EU invests in Umeå research – 16 projects tackle major societal challenges

EU invests in Umeå research - 16 projects tackle major societal challenges

Umeå University is participating in 16 new research projects that have collectively received more than €10.2 million - approximately SEK 112 million - through the EU's 2024 funding calls.

"This funding strengthens the university's international research collaborations and highlights how knowledge developed here helps push the boundaries of science," says Agneta Hånell Plamboeck, head of the Research Support Office at Umeå University.

Support from programmes such as Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ enables researchers at the university to collaborate with colleagues, companies, and organisations across Europe. Together, they are developing new knowledge - ranging from the tiniest building blocks of life to large-scale innovations that advance health, sustainability, and technology.

Curious about what the researchers are working on?

Click the expandable headings below to explore the projects and discover how Umeå researchers contribute to scientific progress and societal development.

HORIZON EUROPE

Pillar I: Scientific excellence

European Research Council - Starting Grant

ARIMETH - tracing methane emissions from Arctic rivers

Methane is one of the most powerful greenhouse gases - many times stronger than carbon dioxide. Arctic rivers may be a hidden source, but researchers still know little about how these emissions arise and vary. The ARIMETH project aims to fill that gap.

The team combines field experiments, high-resolution measurements with advanced sensors, isotope analyses, and modelling to understand the processes driving methane's journey from land to river and into the atmosphere. By linking local studies with pan-Arctic comparisons, the project will develop new models to better predict both present and future emissions.

The results could offer groundbreaking insights into the Arctic carbon cycle - and reveal whether current climate models have underestimated the role of rivers in global warming.

Researcher: Gerard Rocher-Ros, Department of Ecology, Environment and Geoscience
Funding awarded: €1,902,360

MicroIMMUNE - mapping tiny proteins with a big impact

Our immune system protects us every day - but many of the smallest proteins that regulate its functions remain a mystery. MicroIMMUNE aims to change that.

Within our DNA are genes that give rise to very small proteins - known as microproteins - which have so far escaped scientific attention. Researchers in MicroIMMUNE are developing new methods to identify these proteins, map where they are found in immune cells, and uncover how they influence immune responses under different conditions.

By systematically building an atlas of microproteins and their interactions, the project seeks to reveal what has long been hidden. These discoveries could provide entirely new insights into how the immune system works - and pave the way for future treatments, such as antibiotics that mimic microproteins to strengthen the body's defences against infection.

Researcher: Iker Valle Aramburu, Department of Molecular Biology
Funding awarded: €1,500,000

European Research Council - Synergy Grant

RESYDE - re-engineering life's building blocks

How does a flower know what shape to take? And why do living organisms develop the forms and patterns we see in nature? RESYDE explores the biological processes that break symmetry in cells and tissues - one of life's great mysteries.

The research team uses the plant Arabidopsis as a model. By combining gene analyses, advanced microscopy, experiments that alter protein function, and computational modelling, they study how molecules, signals and mechanical forces guide cell development. Using a virtual "4D cell template", they can simulate these processes and test hypotheses about how forms arise and change.

The goal is to achieve a predictive understanding of how organisms develop their shapes. In the long run, this knowledge could be highly valuable for both medicine and agriculture - for example by guiding how tissues are built or how plants grow.

Researcher: Stephan Wenkel, Department of Plant Physiology
Funding awarded: €2,413,756

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions - Doctoral Networks

ENGAGE - paving the way for future green and AI-controlled work machines

Excavators, forestry machines and port cranes are essential to society - but they need to become safer, smarter and more environmentally friendly. ENGAGE trains the next generation of researchers to develop AI-powered mobile work machines for the demands of tomorrow.

The project brings together European industrial leaders such as Volvo, Bosch and Liebherr with researchers in AI, robotics and physics from universities in Sweden, Finland, Germany and Austria, as well as tech companies like Algoryx. Within this collaborative framework, thirteen doctoral students are being trained in simulation and AI to develop machines that can operate more autonomously, with a lower carbon footprint and improved safety.

The initiative combines scientific and engineering expertise with practical knowledge of mobile work machines used in construction, agriculture and forestry. In this way, ENGAGE aims to strengthen European industry and make every day working machines a key part of the green transition.

Researcher: Martin Servin, Department of Physics
Funding awarded: €108,210

GLYCOCALYX - uncovering the invisible shield of our cells

Every cell in your body wears a protective "sugar coat" - the glycocalyx. It shields the cell and helps it communicate, yet despite its crucial role in immunity, brain function, and tissue repair, much about it remains unknown.

The European doctoral network GLYCOCALYX brings together 15 early-career researchers to find out how this delicate layer is built, how it functions, and what happens when it fails. When the system is disrupted, it can contribute to diseases such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegeneration. Excessive degradation can also lead to severe infections, sometimes with fatal consequences.

