
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

New research confirms that neurons form in the adult brain
A study in the journal Science presents compelling new evidence that neurons in the brain’s memory centre, the hippocampus, continue to form well into late adulthood. The research from Karolinska Institutet provides answers to a fundamental and long-debated question about the human brain’s adaptability.
The hippocampus is a brain region that is essential for learning and memory and involved in emotion regulation. Back in 2013, Jonas Frisén’s research group at Karolinska Institutet showed in a high-profile study that new neurons can form in the hippocampus of adult humans. The researchers then measured carbon-14 levels in DNA from brain tissue, which made it possible to determine when the cells were formed.

Higher levels of HIF2α slow down aggressive childhood cancer
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Umeå University have investigated how the protein HIF2α affects neuroblastoma, a severe form of childhood cancer. The results show that high levels of HIF2α can reduce the growth of tumor cells and promote their maturation into a less aggressive cell type.
“Our results show that high levels of HIF2α lead to decreased MYCN levels, reduced cell proliferation, and a shift toward a more mature cell type,” says Juan Yuan, one of the researchers behind the study at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB).
The study thus challenges the previous notion that HIF2α always acts as a cancer driver in neuroblastoma. Instead, the findings suggest that the protein may, in some cases, play a tumor suppressive and maturation-promoting role.
“This gives us new insights into how neuroblastoma develops and may eventually contribute to new treatment strategies,” says Johan Holmberg, professor at the Department of Molecular Biology at Umeå University and affiliated to CMB at KI.

Interactive game helps students tackle antibiotic resistance
In a pilot project within the course Biomedical Communication, students have tackled the complex issue of antibiotic resistance (AMR) through gamification. When the AMR Knowledge Space Game was integrated into the curriculum, the response from both teachers and students was overwhelmingly positive. With the success of the pilot, the interactive game may become part of future courses and educational research at Karolinska Institutet (KI).
Spring 2025, Karolinska Institutet began a collaboration with Captrs to test games as educational tools within the biomedical communication course on the Master's Programme in Biomedicine, taught by Matthew Kirkham, researcher at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology.
There was considerable interest among the participating students.
The pilot was supported by a departmental grant and brought together experts from biomedicine, global health, education and serious game design.

Strengthening research methods and the collaboration between KI and Brazil
Leo Westerberg, a doctoral student in the Spalding lab at Karolinska Institutet, shares insights from his visit to the Mori lab in Campinas, supported by the Collaborative Grant for Collaboration with Brazil.
Leo Westerstberg's research focuses on understanding the role of lysosomes in adipocyte senescence and how this may differ between fat depots and metabolic states.
His team applied for the Collaborative Grant for collaboration with Brazil to visit the Mori lab at Unicamp in Campinas, Brazil, where Leo had the opportunity to give a talk and teach a reflected-light-based method for detecting cellular senescence that was developed in the Spalding lab.

The Swedish Brain Foundation funds 39 research projects at KI
The Swedish Brain Foundation (Hjärnfonden) is making its largest donation to date to Swedish brain research. This year, SEK 152.8 million will be awarded to research projects in neuroscience. A total of 112 research projects in Sweden receive funding, and 39 of these are run at KI.
Swedish brain research has taken important steps forward, but many questions remain unanswered, writes the Swedish Brain Foundation (Hjärnfonden) in a press release.
With this year's award, the Swedish Brain Foundation is giving researchers across the country improved conditions to move their knowledge towards new solutions for brain diagnoses.
Nico Dantuma, professor at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology will receive funding for his project: Stimulating protein quality control in neurodegenerative disorders
Latest publications
Tiny Tweaks to microRNAs Uncover Big Insights into Gene Control
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University have developed a powerful new technique to better understand how tiny molecules in our cells, called microRNAs, control which genes are turned on or off — a discovery that could improve how we study diseases from cancer to neurodevelopmental disorders.
Led by Dr. David Kosek and Dr. Emma R. Andersson from the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology the team used a clever molecular trick: they altered just two tiny spots in the miRNA specifically in miR-34a so it could no longer bind to parts of the target RNA. They then measured how this change affected gene expression in human cells.
Mapping of a gigantic salamander genome reveals secrets of regeneration
Researchers at Department of Cell and Molecular Biology have mapped the genome of the Iberian ribbed newt and revealed how the composition and organization of the DNA are linked to its ability to regenerate entire body parts.
Salamanders are known for their unique ability to regenerate entire body parts and for their resistance to tumor development. The molecular mechanisms behind these traits have been difficult to study due to a lack of knowledge about the composition of their genome. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have now succeeded in mapping the genome of the Iberian ribbed newt, providing new insights into these fascinating processes.
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.
Understanding Liver Fibrosis: Insights from Alagille Syndrome
Researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Charles University studying liver fibrosis have made an exciting new discovery, now published in EMBO Molecular Medicine. Their latest findings could pave the way for innovative approaches to treating this challenging condition.
What influences the extent of scar tissue, or fibrosis, that develops in the liver when people suffer from liver disease? While a small amount of fibrosis is a normal part of the healing process, excessive fibrosis can occur, leading to complications and, ultimately, liver failure. Understanding the mechanisms that drive this escalation is essential in the fight against liver disease.
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