Projects in solar cells and virus control awarded by UU Innovation

A new method for extracting hydrogen from air has been discovered by Gustav Berggren's research group within the Molecular Biomimetics research programme at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström, Uppsala University, in collaboration with other researchers from Australia and UK, among others. The discovery could reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The research results have been published in Nature.

In 1997, Christopher A. Lipinski and his colleagues published their guidelines for how to make drugs that are more easily absorbed by the body, and for several years their "rule of 5" has been the guiding principle in drug research and drug design. The question is now asked, whether maybe these guidelines have been interpreted too literally.

Two different projects within the Section of Chemistry have recently been awarded with the "Attractive Innovation Project 2022" award by Uppsala University Innovation (UU Innovation): It concerns a method for manufacturing solar cell modules where perovskite solar cells are linked together in an efficient way, and a cell-penetrating peptide that can be used to fight viral diseases. The researchers behind these projects are Prof. Gerrit Boschloo and Prof. Ylva Ivarsson. 

Six researchers at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström have been awarded funding from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation's new investment in research for a sustainable society, the WISE project. 

Mental illness is a societal challenge and causes great suffering for the individuals affected. Daniel Globisch and Jonas Bergquist, within the research programme for Analytical Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry - BMC, participate in a large interdisciplinary research project that integrates both biological, medical and social aspects. The purpose of RE-MEND is to increase knowledge and develop better strategies to be able to prevent, instead of treat, mental disorders.

Anders Hagfeldt, who is a Professor in Physical Chemistry and also the Vice-Chancellor of Uppsala University, is one of the most cited researchers in the world. 

Each year, Ny Teknik (New Technology, a weekly Swedish magazine) lists the most innovative and promising young Swedish technology start-up companies for the year in something called "the 33-list". This year, two companies founded by researchers at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström are once again included on the list: Peafowl Plasmonics and Altris - for the second and third year in a row! 

Can nature's own processes be used to create new carbon dioxide-neutral fuels? Yes, that's what researchers Pia Lindberg and Leif Hammarström think at the research programmes for Molecular Biomimetics and Physical Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström at Uppsala University. 

The Royal Society of Arts and Sciences of Uppsala's Popular Science Prize 2022 goes to professor emeritus Olle Matsson. He recieves the prize for the popular science dissemination of his research and accumulated knowledge in chemistry, with a particular focus on the properties of poisons and their impact on the human body. Poisoning and evil sudden death are themes that frighten, but also fascinates us, and makes us want to read on. It increases the interest and understanding of the chemistry subject. Olle Matsson has spread his valuable knowledge in an impressively large number of different media, linking it to interesting cultural perspectives, thus he has reached a wide audience.

PhD student Robin Dürr, within the research programme for physical chemistry at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström, hopes with his new patent-pending manufacturing method for membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) to accelerate the use of electrochemical cells (e.g. fuel cells) and the transition to renewable energy sources. 

The award is given by UU Innovation to “innovative projects and startup companies that have successfully attracted external funds that further strengthen development opportunities”. The research team receives the award for having developed a group of new molecules that have the potential to be developed into an antiviral drug for the treatment of Covid-19.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) presents its yearly 100-list of research projects, all of which they believe have high potential to create immediate benefits through commercialization, method development or societal impact. "Technology in the service of humanity" is the theme for 2022.

Altris, a startup company from the Department of Chemistry - Ångström, is investing in the production of cathode materials for sodium ion batteries in its own new factory in Sandviken.

Olle Matsson, professor emeritus in organic chemistry at the Department of Chemistry - BMC, together with Jean Pettersson, senior lecturer in analytical chemistry at the department, has helped analyze samples in connection with a suspicious death. 

How does a Pelletron Accelerator work? And how can it help Prof. Sascha Ott, within the research programme for Synthetic Molecular Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström, in his research on hydrogen production and artificial photosynthesis? 

Lithium-sulfur is a type of battery that could challenge the Lithium-ion battery as more energy can be stored, but which currently does not measure up due to the battery's short lifespan. Now, Prof. Daniel Brandell's research group, within the research programme for Structural Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström, together with researchers from Scania and the Laue-Langevin Institute, has succeeded in identifying some of the bottlenecks. 

Prof. Ingela Lanekoff, within the research programme for Analytical Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry - BMC, has received a research grant from the European Research Council (ERC), in the form of a so-called ERC Starting Grant.

This autumn, a brand new master's programme is offered at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström Laboratory at Uppsala University: The Master's Programme in Battery Technology and Energy Storage. In the field of battery technology, this is Sweden's first education and the Nordic region's first master's education. The training is carried out in collaboration with Northvolt and Volvo. 

Our oceans contain bacteria and algae that produce toxins. These toxins can be absorbed by mussels and oysters, which is good for the environment but not for humans who consume them. Researcher Aida Zuberovic Muratovic, Analytical Chemistry, is working to develop methods for finding these new toxins. 

Every year, the Uppsala Municipality awards gold medals of honor to a small number of Uppsala residents for their valuable services to the municipality or who in some other way are considered to have earned the municipality's award.

This year, Prof. Kristina Edström, at the research programme for structural chemistry at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström, is honored by being awarded a medal "for her many years of research and science in chemistry and with her leadership and world-leading research on next generation batteries - a necessity for energy storage in a fossil-free society - inspires researchers in Uppsala, within the EU and around the world ". 

Prof. Johannes Messinger, within the molecular biomimetics research programme at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström at Uppsala University, is researching a new method for producing fossil-free ammonia (NH3) from water and nitrogen using renewable energy. 

