New Horizons 1 2017 by Uppsala universitet

NEW HORIZONS M AG A Z I N E F RO M U P P S A L A U N I V E R S I T Y

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ISSUE 1, 2017

A visit to

BABY LAB

Page 4

theme CHILDREN INSIDE:

MICROTECHNOLOGY FOR BIG AND SMALL Page 12 CANCER RESEARCHER IN THE LIMELIGHT Page 20 VIKINGS – HOW DID IT ALL START? Page 34

NEW HORIZONS ISSUE 1, 2017

PHOTO: MIKAEL WALLERSTEDT

IN THIS ISSUE: THEME: CHILDREN 4 Experiments reveal early signs of autism 7 Young children understand more than we thought 8 Good parenting – does it exist? 10 Social media create new dilemmas

Explaining research RESEARCH IS A COMPLICATED and complex activity. It’s often difficult

for outsiders to understand what we do. This issue of New Horizons contains an article about SciFest, a science festival where we talk about science with curious children and adolescents. It’s a challenge, but a rewarding one. Many visitors are inspired and take the way we work to heart. They see that the scientific method propels society forward and the children’s questions sometimes inspire new thoughts and ideas among the researchers. Visitors to the festival also get insights into how discoveries become knowledge – how everything we do is driven by curiosity and the desire to create something important. This magazine is another example of how we spread knowledge about what we do. It is intended to give the reader an idea of our university’s breadth and depth. But this is not enough. Not everyone goes to festivals or reads popular science publications. Not everyone is receptive to knowledge, research and facts. We are increasingly talking about ‘fact resistance’ – a trend in which facts are disparaged as partisan claims and people will only accept assertions that are in line with their ingrained views. The University’s mission is to teach, research and collaborate. It is up to us and our colleagues around the world to convince others that our research and findings have weight – to fight fallacies, myths and lies. When the 2016 Nobel Laureates were here before Christmas, I said that they had a unique opportunity to make a difference. They were suddenly given a forum in which they could share the scientific approach with a wider audience than ever before. But Nobel Laureates cannot reach everyone – they need all of our help. You, the reader of this editorial, can do your part. With a questioning atti tudes and an open mind, we can go a long way. When you have finished reading this magazine, you will hopefully be a little more enlightened about what we do at Uppsala University. Share, discuss and continue to be driven by curiosity. Together, we will disseminate facts and overcome narrow-mindedness. n

Eva Åkesson, Vice-Chancellor We are increasingly talking about ‘fact resistance’ – a trend in which facts are disparaged as partisan claims and people will only accept assertions that are in line with their ingrained views. 2

12 Microtechnology for big and small 17 In focus: Collecting research on racism 20 Researcher profile Lena Claesson-Welsh: Cancer researcher in the limelight 24 Delving into sponge ecosystems 26 Veritas will catch the light from Max IV 28 Innovation: The material with many properties 30 New technique aims to cure chronic wounds 32 Health initiative brings Europe to Uppsala 34 Vikings – how did it all start? 36 Culture: Women take their place 38 Governor with a PhD from Uppsala 40 Last word: Lifting our gaze

New Horizons is Uppsala University’s magazine about research and education. It is issued twice a year, in English and in Swedish (Nya horisonter). The magazine can be ordered free of charge or downloaded as a PDF at www.uu.se/new-horizons Address: Communications Division Uppsala University PO Box 256, SE-751 05 Uppsala, Sweden Editor: Annica Hulth, annica.hulth@uadm.uu.se Editorial board: Magnus Alsne, Anders Berndt, Anneli Björkman, Reihaneh Dehghani, Sara Gredemark, Sarah Havrén Schütz, Linda Koffmar, Anna Malmberg. Executive editor: Urban Lindberg Layout: Torbjörn Gozzi Printing: TMG Tabergs English translation: Semantix English language editor: Timothy Chamberlain

The paper is produced in Sweden, and the amount of water used in its production is uniquely low. The raw materials come from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) forests.

NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

Inside a child’s head.

Researchers at Uppsala Child and Baby Lab study infant development.

Science for children.

The super material.

Good parenting – does it exist?

Providing better support to parents in Uppsala.

Dawn of the Vikings.

Developing people brain, body, motor skills, language – new things happen every day. In recent years, research in psychology, with the help of various technological aids, has increased our knowledge about very young children’s development. This has helped paint a new picture of children: they understand more than we think. With a greater knowledge of child psychology, the right assistance can be provided for children with autism, language disorders or mathematics learning difficulties. (Find out more on pages 4–7.) Another article (on pages 8–9) is about good parenting and what this actually is. It’s about listening, giving praise, setting reasonable boundaries and interpreting signals, says Anna Sarkadi, Professor of Social Medicine. She is leading a project with the Municipality of Uppsala that provides support to parents. In this issue, you will also meet Cancer Researcher of the Year Lena Claesson-Welsh, explore the history behind the unique material Upsalite, and maybe learn something new about Vikings. Happy reading! n

FOTO: DAVID NAYLOR

THE AMAZING THING ABOUT CHILDREN is that they are constantly developing. The

Annica Hulth, Editor annica.hulth@uadm.uu.se

THEME CHILDREN T E X T : A N N I C A H U LT H P H O T O : M I K A E L WA L L E R S T E D T

Experiments reveal early signs of autism It is not currently possible to make a diagnosis of autism before two years of age and there is no effective treatment for its core symptoms. This is the starting point of the Younger Sib lings Project, which is the first study of young er siblings of children with autism to be conducted in the Nordic region.

Terje Falck-Ytter leads a project aimed at increasing knowledge about autism, ADHD and language disorders.

“TODAY, WE CAN DIAGNOSE autism at two or three years of age with a relatively high degree of certainty,” says Terje Falck-Ytter, “but it is difficult to diagnose earlier than that. However, we hope that if we can see the first signs, we can get a clearer picture of what autism is.” Falck-Ytter is one of the researchers at Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, which is part of the Department of Psychology at Campus Blåsenhus. The lab investigates the psychological development of very young children, and in this particu lar study, the researchers are looking for early signs of autism. “The idea is that the earlier we can detect it, the clearer picture we will have of the course of development,” says Falck-Ytter. “There is no effective treatment today and that is why it is also very important to get a better understanding of what autism is. The long-term goal is better, early intervention for children with autism or who are at risk of autism.” Before the researchers can test different hy-

HEREDITY AND AUTISM • • •

It is generally accepted that genetic variation accounts for about sixty per cent of the risk of developing autism. This means that there is quite a lot left for environmental factors to explain. Twin studies indicate that it is primarily unique environmental factors that affect only one person, and not environmental factors shared within a family, that are significant. The primary risk for younger siblings in the study is thus shared genes, as unique environmental factors do not affect them more than anyone else.

potheses about treatment and early intervention, they need to understand more about how autism works. “What we’re doing right now is creating understanding,” says Falck-Ytter, “but also establishing what could be powerful early intervention. What abilities should be practised? That’s one important practical goal.” Terje Falck-Ytter is a psychologist at heart. He started out by studying infants and their devel opment, but later obtained a combined position where he could work helping to habilitate chil dren with autism while also researching. “As I was finishing up my PhD,” he says, “I real ised that Sweden was completely lacking in this type of research, where you take in children at risk of autism and monitor them over time. There was no one doing it in Sweden or in any of the Nordic countries, so we sought funding for it.” This was the start of the Younger Siblings Project. At first, the project only dealt with aut ism, but later the group received renewed fund ing to also study younger siblings of children with ADHD and language disorders. “Of course, most younger siblings develop normally, but there is an increased probability of them also being diagnosed,” says Falck-Ytter. “It’s not that if you have an older sibling with autism you can only get autism. You also have an increased risk of related conditions such as ADHD. Many genes seem to be linked to sev eral neuropsychiatric diagnoses, and there are no firewalls in between.” NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

At Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, several different methods and techniques are used to measure childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s psychological development. EEG measurements is one of these. The girl in the picture is not in the study.

NO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT Autism is a congenital neuropsychiatric disability that affects both cognitive and emotional functions, with symptoms including limitations in social and communicative behaviour and repetitive behaviour. The treatments available do not treat the core symptoms, but rather other symptoms associated with autism, such as outbursts and fears. There is still no effective treatment for the core symptoms.

THEME CHILDREN CONT.

Experiments reveal early signs of autism

Most children try to call the person’s attention to it with their eyes, but children with autistic traits are not as interested in social interaction.

At Uppsala Child and Baby Lab, several different methods and techniques are used to meas ure children’s psychological development. One way, which Falck-Ytter has used extensively, is to measure eye movements. “Our eyes scan our environment all the time,” he says. “We move our gaze about three times a second. This gives you an enormous amount of data on how a child interacts with their environment.” There are two things that interest the researchers. One is how the child takes in and selects information, which influences their brain and development. The other is that what the child looks at also affects other people. People pay attention to different things they hear, too, but no one notices that. But the gaze of another person can be seen, and what a person is looking at greatly affects the people around them. “It’s a social signal,” says Falck-Ytter. “Children who choose to not look much at other people not only miss out on information but also create completely different environments.” Eye movements can be measured in two ways. One is to look at where the child is looking when images are displayed on a screen. Another is for the researcher to sit opposite the child, hold up different objects and monitor the child’s eye movements. What happens, for example, when a one-yearold sees a funny light start to blink next to the person across from them, without that person seeming to notice it? Most children try to call the person’s attention to it with their eyes, but children with autistic traits are not as interested in social interaction. The general pattern is that children with aut ism do not meet the other person’s gaze, but in actuality the differences are not so clear in young children. Yet by studying eye movements, you can

QUOTES FROM PARENTS “It feels very positive that my child (and I) can contribute to research. Knowing that it could also lead to early detection of an ASD [autism spectrum disorder] makes it even more valuable.” “We’ve appreciated being able to discuss and reflect on our child’s behaviour.” “Some observations have increased our concerns about our child’s development. Overall, it has felt good to participate in the study.” “Win-win situation because we get a thorough examination of our child and can then put our worries aside and trust that you will let us know if you find anything abnormal, while at the same time, we are also contributing to research.” Quotes taken from a survey conducted in the project.

detect more subtle differences, says Falck-Ytter. “One thing that we have seen in the study is that if you take measurements over a long period of time, children with autism look at other people’s faces for the same length of time as other children. But if you measure immediately after another person looks at them, they are not as quick to notice it and look at the person. It’s subtle and you might not see it with the naked eye, but it’s about how quickly they notice social signals.” In addition to eye movements, the researchers also measure brain structure and activity. They use MRI, in collaboration with Karolinska Institutet, to measure brain structure and activity during the child’s natural sleep. They also take EEG measurements using a cap of electrodes that measure brain activity. The researchers additionally measure the child’s motor skills development by putting markers on them and monitoring their movements using a camera. “Overall, the study uses a lot of experiments that test different hypotheses and questions about what characterises children early on,” says Falck-Ytter. “But then we meet them again at age two, three and six to find out how things have gone for them – which children have been diagnosed with autism, which have language disorders, which have nothing at all? Once we know the answers to these questions, we can go back and check what differences there were in our earlier examinations.” The study has been in progress since 2011 and is funded until 2022. Falck-Ytter believes that a lot of new knowledge about autism will come to light in the next few years, but you have to have patience when you’re building up such a big study. “It’s better if you can wait a year and collect more and better data,” he says. “We want to produce results that last.” So far, about 150 children are participating in the study. Each child is examined on seven different occasions from five months to six years of age. Finding volunteers to sign up for the project is something of a challenge, though many families appreciate being able to contribute to the research (see fact box). The researchers sometimes discover autistic symptoms in a child and advise the parents to contact habilitation services. Already, the researchers know that a minority of the children in the study have autism. “This means that there is a huge variation in the group,” says Falck-Ytter, “both in how things go for them and in how they behave when they are little. I believe that we will come up with lots of interesting ideas in the next few years. It will be exciting to see.” n NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

Maths for tots There is a great deal of research on mathematics learning and how to best teach maths, but there is almost no research on how the first years of a child’s development can be bolstered to reduce mathematical learning problems later in life.

