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Adam Frew studies how mycorrhizal fungi interact with plants and shape plant communities and ecosystems. Photo: Malin Grönborg
Mycorrhizal fungi can shape how plants acquire nutrients and respond to their environment. Adam Frew, new group leader at Umeå Plant Science Centre and part of the WIFORCE programme at SLU, wants to understand the diversity of these fungal partners and how they affect plants and ecosystems.
Read more: Looking closer at the hidden diversity belowground
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Laura Bacete Cano (centre) attended the STS Forum in Japan together with fellow Young Academy of Sweden member Carolin Schütze (left) and the academy’s CEO, Sverker Lundin (right).
Researchers, policymakers and industry leaders from around the world gathered in Kyoto in October for the Science and Technology in Society Forum (STS Forum). Laura Bacete Cano, researcher at Umeå Plant Science Centre and member of the Young Academy of Sweden, took part in both the forum and its Young Leaders Program. One of her main takeaways was that taking part in discussions about the future of science is part of the job as a researcher, not something separate from it.
Read more: Laura Bacete Cano reflects on the STS Forum in Kyoto
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Hannele Tuominen (left) and Stéphane Verger (right) have each received a four-year project grant from the Swedish Research Council. Photos: Fredrik Larsson, Johan Gunséus
How does nitrogen influence wood formation in trees? And what keeps neighbouring plant cells firmly attached? Two researchers from Umeå Plant Science Centre have received project grants from the Swedish Research Council to investigate these questions.
Read more: New funding to explore wood formation and plant cell adhesion
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Umeå University has been awarded nearly SEK 50 million by Formas to lead NorthFood, a research initiative focused on the future of food in northern Sweden. As the climate changes, food production needs to adapt to new conditions and reduce its climate impact. NorthFood will investigate how this can be achieved across the entire chain, from plant breeding and cultivation to markets and meals.
Read more: Umeå leads SEK 50 million initiative on the future of food in the north
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Johannes Messinger, Eleni Stavrinidou and Stéphane Verger (from left) are involved in two research projects awarded funding by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. Photos (from left): Mattias Pettersson, Thor Balkhed, Johan Gunséus.
Can one of the most important enzymes in photosynthesis be made more efficient? And could living plant cells be used to grow new materials? Two research projects involving researchers from UPSC will explore these questions with funding from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.
Read more: New funding for research on photosynthesis and plant-based materials
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Stephan Wenkel and Iker Valle Aramburu both study microproteins, but in different biological systems. Together, they organised the Nobel Symposium on microproteins at Umeå University in September 2026. Photo: Anne Honsel
For decades, many of the smallest proteins were overlooked or dismissed as biological noise. Now researchers are discovering that these tiny molecules, known as microproteins, can influence processes ranging from plant development to immune responses in animals and humans. They are even beginning to design new ones for specific purposes.
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The cells on the surface of an aspen leaf form a characteristic jigsaw puzzle-like pattern. The image shows the leaf surface under the microscope. Image adapted from Liu et al. (2026), New Phytologist. CC BY 4.0.
The surface of an aspen leaf looks like a jigsaw puzzle under the microscope. Researchers at Umeå Plant Science Centre have now identified a gene that helps shape these interlocking cells – and discovered that both the gene's activity and the cells' shape change when the tree experiences drought.
Read more: When aspen trees experience drought, their leaf cells change shape
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By Laura García Romañach
Carole Dubreuil shares her fascination with plants through science communication, including her popular science book Incroyables végétaux (“Amazing Plants”). She visited UPSC this summer, when this photo was taken. Photo: Laura García Romañach
Nine years ago, Carole Dubreuil left her position as a plant researcher at UPSC for a career in industry. During her time in academia, she developed a passion for science communication that persists until today. She currently works as Head of the CEO Project Office at ENYO Pharma overseeing and supervising the company’s projects, while making plant science accessible to broader audiences in her free time. For her, science communication complements and balances her professional work.
Read more: Communicating science brings balance to her career
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The Swedish Metabolomics Centre provides researchers with expertise and infrastructure for mass spectrometry-based metabolite analysis. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt.
The Swedish Metabolomics Centre, based at UPSC, has secured continued support from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The new funding will strengthen the centre's long-term development and its ability to provide advanced metabolomics services to researchers across Sweden.
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Yanjun Zan plans to study how genes and the environment interact, initially using Arabidopsis as a model system. Photo: Malin Grönborg
Why can the same environmental change benefit one plant but stress another? And could their genetic information help us predict these different responses? These questions are at the heart of Yanjun Zan’s research. As a new group leader at Umeå Plant Science Centre and Integrated Science Lab (IceLab), he combines plant biology, genetics and computational approaches to understand how genetic differences shape plant responses to environmental change.
Read more: Predicting how plants respond to their environment