type 2 diabetes

Her goal is to make it possible to detect and slow the progression of type 2 diabetes at an early stage.

Andrey
He reveals the chemistry of life at nanoscales with X-rays

Andrey Shchukarev, manager of the XPS-platform, developed a pioneering method to fast-freeze wet samples

Äldre man får stöd av hemtjänstersonal på grusväg
Alzheimer's-like disease in patients with Parkinson's

Some patients diagnosed with Parkinson's may have neurological disease more similar to Alzheimer's.

Laura Carroll
Laura Carroll awarded “Future Research Leader” grant – receives 15 million sek to resolve the microbiome of cells

Combining computational tools with biological data, she wants to resolve the cellular microbiome.

Students standing around the teacher in a lab, the teacher shows different tools to be used. Some students take notes.

Curious about studying Life Science?

The Bachelor’s programme in Life Science focuses on life, bridging chemistry and biology to explore living systems. The teachers have close links to outstanding research in areas such as microbiology, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, infectious medicine, and plant and forest biotechnology.

Learn more about the programme here.

Study both chemistry and molecular biology

The Life Science programme builds the basis and during the third year you specialize in chemistry or molecular biology.

 

Organisations within life science at Umeå university

Coalition Umeå for Life Science (CU4LS)

An initiative to improve visibility of Umeå life science research activities nationally and internationally

Chemical Biological Centre (KBC)

An interdisciplinary research centre in life/natural science and medicine at UMU and SLU

Del av jordklotet. Europa sett från rymden med atmosfär och moln.
The European CBRNE Center

Learn more about the European CBRNE Center at Umeå university

SciLifeLab logo
SciLifeLab Site Umeå

SciLifeLab national site at Umeå (UMU and SLU) is a local site of the national SciLifeLab network.

Umeå center for functional brain imaging

UFBI is an inter-disciplinary research center using imaging techniques to examine the brain.

Dykare mäter växter på en havsbotten.
Umeå Marine Sciences Centre

UMF is a dynamic environment for marine research including a complete suite of analytical platforms.

UCMR logga
Umeå Centre for Microbial Research UCMR

UCMR is a Linnaeus Centre of Excellence promoting cutting-edge microbial research at Umeå University.

Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine (UCMM)

UCMM is an interdisciplinary research centre

Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine

WCMM strives to enable excellent molecular and translational research

Latest update: 2025-07-02