T E X T : A N D E R S B E R N D T P H O T O : D AV I D N A Y L O R

The laboratory monitors the youngest children’s development.

“Young children understand more than we thought” The Uppsala Child and Baby Lab conducts research on the psycho logical development of young children. The lab produces worldleading research that has changed our understanding of what a baby is and how people are shaped by their psychological development. “RESEARCH SHOWS that young children understand much more than previously thought,” says Gustaf Gredebäck, Professor of Developmental Psychology and Manager of Uppsala Child and Baby Lab. “Young children can, for example, understand and predict other people’s actions. And children have an early sense of helpfulness and they act based on that information.”

Gustaf Gredebäck, Professor of Developmental Psychology.

A number of research methods are used at the laboratory to study how children’s motor skills develop, how their social skills emerge and how cognitive development takes place. Cognition is a collective term for the human ability to learn, think and process information in the brain. The research focuses on how small differences can affect a child’s development and how this development links in turn to various societal challenges, such as preventing future difficulties in learning mathematics, bullying or antisocial behaviour. The research also seeks answers on how children are affected by refugee flight and migration. “This research is extremely important not only for handling some of the major societal challenges we are facing,” says Gredebäck, “but also for shaping a society that is adapted for young children. The overall theme of our research is to explore children’s ability to predict what will happen next and how small differences early in a child’s development have an impact later in life.” n

“IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, both for the individual and from a social and economic perspective, to find the right way to stimulate a child’s mathematical abilities before they start school,” says Marcus Lindskog, researcher in psychology. We know that newborns have a grasp of numbers. To understand and compare numbers, infants and young children use an innate ability that researchers call the approximate number system (ANS). “The ANS functions as an independent cognitive system for managing numbers,” says Lindskog. “When a child learns numerals later on, a mapping takes place between the numerical language and the ANS.” Research shows that children with a poorly developed ANS are at risk for dys calculia, which is a form of mathematical learning disability. Uppsala Child and Baby Lab has a research programme aimed at identifying children who will have difficulties with mathematics later in life and developing training programmes for those children. “We are researching whether we can improve the children’s approximate number systems before they have learned the numerical language and if so, how this improvement will affect the children’s math ematics learning later in life.” n

Marcus Lindskog, Researcher at the Department of Psychology.

THEME CHILDREN T E X T : M A G N U S A L S N E P H O T O : M I K A E L WA L L E R S T E D T

Good parenting

– DOES IT EXIST?

Don’t believe everything you read on Facebook. A parent who claims to never experience moments of helplessness is a parent who is stretching the truth. But now research has found ways to help us handle the trials and tribulations of family life.

The key is to build on the positive relationship with the child and to provide practical suggestions and advice in order to set sensible boundaries. PHOTO: MATTON

ANYONE WHO HAS UNDERTAKEN to raise

a child has at some time or another wished for a miracle drug for perfect parenting. The first to present the prescription would probably be in the running for a well-earned Nobel Prize, but unfortunately it still seems to be a long way off. Researchers and self-proclaimed experts certainly continue their assiduous attempts, but the question is, is it even possible to find a scientif ically proven path to family happiness? “Well, research has identified a number of fundamental needs in a child’s relationship with its parents that, depending on how well they

are met, affect future relationships and mental health,” says Anna Sarkadi, Professor of Social Medicine at Uppsala University. “These include listening, giving praise, setting and maintaining reasonable boundaries, and interpreting signals. These are skills that can be developed, but they are certainly not easy, and public authorities need to get better at providing help where needed.” Knowledge on how our children actually feel has long been in short supply. The same applies to scientifically established methods for preventing mental illness as early as the preschool years. To help promote the field, Sarkadi’s research NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

group, Child Health and Parenting (CHAP), was awarded SEK 30 million to conduct the studies Fokus and Triple P. Five years later, both projects are nearing their conclusion and the results look promising. “In Fokus,” says Sarkadi, “preschool staff convey their observations on individual children to the child health centre (BVC), which generates more structured and in-depth conversations during visits to the BVC. While some educators have objected that preschools should focus solely on children’s abilities, we see how this communication helps identify needs, which in turn makes it possible to offer families the right support and thus a better foundation before starting school.” PARENTS, educators and BVC staff are all cau-

tiously supportive of the model, and once all the data and pros and cons are analysed, it is hoped that the information exchange will be made permanent. “Research on children and parenting is a fascinating field,” says Sarkadi. “Everyone can relate to it, everyone has opinions, and above all, it is an area that engages people and provokes reactions. As a researcher, I am often asked how different situations should be handled. I always make it clear in my responses whether I am giving advice as an individual and a mother or if I am speaking as a researcher. Having said that, there are things I happily recommend regardless of role, and some of these are the tools from the Positive Parenting Program, Triple P.” The Triple P project, based on the parenting programme created in Australia, is best described as a guidance programme for parents under the direction of preschools. In the programme, educators are trained and certified so that they can in turn help families find the right tools to handle everyday challenges. Many parents begin by attending a lecture on positive parenting. For those who wish to continue, the programme also offers individual counselling and parent groups. THE KEY is to build on the positive relationship with the child and to provide practical suggestions and advice in order to set sensible bound aries, calm agitated situations and identify and understand one’s own thought patterns. “Many participants describe an improved relationship with their children, which is often an essential foundation for a functioning everyday life,” says Sarkadi. “In the next phase, we will let the children describe how they perceive the differences before and after their parents took part in Triple P, and we know that preschool children offer many interesting perspectives.” Over the years, the Municipality of Uppsala has identified health economic gains associated

POSITIVE PARENTING • • • •

The Positive Parenting Program, Triple P, aims to strengthen positive parent-child relationships. The programme contains several levels of initiatives, is based on research and has been adapted in the project to Swedish conditions. Triple P teaches simple tools to help parents solve everyday problems and guide their children toward becoming secure individuals. Parental guidance in Uppsala is provided in the form of lectures, individual counselling or group sessions. The lectures revolve around three different themes: - The strength of positive parenting/Being a parent today - Shaping secure, competent children/How to help children build self-esteem - Shaping resilient children/Handling emotions The cornerstones are focusing on the family’s strengths, spending quality time together, setting boundaries, and establishing clear expectations and predictable routines. It is also important to believe in yourself as a parent and feel that you’re doing enough.

Source: Municipality of Uppsala

with Triple P and, as with Fokus, plans to take the programme forward after the study is com pleted. At the same time, interest in their success is spreading throughout the country and a number of Swedish municipalities have already opted to fund Triple P training for their own staff. “Of course, it is a question of priorities,” says Sarkadi, “but we know that the method reduces the need for pupil assistants, investigations and teaching in smaller groups. This provides considerable savings even in the short term. “It’s true that it takes a village to raise a child, and Triple P and Fokus are effective tools for strengthening the network and communication around the child.” n

Parenting is by no means easy, and public authorities need to get better at providing help where needed, says Anna Sarkadi, Professor of Social Medicine.

THEME CHILDREN T E X T : J O S E F I N S V E N S S O N P H O T O : M I K A E L WA L L E R S T E D T

SOCIAL MEDIA create new dilemmas It is becoming increasingly common for secondary school teachers to use social media to connect with their pupils. A new study shows that this takes place on the teachers’ own initiative and that female teachers are more likely to use social media to connect with their pupils than their male colleagues.

IN LATE OCTOBER, a new national survey was

released documenting the use of social media by Swedish secondary school teachers. Marcus Persson, a sociology researcher at Uppsala University, is one of the researchers behind the study. Its findings indicate that secondary school teachers are in creasingly using social media to keep in touch

TEACHERS WITHOUT BORDERS The study was conducted under the research project “Teachers Without Borders – the Ethical Challenges of the Use of Social Network Websites for Pupil Contact.” The project is headed by Elin Thunman at the Department of Sociology. In the first part of the study, 30 teachers were interviewed to identify boundary-setting dilemmas and strategies. The second part of the study involved observing two teacher-administered Facebook groups. The national survey study conducted in collaboration with Statistics Sweden comprised the third and final part of the study. The survey was sent out in the autumn of 2015 to 4,000 teachers and more than 2,000 teachers responded. The project was conducted at Uppsala University in collaboration with Örebro University and Mälardalen University.

with their pupils. “The technology has developed rapidly,” Persson says. “Today, virtually everyone in school has access to computers and other digital communication tools. As sociologists, we like to question events and we were interested in finding out which new situations and dilemmas arise when teachers and pupils communicate via social media.” How teachers integrate social media into their daily work, what issues and problems they encounter, and what strategies they use to handle various situations are some of the questions explored. The results show that most teachers use social media, either privately or in their teaching. One in three teachers say they use social media, especially Facebook, to connect with their pupils. “The teachers seek out the arenas where their pupils are,” says Persson, “and their use of social media can be described as a grass roots initiative that has been advanced by the teachers themselves. In other words, this was not prompted by NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

Marcus Persson, Researcher at the Department of Sociology, joined up with Elin Thunman and Johanna Lovén to study how secondary school teachers use social media to connect with their pupils.