By combining chemistry, physics, and biology, the researchers are mapping the glycocalyx and developing new tools to make the invisible visible. Their work could pave the way for innovative diagnostic methods and treatments - and provide a deeper understanding of our cells and their invisible shield.

Researchers: Marta Bally and Anne-Marie Fors Connolly, Department of Clinical Microbiology
Funding awarded: €649,260

MIPrecise - making cancer diagnostics faster and fairer

Where you live should not determine how quickly you get a cancer diagnosis. MIPrecise aims to develop simple, robust, and eco-friendly tests that can detect cancer earlier - even in smaller clinics - making care more equitable.

Instead of fragile biological reagents, the researchers use smart plastic molecules, called imprinted polymers. These act as artificial antibodies and can be tailored to recognise biomarkers - molecules in the body that signal cancer. The technology is used to develop tests that are both robust and accurate, and can be applied to liquid biopsies, home testing, and guide to more precise, personalised cancer therapies.

Within the European doctoral network MIPrecise, early-career researchers receive interdisciplinary training combining materials science, cell analyses, and clinical testing. The goal is to create new diagnostic platforms and contribute to more sustainable cancer diagnostics - benefiting patients, healthcare, and the environment.

Researcher: Jenny Persson, Department of Molecular Biology
Funding awarded: €324,630

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions - Postdoctoral Fellowships

CORALS - building ultra-fast data technology with light

Today's digital technology is both energy-hungry and approaching its speed limits. CORALS explores whether light can replace electricity - potentially paving the way for faster, more energy-efficient computers.

The project focuses on so-called polaritons, hybrid particles where light and matter interact. These particles can oscillate between light and matter states at extremely high speeds, a phenomenon known as Rabi oscillation. So far, such oscillations have been too short-lived for practical use, but CORALS aims to investigate whether more stable signals can be achieved.

If successful, the research could lead to optical switches that make computers both much faster and possibly more energy-efficient than today's devices - and eventually open doors to entirely new forms of quantum and light-based information technology.

Researchers: Ben Johns and Nicolò Maccaferri, Department of Physics
Funding awarded: €252,180

Cryo-GraPoTSS - revealing how bacteria spread antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose an increasing threat to public health. One key reason is that bacteria can transfer resistance genes between each other using tiny protein machines - known as conjugative type 4 secretion systems (T4SS).

These systems function like microscopic tunnels, passing genes from one bacterium to another. In the Cryo-GraPoTSS project, researchers will for the first time map what these systems look like in Gram-positive bacteria - a group that frequently causes serious hospital-acquired infections. Using cryo-electron microscopy and tomography, they aim to produce high-resolution images of T4SS in Enterococcus faecalis, directly in its natural environment.

By uncovering how these molecular machines are built and how they work, the researchers hope to identify new targets for antibiotics - a crucial piece of the puzzle in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Researchers: Kieran Deane-Alder and Ronnie Berntsson, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics
Funding awarded: €236,340

Research infrastructures

SoGreen - illuminating the social dimension of the green transition

The green transition is not only about technology - it also affects how we live, work and build our communities. SoGreen develops methods to study how the social aspects of the transition can help make it fairer and more inclusive.

By gathering knowledge about people's living conditions and attitudes, researchers can offer important insights into how the transition impacts different groups in society, depending on factors such as age, income, and other social circumstances. SoGreen is developing a new questionnaire and geospatial data, laying the groundwork for better analysis and decision-making.

The project aims to give policymakers tools to better understand the social challenges - and to support inclusive policies for a green transition that takes people's diverse experiences into account.

Researcher: Gunnar Malmberg, Department of Geography
Funding awarded: €29,625

Pillar II: Global challenges and European industrial competitiveness

Cluster 1: Health

EXPOSIGNALZ - investigating the link between pollutants and Alzheimer's

Could air pollution and other environmental chemicals contribute to dementia, including Alzheimer's disease? EXPOSIGNALZ investigates how everyday chemical exposures affect the brain.

Using laboratory experiments, advanced brain models, and studies in different population groups, the researchers aim to identify which substances are harmful, how they impact the brain over time, and whether they may contribute to disease development.

The project seeks to develop new biomarkers for early diagnosis and provide policymakers with knowledge and tools to reduce exposure and prevent disease.

Researcher: Anna Oudin, Department of Epidemiology and Global Health
Funding awarded: €475,090

Cluster 4: Digital, industry and space

XSCAVE - developing smart machines for construction and forestry

Self-driving machines that can understand and adapt to their surroundings - that is the vision of XSCAVE. The project develops AI-solutions designed to make heavy-duty vehicles smarter, more environmentally friendly, and better able to support industries facing labour shortages.