Professor Jonas Bergquist, at the Department of Chemistry - BMC, participates in a radio program on postcovid, ME and the ongoing comparative scientific studies.

Professor Kristina Edström, working within the Structural Chemistry research programme at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström, has been appointed as the 2021 recipient of the Björkén Prize. The prize is one of Uppsala University's greatest scientific prizes for outstanding research. Kristina Edström receives the award for her world-leading battery research. 

Senior lecturer Erik Lewin, within the research programme for Inorganic Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström, has received an award for his "considerable pedagogical skill and clarity" from the student association K-section.

Henrik Land, within Molecular Biomimetics at Department of Chemistry - Ångström, has received a large Emerging Investigator grant of approx. 11 million SEK from the Novo Nordisk foundation for his project "Biocatalytic fixation of carbon dioxide – Biodiversity and evolvability of present day carbon monoxide dehydrogenase and its ancestors". 

Ben Johnson and Nicolas D'Imperio, two former PhD students in Prof. Sascha Ott's research group within the Synthetic Molecular Chemistry research programme at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström, who defended their dissertations in 2020 are now both awarded for their respective PhD theses. 

Prof. Kristina Edström, at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström, Structural Chemistry, has been elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, KVA.

In March 2020, SciLifeLab launched a national covid-19 research program together with the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW). The program is now being extended and expanded, with an additional SEK 50 million from KAW. Prof. Helena Danielson and Prof. Ylva Ivarsson at the Department of Chemistry - BMC, Biochemistry, are among those who have received extended grants.

What did Alfred Nobel actually keep in his glass bottles? Prof. Adolf Gogoll, within the Organic Chemistry research programme at the Department of Chemistry - BMC, has helped the Nobel Prize Museum and the Swedish National Heritage Board to analyze the contents of 43 old chemical bottles that come from Alfred Nobel's laboratories. 

The Chemical Society in Uppsala awards a prize for the best degree project in chemistry, and for 2020, we are happy to learn that the prize goes to the Dutch Erasmus student Evelyn Coenen. Evelyn did her degree project in Prof. Jonas Bergquist's group within the Analytical Chemistry research programme at the Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University. Her supervisor was Kumari Ubhayasekera. 

Hydrogen for energy use can be extracted in an environmentally friendly way from water and sunlight, using photocatalytic composite polymer nanoparticles developed by Haining Tian's research group within the Physical Chemistry research programme at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström. 

The molecular details of how SARS-CoV-2 enters cells and infects them are still not clear. Prof. Ylva Ivarsson and her group at the Department of Chemistry - BMC, Biochemistry, have tested the bioinformatic predictions made by another research group and have identified receptors that could be important players in the process. 

Christine Dyrager, Assistant Professor in Organic Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry - BMC, has been elected as one of 12 young researchers for ChemMedChem's Early-Career Advisory Board (ECAB).

Prof. Jan Kihlberg, at the Department of Chemistry - BMC, Organic Chemistry, has been rewarded with the Ulla and Stig Holmquist Science Prize in Organic Chemistry for 2020. Jan is rewarded for his pioneering efforts in the field of carbohydrate chemistry and its applications for biomedical purposes.

The decision regarding the appointment of Vice-Chancellor that we have been waiting for since June, when the recruitment group and the Consistory decided that Prof. Anders Hagfeldt would be appointed Vice-Chancellor, has now been announced: On November 20, the Government decided that Anders Hagfeldt will be the new Vice-Chancellor of Uppsala University from 1 January, 2021.

Hydrogen gas and methanol are currently produced mainly from fossil sources, such as oil or natural gas. A more environmentally and climate-friendly alternative is to produce these substances from water and carbon dioxide using sustainable electricity. Prof. Sascha Ott and co-workers at Synthetic Molecular Chemistry have now developed a new material that is needed in the process - by using sunlight as a complement to electricity. The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.

The alumni Malin Källsten, a previous PhD student in Analytical Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry - BMC who defended her dissertation in March this year, has received this year's Phabian award for best doctoral thesis from the Swedish Pharmaceutical Society (Apotekarsocieteten).

The Royal Society of Sciences at Uppsala has decided to award the Thuréus Prize in the natural history-medical class to Prof. Lynn Kamerlin at the Department of Chemistry - BMC.

This year's Spring Conferment Ceremony, which was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, will be held on the 13th of November – corona-proof. The ceremony will take place in three rounds – all on the same day and all streamed in real time.

Solar cells on trucks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is one of the collaborative projects that Vinnova is focusing on in its Challenge-Driven Innovation initiative. Erik Johansson, Professor at the Department of Chemistry – Ångström, is leading the project.

Every year, Ny Teknik (New Technology) lists the most innovative and promising young technology companies for the year. And this year, THREE companies founded by researchers at the Department of Chemistry - Ångström are included in the list: Peapowl Solar Power and Altris, both new on the list, and Graphmatech who made the list in 2019 as well. 

The European research initiative BATTERY 2030+ is now getting going. The ambition is to make Europe a world-leader in the development and production of the batteries of the future. These batteries need to store more energy, have a longer life, and be safer and more environmentally friendly than today’s batteries in order to facilitate the transition to a more climate-neutral society. The project is led from Uppsala University.

Chao Zhang, assistant professor at the Structural Chemistry program was awarded ERC StG 2020 from European Research Council. His project DeepProton is on the development of new computational techniques for modelling electrified metal oxide nanostructures in electrochemical systems.

Congratulations Chao!