PHOTO: DIEGO CURVO

school management and there are very few directives coming from above.” The findings also point to clear differences in how female teachers and male teachers use social media. “We often tend to associate technology use with men,” says Persson, “but the fact is that women are more likely to use social media to connect with their pupils and devote more time to this outside of regular school hours.” There are also more women than men who say that they take responsibility for what their pupils do on social media and that they more frequently use their private mobile phones to communicate. “This difference between men and women could be seen as an expression of women having a greater tendency to take a more nurturing role, which has been demon strated by earlier research,” says Persson. The authors of the report now hope that the study will reach schools and school management. They also want teachers to get more support for handling the dilemmas that can arise in this new media landscape. For example, teachers’ use of social media provides more insight than before into pupils’ private lives, which brings new questions on where the lines should be drawn concerning the professional roles of teachers. n

Putting an end to

childhood obesity For two days in mid-October last year, nearly 200 carefully selected decision-makers, opinion-builders and experts came together to discuss the growing childhood obesity epidemic. The meeting resulted, among other things, in a series of proposals that were submitted as contributions to WHO’s global implementation plan. UPPSALA HEALTH SUMMIT was held on 11–12 October 2016 to coincide with World Obesity Day. The aim of the confer ence this time was to contribute ideas on how to prevent the rising trend of childhood obesity and overweight. The summit resulted in a number of proposals that were submitted to the World Health Organization (WHO) as contributions to the devel opment of a global implementation plan. “We submitted our contributions to WHO the same evening the summit ended,” says Madeleine Neil, Project Manager for Uppsala Health Summit. “Now that the action plan has been drafted, we can see that several of the proposals we submitted were included in the text. That was great, though perhaps we cannot take sole credit. There were some things that were not included, however, such as our thoughts on migrant health, so there is still a lot left to do.” WHO’s global implementation plan outlines how to carry out the previously announced recommendations for reversing the increasing trend of childhood obesity in the world. The action plan is expected to be adopted at the WHO World Health Assembly in Geneva in May. In addition to the proposals for WHO’s work, a number of ideas were presented on how to prevent and treat childhood obes

ity. About 15 projects were proposed, along with descriptions by the participants of what they want to focus on. One concrete example is one of Meena Daivadanam’s projects, which got a boost during the summit. Daivadanam is Senior Lecturer at the Department of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics at Uppsala University and is working, among other things, on developing an app for preventing and managing comorbidities of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, such as depression and anxiety. “At Uppsala Health Summit, I had the opportunity to discuss this project and I also met several new contacts who I am continuing to work with,” she says. The results of the discussions held at the conference were collected into a report published at the end of January. “The report strongly recommends a broad range of measures affecting children’s entire living environments,” says Rik ard Landberg, Chair of the 2016 Uppsala Health Summit Programme Committee. “Individual measures are not enough to stop childhood obesity. Cooperation between many different players requires pol itical leadership, however, which the report also calls for.” n JOSEFIN SVENSSON

THEME CHILDREN T E X T : A N N E L I B J Ö R K M A N P H O T O : L A R S WA L L I N

Microtechnology

FOR BIG AND SMALL

Maria Tenje, Senior Lecturer in Microsystems Technology at the Department of Engineering Sciences, who presented her research at the science festival SciFest in Uppsala this March. What did you do at SciFest?

“My colleagues and I demonstrated smart tools and technologies from our research on microsystems – everything from the smallest systems on the cellular level to microtechnology in space. My group works on droplet-based microfluidics, which deals with how fluids that don’t mix can be used to encapsulate single cells in individual droplets. Visitors to our stand were able to touch and hold the exact same microchips and systems we use in the lab. They also got to try out creat ing their own droplets and encapsulating ‘cells’ – in the form of confectionery sprinkles – in the droplets. The cells are separated in order to study how individual cells react to different substances and to identify serious illnesses.” ”I think we researchers have to get out there and talk about what we are doing”, Maria Tenje says.

On Thursday and Friday, you held experimental workshops for registered groups from secondary and upper-secondary schools, and on Friday for people of all ages, including fam ilies with children. How do you explain your research to children and young people?

“It’s important for me to tangibly show what I do. Otherwise it’s just a bunch of words. To clar ify my research, I use test tubes of different sizes and beads of different colours and shapes to illustrate the differences between cells. Then I let the young visitors actively do something: make droplets of a gel that they put into a syringe, en-

capsulate miniature beads in the droplets, fill test tubes that they can take home with them. I previously participated in ForskarFredag in Lund, and Monica Almqvist from the Vattenhallen Science Center said something there that really stuck with me: ‘You have to feel it – otherwise it’s no fun.’ The experience is the decisive factor.” What do you as a researcher get out of taking part in SciFest?

“I think that we researchers have to get out there and talk about what we are doing. Of course, we also hope that young people will choose an education in the natural sciences later on. We have to make sure to bring in the next generation of researchers. But it’s also just that I think it’s really fun. When you try to figure out how to develop a good educational demonstration, you also obtain an outlet for your own creativity and imagination.” What would you like people who have visit ed your stand to take away with them?

“Curiosity, a feeling of ‘that was exciting – I’d like to know more about that!’ I know the first time I saw a microfluidics system, I thought ‘wow, can you really do such cool stuff?!’ It was surprise mixed with curiosity and delight, and so exciting I wanted to learn more. That is the feeling I hope we can inspire for science in general.” n

FESTIVAL FOR THE CURIOUS SciFest is a science festival with a wide range of workshops, shows, competitions, researcher meetings and lectures. Here, curious visitors of all ages can see and test research and its applications in all disciplinary domains. Exhibitors and visitors at SciFest come from schools and universities as well as from companies, public authorities, museums and organisations. Many of those on the programme are students, young researchers and innovators who can more easily help inspire other young people.

NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

Children try making their own microlaboratories.

Maria Tenje meets schoolchildren at the Micro-Land stand.

When hydrogel is dropped in a salt solution the outside hardens and jelly beads form.

Olle BĂ¤ck looks at a specially moulded microsystem that doctoral student Martin Andersson is showing the children: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Like when sweets have melted in a hot car, has that ever happened to you?â&#x20AC;?

IN BRIEF T E X T : M A G N U S A L S N E P H O T O : M I K A E L WA L L E R S T E D T

4 questions to Dan I. Andersson … Director of Uppsala Antibiotic Center (UAC), which has advertised 14 PhD studentships and will soon be recruiting three assistant senior lecturers.

How are things going at UAC?

“Managing antibiotic resistance requires cross-disciplinary cooperation and we are con tinuing to establish an interdisciplinary approach at Uppsala University. We are also in discussion with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the National Veterinary Institute on possible partnerships, and are looking for national and international connections as well. We are encountering great interest everywhere and things are looking very promising.” What happens next?

“The core of our interdisciplinary approach is the 14 PhD students we will fund in the University’s various disciplinary domains. The call is now closed and experts will examine which ideas

UPPSALA ANTIBIOTIC CENTER Founded in 2016 at Uppsala University, UAC is jointly funded by the Vice-Chancellor and the University’s three disciplinary domains. The venture is initially funded for four years. www.uac.uu.se

we should pursue to optimise the relevance and quality of the work and create a new generation of researchers with both specialist expertise and a broad understanding of the field.” How will you hone your strengths?

“There are currently four of us sharing one full-time position, but we will soon be recruiting three assistant senior lecturers – one per disciplin ary domain, which will strengthen our position in strategically important fields. The doctoral students will be affiliated with the same departments as their supervisors, but will take part in joint activities and form the cement binding UAC together.” Where will we find UAC in 2027?

“The Center will be permanently funded with a fixed base of operations. I hope that our first PhD students will have returned to Uppsala after broadening their expertise for a few years abroad, and most of all, that we will be a leader in Euro pean antibiotic research. Uppsala University already has a prominent position in the field, and with UAC, we see the beginning of something really big.” n NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

Anticipating disasters in crowds INSPIRED by how people move during a hard rock concert, an international team of researchers led from Uppsala Univer sity examined movements in crowds using mathematics. Their study shows how risk zones can be identified before a disaster occurs. Professor of Mathematics David Sumpter and doctoral student Arianna Bottinelli have developed a digital tool to predict large-scale movements in simulated large crowds. n

The researchers tracked the positions of individual people in simulated crowds.

IN OCTOBER, Science for Life Labora tory (SciLifeLab) launched the first map of genetic variation in Sweden. The map is based on whole genome DNA sequencing of 1,000 individuals selected to cover variations across the country, and is available to healthcare practitioners and researchers in the life sciences. “The map will be of great importance for research on links between genetic vari ations and diseases,” says Project Manager Ulf Gyllensten, Professor of Medical Molecular Genetics at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology. n

Infinitive phrases now and then IN MODERN SWEDISH, you can prom

ise not to quarrel, but in Old Swedish, you could only promise to quarrel. Sentence adverbs such as inte (not) and auxiliary verbs such as ha (have) are virtually non-existent in Old Swedish infinitive phrases (which begin with att (to)). In fact, it isn’t until the 17th and 18th centuries that infinitive phrases with sentence adverbs and auxiliary verbs begin to appear. A new dissertation by Mikael Kalm at the Department of Scandinavian Languages at Uppsala University shows the evolution of infinitive phrases throughout the history of the Swedish lan guage. n

Men in the kitchen MEN SEE shared responsibility as a matter of course, even for what is described as bor ing, everyday kitchen work. These are the findings of a dissertation in nutrition sci ence by Nicklas Neuman. “Sharing responsibility for everyday kitchen work is described as something men in Sweden are expected to do,” says Neuman. “And this was true even when the work was described as boring, which distinguishes these findings from earlier research.” Previous research has indicated that cooking is something that some men do because they think it is fun, but that this has not applied to more general kitchen work such as planning, clearing the table and washing up. But Neuman paints another picture of reality in his dissertation, in which he interviewed 31 men between the ages of 22 and 88. The men’s stories reflect how cooking fills a self-realisation function for many of the men. At the same time, the accounts also reflect a function of giving to others and of upholding and reinforcing social ties with friends, partners and children. n

Nicklas Neuman has conducted research on men’s views on various types of kitchen work. PHOTO: SANDRA GUNNARSSON, ERGO.

Male migration

ILLUSTRATION: MATTIAS JACOBSSON

The first map of genetic variation in Sweden

Male (blue) and female (red) migration during the Bronze Age. BY EXAMINING the genes of prehistoric

individuals, researchers at Uppsala University have observed that it was essentially only men who migrated to Europe from the Pontic–Caspian steppe during the Bronze Age. The migration that spread agriculture to Europe about 4,000 years previously, however, included both men and women, and very likely entire families. The findings suggest that different social and cultural processes prompted the migrations. New studies of genetic variation among prehistoric human remains show that two mass migrations are particularly important to understanding prehistoric Europe: the Younger Stone Age’s spread of agriculture from Anatolia, which started about 9,000 years ago, and the Bronze Age migration from the Pontic–Caspian steppe about 5,000 years ago. These migrations coincide with major social, cultural and linguistic changes and both the migrations replaced more than half of the contemporary Central European gene pool of their respective eras. n

IN BRIEF

Renewable electricity can cover the needs of the entire Nordic region THE NORDIC COUNTRIES could cover their energy supply needs with renewable energy alone, but this would require the right mix of energy sources and adaptation of both storage facilities and distribution. These are the findings of a new study from Uppsala University. The difficulty with electricity production is that it happens in real time. The electricity that is needed right now must also be produced right now. This places great demands on flexible storage from hydropower, which is the easiest option. In the study, the researchers looked at how much energy the Nordic countries need and what would happen if the countries relied solely on natural resources and renewable energy sources. “Many people are sceptical as to whether

it would be possible to fully or partially cut out nuclear power and fossil fuels, because there can be such huge variations in how much electricity can be produced,” says Jon Olauson, Researcher at the Department of Engineering Sciences at Uppsala University. “But our study shows that this doesn’t need to be a big problem. It’s all about finding a good mix of energy sources.”

