Research Groups
In total, the Department consists of 25 Research groups.
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The research at the Department of Biomedicine primarily focuses on fundamental medical, biomedical, and biological research questions. A large portion of our research serves as a foundation for clinical and more patient-centered medical research. In addition, we have increased our research portion in translational medical research and, to some extent, clinical research over the last years. We have strong research environments in areas such as cancer research, neuroscience, drug discovery, metabolism, disease mechanisms, proteomics, biomarkers, cardiovascular research, the relationship between the structure and function of macromolecules, as well as extracellular matrix biology.
| Research groups | |
| Biorecognition | Aurora Martinez - We investigate mechanisms behind biomolecular interactions and response in neurometabolic pathways, and we aim to develop novel therapeutics for correction of associated dysfunction. |
| Brenk lab | Ruth Brenk - The overall research goal of the Brenk lab is to improve methods used for structure-based drug design and to apply these methods to design inhibitors for enzymes with biological relevance. A key point in our research is the interplay of theoretical and experimental methods. |
| Molecular mechanisms of parasite motility | Inari Kursula - Our work is aimed at a mechanistic understanding of gliding motility, which malaria parasites and their relatives use for getting to and invading their host cells. We employ a broad range of biochemical, biophysical and hybrid structural biology methods for creating a complete molecular picture of the parasite actin-myosin motor and the entire glideosome. |
| Structural neurobiology | Petri Kursula - We study protein structure and protein-membrane interactions, and we use molecules from the myelin sheath as a model system to understand the assembly of biomembranes. |
| Neural Microcircuits | Margaret Veruki / Espen Hartveit - We investigate cellular and molecular properties of synaptic transmission and integration in neural microcircuits of the central nervous system using the retina as a model. |
| Neurotargeting Research Group | Jan Haavik / Olga Therese Ousdal - The Neurotargeting research group investigates brain signaling mechanisms and molecules and how they are related to neurological and psychiatric disorders. |
| Synaptic Plasticity Research Group | Clive Bramham - The group aims to elucidate the molecular control of long-term synaptic plasticity and its role in brain function and dysfunction. |
| The Cell Metabolism group | Karl Johan Tronstad - We use multimodal approaches to study the role of disturbed cell metabolism and mitochondrial function in mechanisms behind cancer, ME/CFS and other diseases. |
| Halberg Group | Nils Halberg - The goal of the Halberg lab is to understand how cancer cells and the surrounding microenvironment adapt to changes in diet and physiological homeostasis. |
| Lorens/Aarsaether Lab | James Lorens / Niels Aarsaether - The Lorens lab studies molecular mechanisms of cell communication that impact disease, in particular interactions in the tumor-immune microenvironment, and develops new therapeutic concepts. |
| Matrix biology | Donald Gullberg / Marion Kusche-Gullberg - We are interested in understanding how integrin alpha11beta1 and proteoglycans, affect cell functions during development and in pathological situations like tissue- and tumor fibrosis. |
| Mitochondrial Stem Cell Research | Kristina Xiao Liang |
| Molecular modeling and design lab | Knut Teigen - We use computational tools to investigate the relationship between molecular structure and biological function to reveal the underlying mechanisms behind human health and disease |
| Wolf lab | Anette S. B. Wolff |
| Translational Protein Research | Thomas Arnesen - Proteins and protein modifications steer the life of cells and organisms. We investigate the molecular aspects of proteins and their modifications and the relevance for human disease. |
| MemBrain – Membrane proteins in the brain | Henriette Aksnes - The MemBrain group study various molecular aspects of neuropathology, unified through membrane proteins. |
| Molecular signaling and bioenergetics | Mathias Ziegler - A few small molecules, such as NAD and ATP, mediate metabolism and act as key cellular regulators. We investigate the molecular mechanisms of this functional duality. |
| Bioanalytics and Intermediary Metabolism | Marcel Kwiatkowski |
| Proteomics and Bioinformatics Research Group | Harald Barsnes / Frode Berven / Frode Selheim - Advanced quantitative proteomics research focusing on clinical samples, from wet lab experiments to bioinformatics data analysis. |
| The Brain Metastasis Research Group | Frits Thorsen - Translational cancer research, brain tumor research, brain metastasis research, Frits Thorsen. Our research focuses on biological mechanisms related to development of malignant brain tumors. We also study transcapillary fluid exchange in normal conditions and disease. |
| Brain Tumor & Microenvironment Research Group | Hrvoje Miletic / Jian Wang - We work on malignant primary brain tumors. We aim to unravel mechanisms of tumor stroma interactions and analyse how cell death impacts the immune microenvironment. |
| Brain tumor immunology and therapy group | Martha Chekenya Enger - We develop and test novel combination therapies in clinical trials and utilize bioinformatics and artificial intelligence to identify molecular genetic, proteomic and imaging biomarkers for treatment response prediction and drug discovery. |
| Tumor microenvironment and radiobiology research group | Per Øyvind Enger / Bente S. Skeie - Our research focus on cancer radiobiology, aiming to potentiate radiotherapy with radiosensitisers. We also investigate how tumor-stroma interactions impact on disease course and treatment response. |
| Cardiovascular Research Group | Tine Karlsen, Olav Tenstad - We study transcapillary fluid exchange under normal conditions and in disease, for example hypertension and inflammation. Our approach is integrative and translational. |
| Craniofacial Developmental Biology and Regeneration | Prof Päivi Kettunen - The aim of the group is to analyze general molecular signaling mechanisms regulating embryonic organ development in craniofacial and oral tissues. |
12.11.2025