Department of Cell and Molecular Biology
The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at Karolinska Institutet is a nationally leading academic research center of high international standard where science comes first and foremost. CMB researchers publish regularly in the best international science journals, a result of a long-term in-house culture that promotes real impact and key breakthroughs.
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CMB News
Photo: Linda Lindell
Camilla Björkegren has been appointed Head of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB), starting June 1, 2024.
The decision was signed by Vice President Martin Bergö on May 14, 2024. Camilla will take over as Head of the Department from András Simon on June 1, 2024, and the appointment is for five years.
"I am very happy and grateful for the appointment and look forward to working with colleagues within and outside CMB for the continuous development of the department and KI," says Camilla Björkegren.
Photo: Daniel Holl
Scar formation after spinal cord injury is more complex than previously thought
New research reveals that scar formation after spinal cord injuries is more complex than previously thought. Scientists have identified two types of perivascular cells as key contributors to scar tissue, which hinders nerve regeneration and functional recovery. These findings are also relevant for other brain and spinal cord injuries and could lead to targeted therapies for reducing scarring and improving outcomes.
Photo: Markus Marcetic
KI-researcher Laura Baranello awarded ERC Consolidator Grant
KI researcher Laura Baranello has been awarded the prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant for her researches into the interaction between the cancer-driving protein MYC and topoisomerase enzymes. Her aim is to identify drugs for more targeted cancer therapy with fewer side-effects. Laura Baranello’s MYCinTOPshape project has been awarded approximately EUR 2 million to be spread over five years.
Drugs that block DNA-topoisomerases, so-called topoisomerase blockers or cytostatics, are one of the linchpins of modern cancer therapies.
Topoisomerases, primarily TOP1 and TOP2, are a group of enzymes that control the internal structure of DNA molecules.
Existing cancer drugs therefor target these enzymes in order to interrupt DNA replication, mitosis or division, in the cancer cell, causing the cell to die.
Photo: Christian Göritz lab, Karolinska Institutet
Fibroblasts in the penis are more important for erectile function than previously thought
Regular erections could be important for maintaining erectile function, according to a new study on mice published in Science by researchers at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at Karolinska Institutet. “We discovered that an increased frequency of erections leads to more fibroblasts that enable erection and vice versa, that a decreased frequency results in fewer of these cells,” says principal investigator Christian Göritz.
Photo: Christofer Dracke
Researchers take new AI approach to analyse tumours
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and SciLifeLab have combined artificial intelligence (AI) techniques used in satellite imaging and community ecology to interpret large amounts of data from tumour tissue. The method, presented in the journal Nature Communications, could contribute to more personalised treatment of cancer patients.
“We realised that the interpretation of tumour images is similar to the interpretation of satellite images and that the relationships between cells in a tissue are similar to the relationships between species in ecology,” explains Jean Hausser, senior researcher at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, who led the research. “By combining techniques used in satellite imaging and ecology and adapting them for the analysis of tumour tissue, we have now been able to turn complex data into new insights into how cancer works.”
Latest publications
Targeting leukemia's survival route: a novel approach to overcoming leukemia recurrence
Researchers from Karolinska Institutet have in collaboration with the University of Eastern Finland and Lund University a new publication in Genome Biology, demonstrated that targeting cell cycle and cell fate regulatory programs blocks non-genetic cancer evolution in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Findings from Olle Sangfelt's group at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology in collaboration with the group of Merja Heinäniemi, the University of Eastern Finland and Anna Hagström-Andersson, Lund University shed light on the intricate connections between gene regulation, cell cycle control, and cell fate, providing a rationale for combining WEE1 inhibitors with other targeted therapies to enhance treatment efficacy while minimizing side effects.
New technique developed for targeted protein degradation
A new publication in Nature Communications from researchers at The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology solves a long-standing problem by establishing a system that allows site-specific protein degradation within mitochondria, the cellular hubs for energy production and metabolism.
Understanding how cells work often requires manipulating protein function. Methods used to do this usually cause total ablation of protein function and cannot provide information about their specific roles within different cellular compartments. This is especially challenging for organelles like mitochondria. Addressing this, the researchers present, for the first time, a technique for targeted protein degradation within the mitochondria of yeast and human cells. They have also devised a way to control the induction of degradation, thereby allowing time-resolved analysis.
Gene expression influences the three-dimensional folding of chromosomes by altering the structure of the DNA helix
A new publication in Molecular Cell presents a collaborative study within the framework of the UTokyo-KI LINK program, headed by Camilla Björkegren from The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at Karolinska Institutet, Kristian Jeppsson and Katsuhiko Shirahige from The University of Tokyo.
The study shows that a protein complex named Smc5/6 binds DNA structures called positive supercoils. These form when the chromosomal DNA double helix folds onto itself due to overtwisting caused by transcription, which is the first step in gene expression. The study presents in vivo data indicating that Smc5/6 binds to the base of chromosome loops in regions that contain high levels of transcription-induced positive supercoils.
DNA tangles allow for targeted cancer therapy via topoisomerase drug treatment
A new publication in Science Advances from researchers at Karolinska Institutet shows how to use a specific cancer trait to improve treatment of pancreatic tumors.
DNA is like a long piece of string, and just like a string, it can get tangled. In cells, special proteins called topoisomerases are needed to detangle the DNA to properly use it again. These topoisomerases are the main research topic of Laura Baranello's lab from the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology.
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