Rickettsia common in tick bites

Recently discovered dinosaurs shed light on evolution

NEW RESEARCH shows that the previ ously little-known bacteria Rickettsia, which is found in tick bites, is more common than previously thought. Up to 20 per cent of people bitten by ticks are infected with the bacteria. Behind the resear ch is Anders Lindblom, infectious disease physician at Dalarna County Council and researcher at Uppsala University. “It is important that healthcare practitioners keep the Rickettsia bacteria in mind when examining patients with tick bites,” says Lindblom. “They should consider testing for the disease if the patient exhibits flulike symptoms and a rash after being bitten by a tick. Because the disease has previously been unknown in Sweden, it is probably often overlooked.” n

NINETY-FIVE million years after it walked the Earth, the long-necked dinosaur Savannasaurus elliottorum has been discovered and described by scientists. Uppsala palaeontologist Benjamin Kear is one of the researchers behind this work. About 100 million years ago, the average global temperature had risen and Australia and South America were connected via Antarc tica. The researchers behind the study propose that the placement of the continents and the global climate made it possible for Savannasaurus to spread from South Amer ica and across the globe. n

Solar energy, wind power and hydropower are all examples of renewable energy sources.

ILLUSTRATION: TRAVIS R TISCHLER

The research team based their calculations on current energy consumption in the Nordic countries. They then subtracted the amount of renewable energy that is already produced to determine how much more electricity is needed. They studied different combinations of energy sources, possible areas for expansion, and what potential exists. n

The quest for Earth-like planets RESEARCHERS at Uppsala University

ILLUSTRATION: Y. BELETSKY (LCO)/ESO

Up to 20 per cent of people bitten by ticks are infected with Rickettsia.

plan to build a new type of coronagraph for the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile. The coronagraph is a key component in the telescope, which will be used to search for planets in the Alpha Centauri star system. “It is incredibly exciting to be involved in the attempts to find a potentially habitable Earth-like planet,” says Mikael Karlsson, Associate Professor at the Division for Applied Materials Science, who is in charge of construction of the coronagraph. n

NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

IN FOCUS T E X T : A N N I C A H U LT H P H O T O : M I K A E L WA L L E R S T E D T

Collecting research

ON RACISM

From the left: Mattias Gardell, Professor of Comparative Religion, Anna-Sara Lind, Associate Professor of Law and Irene Molina, Professor of Social and Economic Geography,

Understanding the growing racism in Sweden today requires collaboration between researchers in different disciplines. This is the idea behind the new Centre for Multi disciplinary Studies on Racism at Uppsala University. SIX FACULTIES are behind the initiative, which

has been eagerly awaited among racism researchers not only in Uppsala but throughout Sweden. In the autumn of 2016, a first national conference was held on the theme: ‘What is racism research and what challenges are we facing?’ “Bringing racism researchers together in one centre is unique not only in Sweden but worldwide,” says Mattias Gardell, who is one of the heads of research. Gardell is a professor of comparative religion and conducts research on subjects such as Islamophobia, fascism and hate crimes. The other head of research is Irene Molina, a professor of social and economic geography. Molina conducts research on housing and segregation as well as structural, institutional and everyday racism at

the Institute for Housing and Urban Research. The two heads of research have different approaches to the subject, but common experiences. The difficulties of acquiring government research funding, for example. “It’s been rather difficult to get research funding for projects explicitly using the term ‘racism’ as an analytical concept when this was applied to phenomena in contemporary Sweden,” says Gardell. “It’s worked in the case of racial biol ogy or apartheid in South Africa or the South in the United States. Racism is attached to certain times and places as if it were a phenomenon that could be fenced in and kept at a safe distance from us in time and space. “At the same time, a new generation of very skilled racism researchers has emerged, who have

Bringing racism researchers together in one centre is unique not only in Sweden but worldwide.

PHOTO: MATTON

IN FOCUS

In Långedrag, men live until they are 83 and women can expect to see their 85th birthday. In Bergsjön, average life expectancy is 74 years for men and 79 for women. This nine-year difference for men and six-year difference for women is shown in the report Inequality in Living Conditions and Health in Gothenburg, a survey conducted by the City of Gothenburg.

Every day, it gains ground and becomes more institutionalised, public and brazen.

often been isolated in their various departments around the country but who have kept abreast with international research developments.” Gardell draws a parallel to developments in gender studies, which also took time to become established in Sweden. It was only when research centres began to be set up and the term ‘genus’ was coined by Yvonne Hirdman in the 1980s that gender research in Sweden gained momentum, in this case, too, inspired by international theories. Molina stresses the need for research with a special focus on Swedish conditions and how racism expresses itself in Sweden. “It wasn’t so long ago that racism researchers were met with scepticism,” Molina says. “An enormous amount has happened since then, but while there is a greater awareness that ra cism exists and that it is a problem that must be addressed, we also see that racism has expanded and become normalised. Every day, it gains ground and becomes more institutionalised, public and brazen.” RACISM IN SWEDEN up until 1945 is rather

well-researched. We know, for example, a great deal about racial biology, which had its centre in Uppsala between 1921 and 1936 at the Swedish Institute for Racial Biology. Swedish racism during World War II is also well known, but much less research has been done on the situ ation after the war.

“There’s been some sort of idea that racism is a thing of the past and will become less and less relevant,” says Gardell. “Now we are beginning to realise that is not the case, but on the contrary racism seems to be embedded in our societies. Why is that? This is something we have to take seriously and investigate.” ONE OF RACISM RESEARCHERS’ most im-

portant messages is that racism isn’t only about personal ethics and morals, it also finds expression in the very structure of society, such as in how people are treated on the labour and hous ing markets and in healthcare and schools. A study from 2014 shows, for example, that among the residents of Gothenburg, there is a nine-year difference in life expectancy between a man born and raised in Bergsjön, a suburb where many minority Swedish citizens live, and a man born in the affluent Långedrag, where most resi dents are white majority Swedes. These two neighbourhoods are separated by just a 50-minute tram ride, and yet they are a world apart. “What this means is that if you belong to a racialised underclass in Sweden today,” says Gardell, “you have the same life expectancy as someone living in Vietnam. While if you belong to a white, affluent population, you will live as long as someone in Monaco. We have created a sort of reflection of the global imbalance in the chances of living a good life, which generates tension and frustration.” NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

PHOTO: UPPLANDSMUSEET

The State Institute for Racial Biology was established in 1921 in Uppsala. The researchers conducted studies of biological heritage for diseases and heredity – but also for crime, depravity, alcoholism and insanity. In 1958, the institute was renamed the Institute of Medical Genetics and incorporated into the University.

There is a great discrepancy between the reality many face and the image of Sweden as one of the world’s most tolerant countries. This reality is one of the things the researchers want to describe and understand. “It’s about people’s material conditions in their everyday lives,” says Molina. “It’s not only this aggressive, threatening and violent racism that impacts people’s lives. It’s also the structural racism that’s built into our institutions. It affects people in Sweden today so that they have poorer health, bad teeth or their children don’t have warm enough clothing. Racism is not just a matter of opinions – it’s also about material conditions.” BUT ARE ALL OF these problems really caused by racism? Aren’t there other important factors behind things like unemployment, for example? Certainly – racism shouldn’t be viewed in isolation, but rather in interplay with class and gender. The researchers will therefore study racism from several different perspectives, such as racism with a focus on gender issues or class issues. Another important perspective is that of indigenous people – research on the situation of the Sami in Sweden, for example. “We aim to contribute to the advancement of theory and develop new methods suitable for studying racist phenomena,” says Molina. “For us, multidisciplinary cooperation is key. We want researchers working with both quantitative and

qualitative methods to feel welcome. The development we want to achieve needs both perspectives.” Activities are already under way, with advanced seminars once a month and a new conference planned for next autumn on the theme ‘Racism and Welfare’. There are 150 people on the mailing list and about 25 usually come to the seminars, says Anna-Sara Lind, Associate Professor of Public Law. “There is an added value in bringing people together and providing an additional venue for multidisciplinary research,” says Lind. “We must be open and inclusive and strengthen researchers throughout Sweden. I also hope that we can carry out a dialogue with the Swedish public sector. So much is in a state of flux right now and there are no quick fixes.” n

There’s been some sort of idea that racism is a thing of the past and will become less and less relevant.

INAUGURATED IN MARCH • The Centre for Multidisciplinary Studies on Racism (CemFor) was inaugurated on 3 March 2017. A research council with a number of internationally renowned racism researchers is affiliated with the centre. • In September, CemFor’s new premises will be inaugurated with a half-day of speeches, mini-lectures and music in the newly built Humanities Theatre in the English Park. • Advanced seminars will be conducted here once a month, as well as an annual conference, the next to be held on 11–13 October 2017 under the theme ‘Racism and Welfare’. www.teol.uu.se/rasismforskning

RESEARCHER PROFILE T E X T : M A G N U S A L S N E P H O T O : M I K A E L WA L L E R S T E D T

Cancer researcher in the limelight As Cancer Researcher of the Year, Lena Claesson-Welsh rather reluctantly watched herself become the cover lady for Swedish research. It is probably useful training, though: her laboratory contains findings that could give her far greater exposure still. “IT’S A REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE to be stopped on the street by stran gers who recognise me,” says Claesson-Welsh. “Everyone is nice and congratu lates me, but sometimes they ask questions that I lack the knowledge to answer. And I can just as often suffer doubt. Have I crossed the line of what is acceptable? Is there a risk that I’m simplifying important information in a way that could cause harm?” The moment Claesson-Welsh accepted the Cancer Researcher of the Year 2017 award, her professional life was transformed. The exposure that began with the Cancer Gala and an appearance on national television has continued and shows no signs of abating. This move from a relatively anonymous existence in Uppsala’s Rudbeck Laboratory has not been without friction. “The Swedish Cancer Society made it clear that the award recipient would be visible in the marketing of their organisation and asked if I would be willing to accept the distinction under this premise,” says Claesson-Welsh. “Initially, I wasn’t sure if I’d say yes. On the other hand, the Cancer Society’s work and my own work rest on the same foundation. Although it feels strange to come across myself on Stockholm billboards, this has all been an interesting and edu cational experience.” Claesson-Welsh has unquestionably earned her place in Sweden’s rich trad ition of successful cancer researchers. At sixty years of age, she is well on her way to redrawing the map for cancer care with her research on the role of blood vessels in tumours. “New blood vessels form in tumours, which supply tumour cells with nutrients and oxygen and spread them throughout the body,” she says. “By mapping out how these blood vessels function, leak and contribute to metastases, we gather knowledge for creating cancer-inhibiting drugs and new combination therapies. Basically what this means is that we could transform cancer into a chronic disease.” It may sound like science fiction, but the fact is that, in experiments on mice, her team has already shown that progression can be slowed. Their success has attracted industry interest. But could these findings really be the first rays of a light at the end of the tunnel?

NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

LENA CLAESSON-WELSH

Profession: Professor of Vascular Biology Family: Husband Michael, also a professor, and two children Lives in: Eriksberg in Uppsala A good day at work: Meeting my colleagues â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there have been so many other calls on my time lately. On her bedside table: The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler, one of my absolute favourite writers. A famous person Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve met: Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. She seemed a bit shy and guarded to me. My favourite spot in Uppsala: The Linnaeus Trails and area around Eriksberg are wonderful!

