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.
Improving Rubisco, a key enzyme in photosynthesis
To capture carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, plants depend on Rubisco, one of the most important enzymes on Earth. Despite its essential role, Rubisco works relatively slowly and sometimes reacts with oxygen instead of carbon dioxide.
Johannes Messinger, professor at Umeå University and group leader at UPSC, wants to understand why the enzyme works the way it does – and whether it could work better.
Together with researchers from Uppsala University and Stockholm University, his team will investigate how different parts of Rubisco influence its performance, including regions far from where the chemical reactions take place. The knowledge could eventually help researchers develop more efficient versions of the enzyme, with potential benefits for plant growth and carbon capture.
Growing new materials from living plant cells
Many plant-based materials are produced by growing, harvesting and processing plants. Eleni Stavrinidou from Linköping University, who is also an associated group leader at UPSC, leads a project exploring a different approach: growing sustainable materials directly from plant cells.
The researchers aim to control how plant cells attach to each other and form cell walls, allowing them to create materials with specific properties. Potential applications range from textiles and construction to medicine.
The project brings together researchers from Linköping University, KTH and Umeå University, including Stéphane Verger, group leader at UPSC. He contributes expertise in the mechanics and dynamics of how plant cells attach to each other.
Both projects are among 30 research projects awarded funding by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, sharing a total of SEK 900 million. Johannes Messinger's project has been awarded SEK 27 million, and Eleni Stavrinidou's project SEK 26 million, both over five years.
Read more about the projects:
The quest for a better photosynthetic enzyme – Umeå University
Plant cells to become building blocks in new materials – Linköping University
List of funded projects on the homepage of the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation
For questions, please contact:
Johannes Messinger, Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University
Email:
Johannes' research group website
Eleni Stavrinidou, Laboratory of Organic Electronics (LOE), Department of Science and Technology (ITN), Linköping University
Email:
Eleni's research group website
Stéphane Verger, Umeå Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant Physiology, Umeå University
Email:
Stéphane's research group website