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Always fascinated by microbes, Tinkara Bizjak-Johansson investigated bacterial and fungal communities in boreal forests during her PhD in Annika Nordin's research group (photo: Anne Honsel).
Microbes like bacteria and fungi are all around us, yet we rarely notice them. Tinkara Bizjak-Johansson studied microbial communities in boreal forests and showed that fertilisation shifts fungal community composition in the soil but does not affect nitrogen-fixing bacteria in conifer needles.
- You studied fungal and bacterial microbiomes in boreal forests during your PhD in Annika Nordin’s research group. What aroused your interest in this topic?
I have always thought that bacteria were fascinating because they are present everywhere, but we are not really aware of them. And even though we cannot see them as they are so tiny, they can cause big problems through certain diseases. The same counts for fungi. We do notice the ones in the forests that one can pick but those are just a few. There are so many more. Once I met Annika, we both got intrigued by the idea that there could be nitrogen-fixing bacteria present in the conifer needles. It is such an interesting place for nitrogen-fixing bacteria and not a lot was known about those communities at all. So, it kind of started with that question and then it developed further. The more research I did, the more questions arose.
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Jian-Feng Mao led the international team that developed the new long non-coding RNA analysis tool (photo: Mattias Pettersson, Umeå University).
An international research team, led by Jian-Feng Mao, have developed PlantLncBoost, a new computational tool that helps to identify long non-coding RNAs in plants. These RNAs are crucial for numerous biological processes but differ a lot between different plant species. PlantLncBoost addresses this challenge with very high accuracy offering new possibilities for genomic studies in plants. These findings were recently published in the journal New Phytologist.
Long non-coding RNAs, called lncRNAs, are transcribed from DNA as other RNAs but they do not carry instructions for proteins. Instead, they help controlling genes, guide plant development and are involved in plant responses to stress like drought or heat. Identifying these lncRNAs has been difficult because their genetic sequences vary a lot between different plant species.
Read more: New computational tool helps to identify long non-coding RNAs
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Laura Bacete Cano studies how plants perceive and maintain their cell walls, especially during growth, development and in response to environmental stress. Photo: Mattias Pettersson, Umeå University
She wants to help shape the academic environment and highlight the importance of research in plant cell and molecular biology. Laura Bacete Cano, Assistant Professor at Umeå University and group leader at Umeå Plant Science Centre, is one of eight new members that have been elected to the Young Academy of Sweden. In her new role, she will actively engage in research policy discussions, outreach towards young people and other activities the academy is involved in.
- Congratulations! You have been elected as new member to the Young Academy of Sweden. What does this mean for you?
Laura Bacete Cano: It means a lot, both professionally and personally. I see it as a chance to work with researchers from different fields and backgrounds, and to take part in discussions that go beyond my own research. It is also a way to help shape the academic environment in Sweden and beyond.
Read more: Laura Bacete Cano becomes a member of the Young Academy of Sweden
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Olivier Keech and his collaborators will use microorganisms to turn organic waste into animal feed (photo: Anne Honsel).
What if leftovers of organic materials could become valuable feed for animals? A new research project, led by Olivier Keech, is addressing this question and aims at developing circular solutions for more sustainable and efficient food systems. With generous support from the Kamprad Family Foundation for Entrepreneurship, Research & Charity, the team wants to transform residues from the forest and food industries into high-quality animal feed by combining fermentation and pelleting techniques.
Biological residues such as sawdust from the forest industry, cereal bran from breweries, and municipal food wastes, accumulate during wood and food processing. Even though they are rich in carbohydrates, these wastes often have a low residual value because the presence of cellulose and lignins makes them difficult for animals to digest. A scientific team, led by Olivier Keech, plan to use the carbohydrates stored in these residues to create higher-value feed while supporting the development of a local, circular, and environmentally friendly economy.
Read more: New project aims to turn residues into high-quality animal feed
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At the ceremony last Friday, SLU's vice chancellor Maria Knutson (left) officially inaugurated Totte Niittylä (right) as professor at SLU (photo: Jenny Svennås-Gillner, SLU).
Last week, Totte Niittylä was officially inaugurated as Professor of Plant Physiology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). The inauguration ceremony took place on May 8 and 9 at SLU’s Ultuna campus in Uppsala. It was part of the university’s annual academic celebration welcoming new professors.
The professorial inauguration is a long-standing academic tradition at SLU, combining popular science lectures with a formal ceremony. This year, ten new professors from different SLU departments and faculties were honoured, including Totte Niittylä from UPSC. The event included two days of public lectures, where each professor presented their research to colleagues, students, and invited guests. The following ceremony was hosted by SLU’s Vice-Chancellor and concluded with a celebratory dinner for the newly inaugurated professors and their guests.