CONT.

RESEARCHER PROFILE Lena Claesson-Welsh

At sixty years of age, Lena Claesson-Welsh is well on her way to redrawing the map for cancer care with her research on the role of blood vessels in tumours. PHOTO: JOANTAN GAMMEL

I am ready to let the next generation of researchers take over. In our profession, you must recognise that you are only a small part of the big picture.

“Absolutely,” says Claesson-Welsh. “We are moving in a clear direction towards a real goal. However, I can’t say when or even if we will reach that goal. We won’t move on to patient testing until we are sure that we are on the right track and that is not something that can be rushed. If necessary, I am ready to let the next generation of researchers take over. In our profession, you must recognise that you are only a small part of the big picture.” As if life in the laboratory weren’t enough, Claesson-Welsh has also recently served as Co-Director of SciLifeLab, a national centre for molecular biosciences. Working days that were already long have grown even longer (she goes home to eat dinner at quarter to seven, then starts work again at eight o’clock) and even if the Claesson-Welsh children no longer need to be picked up from school, one may wonder: is this burden self-imposed or yet another confirmation that women in academia must always work just that little bit harder to get ahead? “Well, for my own part,” she says, “I feel like after many years as senior galley slave, I now find it easier to say no to assignments. But this is certainly an extremely pertinent issue, where the higher education sector is still facing major challenges. Women must claim space and be represented. However, I am critical of affirmative quotas if we are only called in because a woman must be included. If this furthermore leads to women being forced to take more than their fair share of the tasks, which we tend to perform meticulously, it can be a very heavy load to bear.” AS DIRECTOR OF THE RESEARCH TEAM, Claesson-Welsh has had many opportunities to reflect on roles, responsibility and group dynamics. “Over time, I’ve realised that I have to dare to really be the boss, and I feel now that I am leading my team continuously forward, which for me is essential if we are going to ward off tedium in the daily grind of the laboratory. A key ingredient in this is to let several people on the team share the same task, which benefits scientific discussion.” A tangible confirmation that this philosophy works is the Cancer Society trophy that currently adorns the entrance to the Rudbeck Laboratory. Lena Claesson-Welsh’s name is engraved in the upper of two circles. The plan is to add one layer per award recipient each year over the next half-century, after which the disease will be finally conquered. But the question is whether we can afford to wait that long? In April 2016, the warning came that the number of cancer cases could double over the next twenty-five years if appropriate measures are not taken. “Cancer research is expensive and more resources are needed to accelerate the work,” says Claesson-Welsh. “National strategic research initiatives and the EU’s European Research Council have given us the ability to compete for large grants. At the same time, we are actors on a global market and place great importance on international cooperation.” CLAESSON-WELSH SAYS she is currently drafting a joint application for a

multi-year grant along with five leading research groups in Europe and North America. They all agree that blood vessel leakage holds the key to beating cancer, but are divided on the exact approach. Several of the relationships were formed during Claesson-Welsh’s stays as a visiting research fellow in the United States and new intercontinental steps will now be taken toward the journey’s destination. But with so many flight hours behind her and even more ahead, why this fidelity to Uppsala University, a geographically remote higher education institution, closer to the Arctic Circle than to Hamburg? “I’ve always seen it as mutual fidelity, with an ever-present management that provides fabulous support whenever it is needed,” she says. “The opportunity to work in a culture characterised by cooperation and goodwill gives us a good base for regeneration and key recruitments, and despite scientific challenges, cancer researchers at Uppsala University have every reason to continue to see a bright future ahead!” n

NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

IN BRIEF

Refusal to perform abortion – a question of religious freedom? DOES A MIDWIFE have the right to refuse

to perform an abortion on grounds of religious freedom or freedom of conscience? This question has been raised in two recent cases, one of which is under review by the Labour Court. The employer demanded that the midwife assist in abortions as part of the job, and when she refused due to her Christian faith, she was not offered the job. The question is whether or not the woman was subjected to discrimination – and whether her religious freedom was restricted. The District Court did not deem this to be so, but its decision was appealed to the Labour Court*. “It needs to be clearer what applies in Sweden,” says Kavot Zillén, Researcher at the Faculty of Law, who has written a dissertation on the freedom of religion and conscience in healthcare. Religious freedom has strong legal protection in the Swedish Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. At the same time, the Patient Act aims to guarantee the best possible care.

Conflicts of conscience in healthcare are often hard to resolve.

Consequently, a conflict may arise between healthcare staff who want to act in accordance with their religion; the patient, who wants to have a certain intervention carried out within a reasonable amount of time; and healthcare management, who want to ensure good care. Similar conflicts of conscience can often be solved in discussions between the employer and the member of staff, but these two recent court cases show that the problems exist and are beginning to surface. “We need to be prepared to handle these

issues not only legally, but also politically,” says Zillén. Norway, Denmark and several other European countries have introduced conscience clauses that permit healthcare staff to refuse to perform certain healthcare interventions. “It’s perfectly fine to not have conscience clauses as long as we have other ways of solving it, but there is a need for clarification at national level.” n * No decision had yet been issued when New Horizons went to press.

Better meals for the elderly ONE YEAR of periodic dietician-led super

vision for staff at homes for the elderly resulted in better mealtime situations for the elderly, including aspects such as table settings, serving, noise levels and social interaction between staff and residents.

HOW MUCH SUNLIGHT will there be

and how much electricity will society need over the next few days? These are questions that must be answered if solar power is to become a reliable source of energy. To solve this problem, researchers at Uppsala University are starting a project in which they will train computers to make forecasts for the coming days. “Our goal is to create reliable models for intelligent forecasts for both electricity consumption and solar power production,” says Joakim Munkhammar, Project Manager of the Built Environment Energy Systems Group. n

Equality – but more separations PARENTAL LEAVE reserved for fathers (‘dad months’) leads to a more gender-equal distribution of parental leave, but also a rise in separations in couples where the fathers would otherwise have claimed very few days, according to a new report. “Of course this doesn’t mean all parents separate when they share parental leave a little more equally,” says Arizo Karimi, Researcher in Economics and one of the authors. “We see effects among those couples who, without dad months, would have had the most unequal distribution of days claimed.” The ‘dad months’ were introduced in 1995 and 2002 in Swedish parental insurance. n

PHOTO: LARS WALLIN

Stable solar power with computers

These are the findings of a new dissertation from Uppsala University. Several of the eld erly people at the homes showed memory improvements. During the one-year project, an experienced dietician met with a small group of select staff once a month. n

Arizo Karimi.

SCIENCE T E X T : L I N D A KO F F M A R P H OTO : C H R I S T I N A P P E L Q V I S T

Many of the active substances in today’s pharmaceuticals originate in nature. Could this be where we will find new antibiotics that can take over when the old ones become ineffective because of widespread resistance?

DELVING INTO

sponge ecosystems Paco Cardenas and Karin Steffen are looking for active substances in deep-sea sponges. Here, they are doing fieldwork in Tjärnö.

NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

WE’VE LEARNED THAT it is important to

which the Uppsala researchers have chosen to study particularly thoroughly, is no beauty. Not even by sponge standards. And the strangest thing of all is that it’s not even spongy. “If you squeeze it, it feels pretty much like a potato,” explains Karin Steffen, PhD student on the sponge team. The idea that living sponges would feel like sponges you use in the bath is way off, then. Sponges have skeletons and are rather hard. ‘Bath sponges’ are fished sponges that are then processed so that only the porous skeleton is left. But sponges are interesting from many different perspectives. Besides the fact that their importance for the entire ocean ecosystem remains poorly surveyed, every animal is an ecosystem in itself. When they ‘eat’, they filter large amounts of water and the inside of a sponge contains, in addition to plankton, bacteria and archaea, a whole cocktail of other things that they have collected from the water around them. For the researchers, it can be a delicate task to sort out which substances actually come from the animal and which were drawn from their surroundings. IN THE HUNT for active substances that could be used in drugs to benefit humans, the research ers screen large quantities of substances from sponges and test these on various types of bacteria, fungi and parasites. “The whole genome of Geodia barretti is being sequenced concurrently,” says Paco Cardenas. “We can then look for genes involved in creating the interesting substances.”

Sponge researchers at Uppsala University are part of the EU project Deep-sea Sponge Grounds Ecosystems of the North Atlantic (SponGES, deepseasponges.org). Researchers from 18 different universities and research institutes will survey sponges throughout the deep waters of the North Atlantic. The aim is to learn more about the animals’ ecosystems in order to improve their preservation and sustainable exploitation. Project coordinator Professor Hans Tore Rapp of the University of Bergen says that SponGES is primarily a pure research project, but that the project could also lead to considerable environmental and medicinal benefits.

Uppsala researchers have had their eyes on Geodia barretti before. On the table in front of us is a porous brown sample. It must be handled with care because it is the actual holotype of the species (a single example of an organism used for its scientific description) from 1855, borrowed from the Natural History Museum in London. Cardenas has received permission to extract a small sample to test if the old, dried sample still holds barettin, a substance that Lars Bohlin, now Professor Emeritus of Pharmacognosy, observed in the 1980s. BOHLIN HAD NOTED that Geodia barretti has a smooth surface but, unlike most other similar species, no growth of other organisms. Could this sponge contain a substance that kept them away? He found a substance that was named barettin and it is hoped that this substance could be used in applications such as products to keep bacteria away from surgical instruments or barnacles from boat hulls. One problem, however, has been that barettin is more costly to produce than less environmentally friendly options. The more researchers learn about Geodia barretti, the more precise they can be in their search for useful substances. “Our work is also important for the preservation of the sponges,” says Cardenas. “The loss of a species likely also means the loss of the entire bacterial flora.” n

PHOTO: LINDA KOFFMAR

THE FOOTBALL SPONGE, Geodia barretti,

EU PROJECT SponGES

Paco Cardenas.

PHOTO: LINDA KOFFMAR

preserve the Earth’s rainforests. Not only for the sake of the climate, but also because we might otherwise risk losing numerous plants and animals, many still undiscovered or only sketchily described. In their hunt for new drugs, Paco Cardenas and his colleagues at the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Division of Pharmacognosy, are not taking to the rainforests. Instead, they’ve decided to take their research into deep water. Literally. They are looking for active substances in sponges that live in deep ocean environments, in some places as vast sponge grounds. The oceans are some of the most unexplored areas on Earth, but these environments have thus far not inspired the same level of engagement from the public as, say, the rainforests. Even among sea creatures, sponges have been treated rather unfairly. The more visually appealing coral reefs are more popular. But like coral reefs, sponge fields are under constant threat – by climate change, industrial fishing, and oil and gas extraction.

Karin Steffen.