The researchers combine deep learning with physics-based models and data from machines in operation to create autonomous control systems that are fast and reliable. These systems will be able to adjust movements and navigation to suit both task and terrain - driving, excavating, and loading in loose soil, rocky ground, uneven forest terrain and snow.

In collaboration with industrial partners such as Algoryx, Komatsu, Novatron, and Toshiba, the technology will be tested in real-world environments. The goal is to create machines that can operate efficiently, safely, and with lower fuel consumption - even without a driver.

Researcher: Martin Servin, Department of Physics
Funding awarded: €714,625

Cluster 6: Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment

ArcticKnows - shaping the future of the Arctic with local knowledge

How can Arctic communities and Indigenous peoples take an active role in shaping the development of their regions? ArcticKnows brings together researchers, businesses, and local stakeholders to amplify local voices in the transition towards more sustainable and equitable economies.

The project bridges research, traditional knowledge, and practical work. In close collaboration with local communities, pilot initiatives are being developed in nature-based tourism, small-scale agriculture, and fisheries across Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Greenland. Emphasis is placed on including women and youth, as well as ensuring Indigenous perspectives are represented in decision-making.

The aim is to pave the way for new approaches where people in the Arctic can shape their own future, and where their knowledge becomes a valuable resource for the global transition.

Researcher: Linda Lundmark, Department of Geography
Funding awarded: €363,075

CoCo - aiding coexistence between agriculture and wildlife

How can farmers and wild animals live alongside each other without constant conflict? CoCo addresses the growing challenges that come with the recovery of large carnivores and other wildlife in Europe.

The project brings together thousands of farmers, hunters, and landowners across 12 countries. Researchers use collaborative methods - including policy analysis, interviews, field visits, focus groups, and modelling - to explore how people and wildlife can share the landscape, and how different stakeholders' experiences and values influence decision-making.

The goal is to develop a "Roadmap for Coexistence" with practical recommendations that reduce conflicts, promote cooperation among stakeholders, and support sustainable, multi-functional landscapes - for both humans and wildlife.

Researcher: Camilla Sandström, Department of Political Science
Funding awarded: €246,380

FlavourFerm - making plant-based food tastier and more nutritious

Why don't more people choose plant-based food? Taste and texture are often the stumbling blocks. The FlavourFerm project aims to change that - by developing fermentation techniques that make green alternatives both tastier and more nutritious.

The researchers combine traditional methods with modern precision fermentation, programming yeast to produce specific proteins - such as milk proteins without any animal origin. They also use legumes to cultivate fungal mycelium with meat-like properties.

These new ingredients will be tested in plant-based cheese, meat and milk - and scaled up to pilot and pre-commercial levels in collaboration with food companies across Europe. The goal is to create plant-based food that matches animal-based products in flavour and nutritional value - but is more sustainable for both people and the planet.

Researchers: Armando Perez-Cueto, Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science, and Danielle Wilde, Umeå Institute of Design
Funding awarded: €393,392

OTHER PROGRAMMES

Erasmus+

AI2PI - preparing teachers for AI in the classroom

How can schools and teacher education together respond to societal change brought about by AI tools such as ChatGPT? The AI2PI Teacher Academy develops courses, networks, and practical models to help teachers understand and use AI responsibly.

Digitalisation is reshaping both how education unfolds, and the skills students will need in the future. Beyond technical know-how, competencies such as critical thinking, collaboration, and empathy are becoming increasingly important - especially as AI technologies enter the classroom.

To support teachers in navigating this shift, seven universities, schools, and teacher-training organisations across Europe are joining forces. Together, they are developing short course modules (micro-credentials), a shared framework for AI literacy in schools, and communities of practice where educators can exchange experiences.

The goal is safe, research-informed teaching and learning with a focus on AI - helping young people act responsibly as citizens in a digital society.

Researcher: Maria Rönnlund, Department of Applied Educational Science
Funding awarded: €152,319

Reseach Fund for Coal and Steel (RCFS)

AUSNANITE - baking stronger and more climate-smart steel

Steel is one of our most important construction materials, but producing it requires a lot of energy and generates large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂). Now, researchers are testing a new way to make stronger, more climate-friendly steel - by baking it.

In the AUSNANITE project, the team explores whether the well-established hardening method known as austempering can be combined with a controlled "baking" process to form a new type of ausferritic structure. This structure offers a unique combination of high strength and toughness - properties that make the steel particularly resistant to impact and wear, for example in construction and mining equipment.

The approach also promises a far more energy-efficient production of bar steel and forgings. Unlike conventional methods, it eliminates the need to reheat the steel a second time, substantially reducing both costs and CO₂ emissions.

If successful on an industrial scale, even a partial adoption of the process may reduce emissions by hundreds of thousands of tonnes each year. The result could be steel that lasts longer, costs less to produce, and supports Europe's transition towards a more sustainable and competitive industry.

Researcher: Richard Larker, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics
Funding awarded: €254,171