Interviews

Researcher of the month

Anna Qvarnström, Animal Ecology

Anna Qvarnström is a senior lecturer at the Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology. She first started to consider herself a scientist when her PhD training begun. During the next years she is going to apply to be a professor.

Göran Arnqvist, Animal Ecology

Göran Arnqvist is a professor at the Department of Ecology and Genetics. Most of his research is performed on insects, and his current research involves - among other things - the evolutionary implications of sexual conflict.

Petra Korall, Systematic Biology

Petra Korall is a senior lecturer at Department of Organismal Biology. She studies the phylogeny and biogeography of tree ferns, and has recently formed her own research group. Her advice to students is to choose subject according to interest.

Anders Virtanen, Cell and Molecular Biology

Anders Virtanen is a professor at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, and the Uppsala RNA Research Centre (URRC). He believes that one of the most important duties of a researcher (beside research and education) is to actively contribute to the initiation of new companies, based on research ideas.

Cecilia Berg, Ecotoxicology

Cecilia Berg is a researcher at the department of Environmental Toxicology. Her group examines the developmental effects of pollutants on the reproductive system in birds and amphibians.

Thijs Ettema, Molecular Evolution

Thijs Ettema is an assistant professor at the department of Molecular Evolution. He is about to form his own research group, a task he consider to be both exciting and challenging.

Maria Selmer, Structure Biology

Maria Selmer is a researcher at the department of Structural Biology and her research involves solving protein structures by x-ray crystallography. Her postdoc in Cambridge was a great experience, and she recommends doing your postdoc abroad. Also, she believes that parents shouldn’t be afraid of bringing their children with them on such a journey.

Mats Thulin, Systematic Biology

Mats Thulin is a professor at the Department of Systematic Biology. He has invested 18 years into making a flora of Somalia, as well as contributed to the fact that Somalia is now acknowledged as one of the worlds 34 biological research hotspots.

Siv Andersson, Molecular Evolution

Siv Andersson is a professor at the department of Molecular Evolution. Her group was the first in Sweden to sequence an entire genome and she has supervised about 15 PhD students. In her spare time she practices sports such as skiing, running, bicycling and swimming.

Per Ahlberg, Evolutionary Organismal Biology

Per Ahlberg is a professor at the Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology. His group has recently discovered a set of footprints which proves that vertebrates took the evolutionary step from water to land much earlier than has been previously presumed. Before Per Ahlberg begun his research at Uppsala University he was employed at the National History Museum of London.

Leif Kirsebom, Microbiology

Leif Kirsebom is a professor as well as prefect at the department of Cell and Molecular Biology. His field of interest is RNA biology, structure and function, although his group has recently discovered sporulation among mycobacteria.

Sandra Kleinau, Molecular Immunology

Sandra Kleinau is a professor at the department of Cell and Molecular Biology in the Molecular Immunology program. Her research concerns autoimmunity and in particular B-cell function. She believes that one should not be afraid of combining family with a career in science. It is hard work, but quite possible to accomplish.

Hans Ellegren, Evolutionary Biology

Hans Ellegren is a professor at the department of Evolutionary Biology as well as Dean of Biology. In his research he explores DNA sequence evolution, mostly using avian models, to study the connection between genetics and observed properties of the organism.

Suparna Sanyal, Cell and Molecular Biology

Suparna Sanyal is a lecturer and researcher at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. Her research concerns the mechanism of protein synthesis and protein folding. She is also investigating the connection between ribosome aided protein folding and prion diseases. In addition to this she holds a patent for a technology she has developed which enables purification of ribosomes via a tag.

Elena Jazin, Animal development and Genetics

Elena Jazin is a professor at the department of Development & Genetics. Her research lies within the field of behavioural genetics, which essentially explores how genes and environment affect the behaviour of humans and animals. Lately, the group has published a number of articles concerning the differences between the brains of men and women.

Rolf Bernander, Molecular Evolution

Rolf Bernander studies the cell cycle of a large number of microorganisms, among them thermophiles which thrive in 80 degrees hot acid. The Bernander group is of current interest since they recently discovered a new division system for cells, which have received great attention in the world of science and media.

Laura Parducci, Evolutionary Functional Genomics

Laura Parducci's main work is to collect and study old DNA (from the last 13 000 years) preserved in seeds at the bottom of lakes. The group has developed a method that allows them to amplify DNA directly from pollen grains, and a large part of the current research is focused on improving this method.

Staffan Svärd, Microbiology

Staffan Svärd is a professor at the department of Cell and Molecular Biology. His research is focused on the interactions between parasites and their hosts. The main work in his group is done on the parasite Giardia, but a number of other parasites are being studied as well.

Uppsala University

Biology Education Centre