SPONGE FACTS • • •

The first animals – Sponges may have been the first animals on our planet. They reproduce by sending out eggs and sperm, which find each other in the water. Sponges share a large part of their genes with humans. Linnaeus’s mistake – Uppsala professor Carl Linnaeus didn’t know much about sponges and mistakenly classified them as plants. It wasn’t until the 19th century that sponges were recognised as part of the animal kingdom. Best sponge site – To find Geodia barretti in Sweden, you have to head out to the Koster Sea marine park. The area contains thriving species that are otherwise only found further out in the Atlantic.

SCIENCE T E X T : A N N I C A H U LT H P H O T O : M A D E L E I N E S C H O U G , M I K A E L WA L L E R S T E D T

Veritas will catch the

LIGHT FROM MAX IV In-depth knowledge about batteries, solar cells and chemical processes. The Veritas beamline has a broad range of applications and will be installed in the spring of 2017 at the Max IV facility in Lund. The project has been directed from Uppsala University and part of the beamline was constructed in the ร ngstrรถm Laboratory workshop.

NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

AT THE CORE of Max IV is the large synchro tron light ring, to which a number of beamlines will be connected. One of these is Veritas. The 57-metre-long beamline leads out into an exper iment station and parts of it have been built at the Ångström Laboratory workshop by skilled designers and instrument makers. “We don’t have any commercial interests, so we can permit ourselves to spend production time making more advanced and better-performing gadgets,” says Project Manager Marcus Agåker. “This is part of our heritage in Uppsala, this nearly century-old tradition of building experiment equipment.” The key technology used in Veritas is a type of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS), in which Uppsala has unique expertise. Jan-Erik Rubensson, Professor of Physics, is looking forward to testing the new technology at Max IV. “It’s really about analysing X-rays very carefully,” he says. “We make an inner hole in the material and study the light, which sends out

messages from the micro-world. The messages tell us how the electrons move, and if we can understand them, we can also understand the basis of the material’s properties.” Research on this has been conducted at Uppsala University for a long time. In 1924, Manne Siegbahn received a Nobel Prize for his “discoveries and research in the field of X-ray spectroscopy”. The technology has advanced in recent years, says Rubensson. “Today, we see details that we could hardly dream of a few years ago.” THE ROOM IN WHICH the experiments will

take place has rounded walls and is large and spacious. The experiment station itself can rotate horizontally 120 degrees and the 10-metre-long analysis instrument rotates along with the ex periment station. Here, new opportunities will open not only for pure research in the physical sciences, but also for other, more applied research in the chem ical and biological sciences. This technology will make it possible to study processes while they are taking place and look at substances in their natural environments. “We can study all types of chemical reactions,” says Agåker. “In batteries, for example, we can open a window right into the electrolyte and watch what happens with anodes and cathodes while we run the battery. In solar cells, we can study the material while illuminating it with a UV lamp or visible light.” n

Today, we see details that we could hardly dream of a few years ago.

Project Manager Magnus Agåker (left) with the Veritas beamline for Max IV and Professor Jan-Erik Rubensson (below) with experiment equipment partly manufactured in the workshop at Ångström Laboratory.

INNOVATION T E X T : H E N R I K M Ö L L E R P H O T O : M I K A E L WA L L E R S T E D T

THE MATERIAL with many properties The material Upsalite was discovered by Maria Strømme’s research group and has properties that have attracted great international attention. It inhibits the growth of bacteria, for example, and is extremely good at absorbing moisture. A company has been formed in which entrepreneurs and researchers work side by side on various applications of the material.

We have never analysed samples so carefully!

IT HAS SO FAR BEEN demonstrated that the porous material can be used to improve the release of poorly soluble drugs in the body and for various on-skin applications. The material can also be used not only to distribute pleasant fragrances, but also to remove unwanted odours, such as in fresh fish packaging. The humidity in sensitive electronics can be checked and environmental toxins can be filtered from wastewater. The tale of Upsalite is an unlikely success story, but involves many years of pure research. “Our goal from the beginning”, says Maria Strømme, Professor of Nanotechnology, “was to solve a big problem in the pharmaceutical industry, namely that many of the drugs now being developed have poor solubility. They tend to form crystals, which are difficult to dissolve in the gastrointestinal tract.” After experiments with calcium carbonate, which wasn’t stable enough, they began to work with magnesium carbonate, which was also approved for pharmaceutical products. The idea was to create a porous magnesium carbonate with extremely small, nano-sized pores. “We knew that when drug molecules are forced into the pores,” says Strømme, “they can’t form crystals and instead remain in a disordered form that allows the body to absorb them in the stomach and intestines.” But although the solution was within reach, they couldn’t quite grasp it. Attempt after attempt failed. Until researcher Johan Gómez de la Torre (né Forsgren) started a material synthesis process on a Thursday, fell ill on Friday, forgot to

ask someone to stop the process and then didn’t return to it until Monday. “That’s when he saw that something had happened,” says Strømme. “The material mixture had changed character and after drying, we got the exact porous material we wanted. We were blown away.” The research team was no less excited when they realised that researchers had been trying to create a similar material since the beginning of the 20th century. Several articles and even a Russian PhD thesis from the 1960s had concluded that the synthesis Strømme’s research team had just managed to do was impossible. “That was when we realised that we’d better prepare ourselves to have our findings contested,” says Strømme. “We have never analysed samples so carefully! By December 2012, we were sure and could patent the material. In the summer of 2013, we published the news in a scientific journal.” THE MEDIA ATTENTION was immediate and

Google hits for the word ‘Upsalite’, which the researchers had named the material, went from zero to five hundred thousand in just a couple of weeks. What attracted the most media attention was that the material proved to be extremely good at absorbing moisture, which in itself was a fortunate side effect. The goal from the beginning was to stabilise drug molecules. It was now clear that the results had market potential and the company Disruptive Materials AB was formed to commercialise the discovery NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

of Upsalite. Sara Frykstrand, who was a doctoral student when Upsalite was discovered, is one of the company’s co-founders. “We’re in a very exciting phase and of course it feels overwhelming at times,” says Frykstrand. “But I take it one step at a time and focus on my daily work – that’s how I function.” Today, Frykstrand spends 70 per cent of her working hours at the company and 30 per cent as a researcher and has become accustomed to combining the roles. Seven researchers and eleven entrepreneurs work together on applications such as optimising Upsalite for drug delivery in medication to treat conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, HIV symptoms and cancer. “But sometimes you have to watch what you say,” says Frykstrand. “Researchers produce results by publishing, so the company can’t go public with secret information without first consulting the research team.” FOR MARIA STRØMME, this close link between pure research, applied research and commercialisation is an effective trio that creates added value for Uppsala University and society as a whole. Is there any risk that researchers will only

Sara Fryksand is one of the co-founders of the company and Maria Strømme leads the research team.

focus on research that can be applied and neglect ‘impossible’ projects? “Interesting question,” says Strømme, “but all my experience tells me that when you let an application drive the project as we have done with Upsalite, it means that your pure research has to be excellent. This has been my experience from project to project, from patent to patent.” Frykstrand agrees. “Once we’d made the discovery, I devoted an entire year just to pure research in order to understand all the phases and interphases in the Upsalite synthesis.” n

The new material inhibits bacterial growth and is extremely good at absorbing moisture.

INNOVATION T E X T : M A G N U S A L S N E P H O T O : M I K A E L WA L L E R S T E D T

New technique aims to

CURE CHRONIC WOUNDS With genetically modified lactic acid bacteria, Evelina Vågesjö, recent PhD graduate and CEO of Ilya Pharma, is on her way to solving one of healthcare’s greatest challenges.

Evelina Vågesjö modifies lactic acid bacteria to deliver biological medicine to wounds. “CHRONIC WOUNDS are a very common pro-

The new technique is garnering attention even beyond Sweden’s borders.

blem, causing severe suffering for those affected and demanding extensive healthcare resources,” says Vågesjö. “With our new biotherapy, we hope to be able to accelerate the healing process by up to 80 per cent and simultaneously reduce antibiotic consumption.” Less than five years have passed since Vågesjö, who at the time had just begun her PhD studies, began thinking about the possibility of modifying lactic acid bacteria to deliver biological medicine to wounds. Her doctoral hat is now resting on the shelf, but Vågesjö is continuing to drive the project forward as CEO of the newly formed limited company Ilya Pharma. Her redesigned bacteria have demonstrated unique effects in experiments on mice, and the first clinical trials are due to start in 2017. “For the next phase, we need to raise about SEK 30 million,” says Vågesjö from the laboratory at the Department of Medical Cell Biology at Uppsala University. “But we’re getting good coaching from Uppsala Innovation Centre and UU Innovation and our results are attracting great interest from both the pharmaceutical industry and venture capital companies, so it looks like financing will sort itself out.” The new technique is garnering attention even beyond Sweden’s borders. EIT Health, the European consortium that has been com-

missioned by the EU to address the challenges of the healthcare community, chose early on to support the development of Ilya Pharma, and when Vågesjö presented the results of her work at EIT Health’s annual conference in Barcelona, she was awarded – amid tough competition from other young researchers – a continued grant to take her innovation further. “Having the backing of EIT Health gives us a stamp of quality that will hopefully facilitate both our future activities and access to a wider European network.” There is a lot of work left to do before Våge sjö’s bacteria are ready to hit the market, but she and her colleagues at Ilya Pharma have their sights set firmly forward. Their patent is highly coveted and if the test results continue to be positive, negotiations will soon begin for licensed manufacturing and external ownership. “For resource reasons, we’ve focused thus far on wounds among patients with diabetes,” says Vågesjö. “But our technique has the potential to be applied to all acute and chronic wounds. As soon as we validate the concept we’ll take the next big step on this amazing journey that my former supervisor, Professor Mia Phillipson, let me embark on. Wherever the road takes us, it is a huge inspiration when different competencies come together and strive towards a common goal!” n NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

COLLABORATION

What help does Anna, a victim of violence, need from social services, healthcare staff, etc? Concrete examples are the foundation of a new online course on violence in close relationships. During the first four months, the course material was used by more than 5,000 people.

A COMPUTER and an internet connection are all that are required to take the course, which uses videos and factual texts to convey knowledge on the mechanisms of violence, statistics and society’s responsibility. “The course provides basic knowledge, but participants can also link this know ledge to real-life examples and reflect and discuss with colleagues,” says Project Manager Annika Engström. “In the longer term, it is important for participants to consider the implications for their own activities.” Behind the course is the National Centre for Knowledge on Men’s Violence Against Women (NCK), in cooperation with the Country Administrative Boards and the National Board of Health and Welfare. The course is aimed at a range of professional categories and is completely free of charge. So far, the majority of participants in the course have been social services and healthcare staff. It takes about two-and-a-half hours to go through the entire course, alone or in

groups. All participants who pass the final test receive a certificate. “The online course can be used to increase the level of knowledge within the organisation,” says Engström, “and there are municipalities that have said they want to train all of their staff in all of their departments. Several large public agencies have also been in touch. Our aim is to give more people the knowledge they need to detect and recognise violence and to assist and support victims of violence.” n ANNICA HULTH

Anna is a victim of violence. In this online course, participants can follow her journey out of victimisation. ILLUSTRATION: MAGNUS HÄGLUND

AVAILABLE FOR ALL In just over five months the course has had 7,324 users. Of these, 1,519 have taken the online course as part of a group. The most common professional categories are: • Social services (53 per cent) • Healthcare (16 per cent) • Other, e.g. private persons, journalists (10 per cent) • Other public authorities (6 per cent)

PHOTO: MIKAEL WALLERSTEDT

Concrete knowledge ON VIOLENCE Elisabet Nihlfors, Professor of Pedagogy, hopes to help better prepare student teachers for their professional careers.