Read more: Tracking carbon in trees - Totte Niittylä inaugurated as Professor at SLU
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Taking the next step in an academic careers: Peter Kindgren (left) and Peter Marhavý (right) have delivered their docent lecture at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (photo: Anne Honsel).
The decision has not yet been made, but the final requirement has been fulfilled: the two UPSC group leaders, Peter Kindgren and Peter Marhavý, have delivered their docent lectures this week. The appointment as a docent is the next step in an academic career following the PhD. It shows that the candidates have significantly developed their academic expertise, demonstrated their scientific independence, and proved that they are capable of acting as principal supervisors.
Peter Kindgren and Peter Marhavý both began establishing their independent research group at the Umeå Plant Science Centre and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences at the beginning of 2020. Since then, their groups have grown to include several group members, their research is producing results and they are also regularly teaching students. As they now approach the next milestone in their academic career, we asked them in the following interview about their motivation to continue in academia, their research focus and what they enjoy about their work.
Read more: Curiosity and the ongoing sense of discovery drive their motivation
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Jun Yu (left), Maria E. Eriksson (middle) and Bertold Mariën (right) are discussing their collaboration project in IceLab (photo: Gabrielle Beans, IceLab).
A new study from Umeå University has revealed that the trees’ circadian clock guides their growth and the timing of seasonal events like the appearance of leaves in spring. The researchers investigated the growth of genetically modified poplars in greenhouse and field conditions, combining statistical learning and plant biology methods. Their findings suggest that adjusting clock-associated genes could help trees better synchronize with changing climates, offering new opportunities for forestry.
A Large-Scale Approach to Understanding a Tree’s Clock
Trees, like humans, have a circadian clock that regulates their daily and seasonal rhythms. Research has suggested that this clock is important to regulate growth and the timing of important seasonal events, like for example bud formation in autumn and bud opening in spring. However, most of this research has been done in controlled greenhouse conditions and not outside in the field where plants are exposed to natural environmental conditions. In the field, as in the real world, temperature fluctuations, insect predation and other factors affect plant growth.
Read more: Adjusting trees' internal clocks can help them cope with climate change
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Several group leaders from UPSC shared their experiences with the participants of the symposium at a panel discussion highlighting different academic journeys (photo: Anne Honsel).
End of March, the UPSC Early Career Plant Scientists Symposium took place. Six talented young researchers from around the globe were visiting UPSC, presented their research and got to know the research environment. Feedback from the participants highlighted the welcoming atmosphere and the stimulating interactions with group leaders and postdoctoral researchers.
The two-day event, held on 26-27 March, was filled with scientific and networking activities. The first day commenced with a scientific session where invited early career scientists presented their research, and several UPSC group leaders provided a brief overview of their work. This was followed by a matchmaking event with individual discussions between UPSC group leaders and the invited researchers, aimed at exploring potential collaborations.
Read more: UPSC Early Career Plant Scientists Symposium receives positive feedback from participants
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Chile is like Sweden a country with extreme climate zones. Photo: Maria E Eriksson.
In January 2026, researchers from Sweden and Chile will meet in Concepción, Chile, for the ACCESS Forum 2026. The aim is to foster networking and exchange between researchers from both countries, with focus on the UN’s Sustainable Development goals. One of the participating scientists is Maria E. Eriksson from UPSC and Umeå University. Together with Luisa Bascuñán from Universidad de Concepción, she will lead the research theme “Resilient plants for the future: Lessons learned from challenging environments” and organise a workshop.
Maria E. Eriksson, who studies how the circadian clock regulates plant growth also under adverse environmental conditions, has a long-standing collaboration with Chilean researchers. In 2015, she started even a Research Links project supported by the Swedish Research Council, that allowed her and her Chilean partner to intensify their collaboration. The focus of the research theme workshop that she will co-host with Luisa Bascuñán at the ACCESS Forum 2026 will be on current plant improvement and health approaches and discuss what is needed to tackle increasingly challenging environmental conditions.
Read more: Fostering International Collaboration for Sustainable Development
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PhD student Alice Marcon has studied flowering and seasonal growth in trees.
Spring is on its way and trees will soon flush their buds. Deciduous trees have to adjust their growth and development to the respective season, but how is this regulated? PhD student Alice Marcon set out to investigate this and characterised the function of two flowering genes that regulate not only flowering but also seasonal growth in poplar. She also created a seasonal roadmap of gene activities and identified key genes regulating bud dormancy, bud flush and flowering providing valuable information for tree breeding programmes.
- You studied flowering and seasonal growth in poplar working in Ove Nilsson’s group. What sparked your interest in this topic and how did you end up joining Ove’s group?
Alice Marcon: I believe that understanding how plants, especially trees, adapt to their environment is crucial, particularly in the face of climate change. As perennial plants, trees have to endure seasonal shifts year after year, making their ability to regulate growth and dormancy essential for survival.