Student teachers go to school UPPSALA UNIVERSITY’S teacher edu-

cation programme and the Municipality of Uppsala have initiated enhanced cooper ation that will give student teachers more time in the field at schools. The cooper ation will also help develop school activities through the joint initiation of research projects between teachers and researchers. The new pilot project will develop a model with partner schools and preschools that will give a group of student teachers more continuity through more time out in the field. The objective is to help students train at putting theory into practice and to enable exams and practical elements of courses to be carried out at partner schools and preschools. “Strengthening ties with the schools will give student teachers better insight into and experience in the profession than is achieved in regular courses, and will better prepare them for a career in teaching,” says Elisabet Nihlfors, Professor of Pedagogy and Dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences at Uppsala University. In addition to bringing education and schools closer together, the cooperation will also strengthen research. Teachers and researchers will work together to identify critical research projects that can bring tangible benefits to schools. Teachers will be involved in the research in various ways, including serving as research assistants. Four schools and five preschools in Uppsala are participating in the first stage of the pilot project, which will be evaluated after two years. n

COLLABORATION T E X T : M A G N U S A L S N E P H O T O : M I K A E L WA L L E R S T E D T

Health initiative brings Europe to Uppsala Some of Europe’s leading actors in the field of health are joining forces to take on the enormous challenges facing healthcare. This winter, they met in Uppsala to find new ways to collaborate. A SIGNAL SOUNDS through Uppsala Konsert

To develop new ideas in the field of health, we need to also look beyond Sweden’s borders

& Kongress and the buzz in the hallways quickly dies down. Three hundred people from 17 European countries are energetically looking for new partners and the hum of eager conversation soon picks up again. We are at the EIT Health Matchmaking Event, an interdisci plinary venue where representatives from academia and the public and private sectors ‘speed date’ to find new funding application partners for this year’s big EIT Health call. “To develop new ideas in the field of health, we need to also look beyond Sweden’s borders,” says Mats Larhed, coordinator for Uppsala University’s involvement in EIT Health. “The EU’s research and innovation systems, like our own government, have made it clear that they will prioritise international collaborative projects that benefit the public. This means that we need to find new ways of working, which makes

EIT Health • A consortium of approximately 140 partners from 14 EU countries working to promote entrepreneurship and develop innovations in the field of health and active ageing. • This is achieved by delivering products, ideas and education and training to secure tomorrow’s skills in this area. • EIT Health has six local centres in Europe and Uppsala University is part of CLC Scandinavia. There are also six regions, called InnoStars, connected to EIT Health.

EIT Health an incredibly important instrument.” The EIT Health consortium brings together 140 leading universities, companies and actors in the field of healthcare, who are joining forces to take on the health-related challenges facing Eur ope. Uppsala University is fully engaged in the initiative, and organising this year’s largest EIT Health venue has given the University’s own researchers a unique opportunity to make new contacts. “There is an enormous value in being able to hand-pick and focus on the meetings you want to attend, without spending time and energy travelling around Europe,” says Andy Browning, Director of Innovation Projects at EIT Health. “At the same time, Uppsala can showcase its strengths for potential partners who may have previously been entirely unaware of the city. Everyone I meet is very impressed with the professional organisation of the event.” Two years after EIT Health was tasked by the EU to lay the foundation for sustainable development of the healthcare community, the structure is in place. Its cornerstones are innov ation, business development and – Rome wasn’t built in a day – new educational programmes. The next generation has to jump on the train if they’re going to take over the controls someday. Observant Uppsala residents noted in November how the city’s students filled Fyrishov during Innovation Day, and the Health Innovation and Innovation Game courses are back again this year. NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

What brought you to the EIT Health Matchmaking Event?

Julie Hart, Associate Director of Networking at Oxford AHSN “WE WILL BE TESTING new healthcare models and are in need of international cooperation. This format, with lots of meet ings and a broad scope, fits us perfectly and we have entered discussions with a number of potential partners that we will stay in contact with.”

“We need to be continuously developing educational programmes and courses,” says Senior Lecturer Margareta Krabbe, “and in EIT Health, we can think innovatively and across traditional boundaries. The work looks very promising and today we’re taking part in discussions and creating new contacts. But over the long term, we need to also steer more of Uppsala’s researchers over the threshold to the collaboration EIT Health offers.” The minutes pass and another signal sounds. New encounters await. Evelina

Våge sjö, a researcher at Uppsala Univer sity and creator of a promising approach for accelerating the healing of chronic wounds, emerges from the crowd. “I just had a very good discussion with a German company that develops biological drugs and now I’m going to talk to one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, which is based in Paris. EIT Health really provides access to a whole new net work, which will strengthen my chances in big European calls,” she says before rushing off to her next ‘date’. n

EIT Health Matchmaking Event is an interdisciplinary venue where representatives from academia and the public and private sectors come together to look for new partners for this year’s big EIT Health call.

Melek Somai, Researcher at Imperial College

“OUR RESEARCH GROUP wants to

broaden our interdisciplinary networks and we are here to see if EIT Health can offer the right structure for us. So far, it’s been a very positive experience with a level of interaction that normally takes years to achieve.”

Catharina Svensson, Professor of Molecular Virology, Uppsala University “WE’RE HERE TO DEVELOP joint and interdisciplinary educational elements with European universities that share our vision. Today, we’ve spoken with a Dutch higher education institution about a joint research school on antibiotic resistance.” n 33

SCIENCE T E X T : A N N I C A H U LT H P H O T O : M I K A E L WA L L E R S T E D T

Everyone knows about the Viking raids that took place in Europe from 700–1000 AD, when warlike Scandinavians headed out with hundreds of ships on plundering expeditions in Europe. But how did it start, exactly? Excavations of burial sites in Uppsala and Estonia may provide new answers.

– how did it all start? You can trace ideas in events and in the remnants of events, in graves and in burial sites, says Neil Price.

“THE IMAGE OF THE VIKING AGE and the Vikings is full of clichés, but at the core of it are the Viking raids and the attacks on monasteries and kingdoms,” says Neil Price, Professor of Archaeology. “It emerges slowly during the eighth century and then escalates until there are thousands of Vikings heading out en masse. That is what we want to investigate.” Price leads the extensive project ‘The Viking Phenomenon’, which will spend 10 years exploring the critical period between the Viking Age and the era that came before, the Vendel Period. Archaeological collections are available to assist the researchers. These include burial finds from sixth to tenth century Valsgärde in Gamla Uppsala, which was excavated from the 1920s to the 1950s, as well as new finds from a 2008–

2012 excavation on Saaremaa in Estonia. There are two boat graves there dating back to around 750 AD. “It appears to be remnants of a Viking raid from Sweden against the Estonians that went badly, leaving a lot of people dead,” says Price. “The Vikings seem to have come from central Sweden – there may even have been people from Valsgärde involved. Even if they were not from Valsgärde, they were at least from the same culture, which gives us the opportunity to study them both at home and abroad.” One of the biggest questions for researchers is how Viking raids were organised. In the eighth and ninth centuries, there were not yet any nation states in Scandinavia. However, there were lots of small kingdoms, tribes and political

Neil Price and colleague John Ljungkvist in Gamla Uppsala, an important burial site during the Viking Age.

NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

ANOTHER PART of the project is to delve

deeper into the economics and logistics behind the Viking raids. What did they eat and where did they get their food from? How were the ships built and how long did it take? “In the beginning,” says Price, “we think only a few ships were involved, but by around the year 840, several sources put the number at 200, 300 or even 400. If there were hundreds of ships, that means that thousands of people sailed out on them. “One idea we’re playing with is that these Viking fleets were small societies in motion. That they weren’t a fixed group of people, but instead very organic, with people coming and going. It’s difficult for us to grasp, and it was obviously also difficult for their adversaries – that’s why they were so successful.” One of the project’s cornerstones is that it is not possible to study the Viking Age without also being very aware of how the image of the Vikings persists today. “More than most ancient cultures, the Vikings continue to live on today, even in more problematic contexts,” says Price. “This is not something we can just ignore – we have to discuss it.” The popular History Channel drama series Vikings, for example, has lots of viewers around the world. Price and his fellow researchers have

had contact with the film team behind the television series and collaborated with them. “A series like this reaches more people than we academics could ever do,” says Price. “So I definitely think we should engage in popular isation and get involved. This public part of the project is a very important aspect.” AS A RESEARCHER and teacher, Price wants to

address people’s expectations, while at the same time adding nuances to the image of the Vikings. They’re perhaps not quite as we imagine them. “The Viking Age is a very multifaceted part of history – there is no ‘Viking’ or ‘Viking woman’. There are people, all sorts of people living their lives.” It is clear that the Viking Age was an outward-bound period, a time of foreign relations and trade. People travelled a lot, some even more than we do today. There were networks that stretched not only throughout all of Europe, but also into Asia and the Middle East. “It is not only things and people that travel, it’s also ideas. You can trace ideas in events and in the remnants of events, in graves and in burial sites.” Price and his colleagues look for patterns and variations in all sorts of materials, evidence and written records. The image that develops is that of a dynamic time, a time of change. “It was in the Viking Age that what would become Sweden emerged – and Norway and Denmark,” says Price. “Even if this is a cliché that has benefited the tourism industry since the turn of the century, there is some truth in it. It would be interesting to see how far back this started to take shape.” n

There were networks that stretched not only throughout all of Europe, but also into Asia and the Middle East.

THE VIKING PHENOMENON • A 10-year research project in the Swedish Research Council’s Grants for Distinguished Professors programme, 2016–2025. • Focus on the first Viking raiders, why they acted as they did, what sort of society shaped them, and why their aggressive expansion into other parts of the world started at this specific time. • The project includes a full analysis of the Valsgärde burial grounds in Uppland. These are supplemented by new finds from the island of Saaremaa in Estonia.

ILLUSTRATION: ÞÓRHALLUR ÞRÁINSSON

groupings in Scandinavia and one of these was organised around Gamla Uppsala, Valsgärde and Vendel. “It is these small groupings that slowly grow, fight one other and absorb each other during the 300-year Viking Age,” says Price. “It is they who slowly become Sweden and Norway and Denmark.” The Viking Age is often described as a masculine culture, but this study focuses not only on male Vikings, but on the entire society. “It was mainly the men who went out ravaging,” says Price, “but we are studying this as a social process – something that encompassed the entire society. By using this link between Valsgärde and Estonia, we can focus on such a social unit and use it as a case study.”

Reconstruction drawing of the boat Salme I from Estonia.

CULTURE T E X T : A N N I C A H U LT H P H O T O : A N N I C A H U LT H , B E R I T S A H L S T R Ö M

Women take

THEIR PLACE

Traditionally, the portraits on the walls of the University Main Building have mostly depicted men. But this is about to change. Artist Berit Sahlström has woven several large tapestries depicting women from the University’s history. WHEN WE MEET at Berit Sahlström’s studio in

Berit Sahlström is a former Senior Lecturer in Art History and Equal Opportunities Officer at Uppsala University.

ELLEN FRIES Publicly defended a dissertation in history in 1883 and became the first woman in Sweden to receive a PhD. Fries continued her historical authorship and wrote, among other things, the book Märkvärdiga Qvinnor (Remarkable Women).

Malmö, weaving is in full swing. One large tap estry is already completed and now she is hard at work trying to get geographer Gerd Enequist’s face just right. A black-and-white portrait is propped behind the warp for reference, but she’s weaving freehand and the details will emerge in their own time. “I see myself as a painter with thread and stick to plain weave, a very basic technique,” says Sahlström.

She has a background at Uppsala University, as a senior lecturer in art history and a gender equality officer. After having worked for several years at the University of Gävle, she resigned and focused on a full-time career as an artist. She sat down at her loom and began to weave. The first project took a year, tapestries were sold, and soon she moved on to new projects. When the tapestry Virtual Friends was exhibited, Uppsala University was interested, but the

LISA ROLF Began studying at Uppsala University in 1906 and four years later completed a Bachelor’s degree in theoretical philosophy, history of religions and art history. She then worked as a teacher at various independent adult education colleges before coming to Lund in 1919 to study the history of religions.After vocational education and training in Stockholm, she became Lund’s first city librarian in 1927.

ELSA ESCHELSSON Sweden’s first woman Doctor of Laws (1897) and Docent of Laws.At first she enjoyed a brilliant career, becoming a docent of civil law after publicly defending her doctoral thesis. But when she sought a professorial chair she ran into difficulties. Contemporary society, dominated by men, put up massive resistance and she never got her chair. She died in 1911, probably by her own hand. NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

“I see myself as a painter with thread and stick to plain weave, a very basic technique,” says Berit Sahlström. Here she is weaving a portrait of geographer Gerd Enequist. A black-and-white portrait is propped behind the warp for reference.

Uppsala City Library got there first. Instead, the University commissioned several tapestries for the University Main Building. The subject is women in the University’s history. “These include famous people who have passed away as well as young students who are anonymous,” says Sahlström. “I decided that if I was going to depict people who were pioneers, I didn’t want to do them just as extraordinary individuals, but actually as representatives of their gender as well.” One of the tapestries, Kvinnorum (Women’s Room), depicts women from different times gathered in a room. The image connects to an older painting – Emrik Stenberg’s 1911 group portrait of several solemn men gathered around a table in the theological faculty room. There is also a solemnity to Sahlström’s tapestry; it has not always been easy to be a woman in academia. Many of the women depicted suffered major setbacks in the male-dominated academic world. “It is not an image that is purely positive and unproblematic,” says Sahlström. “I also want to

show that this is another way of interacting – a sort of workshop.” Sahlström has used her own experiences in the academic environment and has also woven in non-realistic elements. Besides the fact that the people in the room hail from widely different eras, not all the perspectives quite match up either. An armchair looks like water. A woman leans out of a frame. “There are things that don’t make sense, and the viewer is meant to spend a long time looking at the tapestry and discover new things,” says Sahlström. Piled next to the loom, yarns in a range of different colours (except black) offer endless possibilities for combination. How long does it take to weave?

“I usually say a square metre a month give or take, depending on mood, energy and enthusiasm – and on what has been decided in advance,” she says. There are still many hours of work left before Elsa, Ellen, Lisa, Sonja and all the others can take their places in the University Main Building. n

SONJA LYTTKENS In 1956, Lyttkens became the second woman in Sweden to complete a PhD in mathematics. She then received a docent post and in 1963 became Sweden’s first female senior lecturer in mathematics. Lyttkens was very involved in efforts to improve conditions for women in academia. In 1970, she became the first woman to serve as inspector of an Uppsala University student nation, Kalmar Nation.

ALUMNI T E X T & P H OTO : A N D E R S B E R N D T

4 QUESTIONS TO STAFFAN LARSSON Staffan Larsson has a PhD in Economic Geography from Uppsala University. Today, he is Governor of the Royal Palaces – an exciting place to be.

GOVERNOR

with a PhD from Uppsala “THE GOVERNOR is Head of the Office of the Governor of the Royal Palaces, which is responsible for the royal right of dispos ition. As Head of State, the King has the right of disposition of 11 royal palaces, appurtenant land and a number of properties. My job is to safeguard the King’s interests regarding the use of these properties, as it is the State that ultimately owns them, but the King who has disposition rights. My work also includes the practical management of the parks and forests, some areas of security, IT and some basic services.” Do you manage public activities as well?

“Yes, both the palaces that are open and the parks belonging to these. We are, for example, responsible for the care and man agement of the Royal Djurgården, which comprises 15 per cent of the City of Stockholm’s area. In 2016, we had 1.5 million paying visitors to the Royal Palaces – more than the Vasa Museum – so we are one of the top visitor destinations in Sweden. The revenues are important for renovating and re-investing in our cultural heritage and making it available to the public.”

everyone with an official role in Sweden and state visits from one country after another. There are a lot of official dinners and other events. When I was recruited, they said there weren’t a lot of evening activities, but that wasn’t the case [laughs].” How were you recruited?

“It is the King himself who appoints his heads of office. I had served in managerial roles in several public agencies for a number of years and was contacted by a recruitment firm that was very secretive. They didn’t say that it was the Royal Court that was the employer, just that the job would involve a lot of properties, lots of people and a lot of diplomacy. And that the employer was neither public nor private.”

nes to understand that place. That’s exactly like my work now, with a host of complex issues that come together in a decision. Government officials have a good background for the post. They are very loyal and keen to do a good job, and learn to perform their duties in a humble and considerate way and make carefully delib erated decisions, which I’ve found useful in my work.” n

How has your education helped in your work?

“I have a good background for the job, in terms of both my education and my experience as a government official. In economic geography, you start with a place and then use methods from various discipli-

Do you enjoy your job?

“Yes, I love going to work every day. It is a very exciting place to be. You get to meet

NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017

IN BRIEF

New arena for discussion THE DOORS WILL SOON OPEN to the

PHOTO: TOMMY WESTBERG

new Humanities Theatre – a spectacular auditorium and lecture hall, built in the form of a classical theatre and equipped with the latest audiovisual technology. The Humanities Theatre is located among the other buildings of the English Park Campus – Centre for the Humanities and is intended as a forum and a resource for all the departments there. The building also contains offices and classrooms, and will provide an indoor link between three of the buildings on the campus. “We want to enhance opportunities for our students to engage in critical discussion,” says Margaretha Fahlgren, chair of the steering committee for the building project. “This is a core aspect of a university education in the humanities. The humanities require opportunities for dialogue and we believe we can further hone the students’ education.” In April, property owner Akademiska Hus handed over the keys to Uppsala University. “We will spend April and May working on the furnishings,” says Margareta Öberg, Project Manager at the Buildings Division

The facade has been decorated by artist Ann Lislegaard. A perforated pattern with plant motifs will cover the entire facade. PHOTO: ANNICA HULTH

at Uppsala University. “Then the audiovisual equipment –the sound system and the projection screen – will be installed in the theatre hall. This will take all summer.” The premises are expected to be operational in October and will be available for

hire to companies and other organisations. For a small donation, benefactors can also have a nameplate installed on one of the chairs. These donations will be used to fund special events at the Humanities Theatre. n

Linnaeus’s birthday

Anthology on human rights

THIS YEAR marks 310 years since Carl Linnaeus was born. Just like every year, his birthday will be celebrated at the Linnaeus Garden Party, in the Linnaeus Garden and on Svartbäcksgatan. Celebrations will include presentations by Karin and Jessica Berglund in the Linnaeus Garden Orangery. Karin Berglund is a garden expert, journal ist, author and photographer and Jessica Berglund is a children’s book author. There will also be an 18th cen tury market in the Linnaeus Garden with sales of artisan foods and other historical crafts, a garden market on Svartbäcksgatan, and an arts and crafts market in the Linnaeus Garden. The programme also includes an exhibition, scientific experiments and a Fascination of Plants Day celebration in the Linnaeus Garden. Visitors will have a chance to meet researchers and conduct scientific experiments, take a guided tour, go on a treasure hunt and take part in other family activities. n

TWO YEARS AGO, Uppsala University was given an assignment to educate government employees about human rights. The assignment from the government concluded at the end of last year, but the web-based introduction to human rights that was developed as part of the assignment is still available and can be freely used by government agencies and other public sector bodies. In addition, an anthology entitled Human rights in the Swedish public sector will be published in June 2017. In the anthology, edited by Professor of Theological Ethics Elena Namli and Associate Professor of Public Law Anna-Sara Lind, researchers and specialists discuss human rights from political, legal and ethical perspectives. The anthology is intended for public sector employees and for readers studying or interested in public administration. n mr-forum.se

PHOTO: MIKAEL WALLERSTEDT

Last word

HANS ELLEGREN Professor of Evolutionary Biology

Lifting our gaze SOMETIMES IT CAN BE DIFFICULT to

We need to literally lift our gaze to see the wood when we’re mapping animal and plant biology down to the smallest capillary!

see the wood for the trees. In research, there is a particular challenge associated with this saying: we very much want to dissect all information and examine new knowledge in detail. At the same time, it’s important to see the big picture and the larger perspectives. Explaining phenomena by breaking them down into smaller questions is one type of scientific approach. Another is to try to see the big picture and the larger perspectives. Both approaches are needed, but perhaps the latter is the easiest to forget. At the Evolutionary Biology Centre, we study the evolution of life. Piece after piece is added to the puzzle, and each piece is smaller than the one before, down to the very tiniest elements of the ‘molecule of life’, DNA. We need to literally lift our gaze to see the wood when we’re mapping animal and plant biology down to the smallest capillary! Lifting our gaze also has another dimension within the University. As with other benefits of our society, it is easy to take the scientific and collegial environment for granted. But it is far from a given. Our University rests on a foundation spanning half a millennium. An unfath-

omable and almost infinite amount of intellectual work has been passed down and accumulated to give Uppsala University the appeal and eminence that distinguishes us today. This is what prompts new gener ations of talented students and researchers from around the world to apply here, year after year. It is a privilege to come to work every day and find myself surrounded by so many people with similar and complementary interests. For it is precisely in the discourse among us that new ideas are born, and students, doctoral students, postdocs and teaching colleagues all contribute to this. Just consider the enormous amount of wisdom amassed in this single organisation. In this fragment of the University’s history for which we carry the baton, it may help – at times that for one reason or another feel trying – to remind ourselves of the privilege of being part of something bigger. And also to remember that someone is hosting this party. With tongue in cheek, one of our former doctoral students concluded his public defence with a picture from a (rather light-hearted) break from working on his dissertation. The caption read “Swedish people pay me for this!” n

NEW HORIZONS: ISSUE 1. 2017