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Michael Sars Centre

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Underwater images of marine life

The Michael Sars Centre at the University of Bergen, is an international community of scientists using advanced technologies to study the unique molecular and cellular biology of marine organisms in a changing environment for broad societal impact.

As one of the first EMBL partners, the Michael Sars Centre is rooted in the Bergen academic community and serves as a national strategical asset for Norwegian marine life sciences. We aim to establish, strengthen, and leverage local, national, and international networks through specific activities, including collaborative research, joint training, and scientific exchange.

 

Strategy
Digital reconstructions of a sea squirt and sea walnut larva

What future for marine life in a changing world?

As the ocean undergoes rapid anthropogenic changes that impact ecosystems, the Michael Sars Centre’s strategy evolves to study life in context, from molecules to ecosystems.

Event
Promotional poster for the Michael Sars Symposium 2026

Registration for the Michael Sars Symposium 2026 is open!

Join us on June 4, 2026 at Media City Bergen for a day of exceptional talks. This year's event is co-organized by the Michael Sars Centre and the Computational Biology Unit at UiB, and will focus on 'Living systems in a variable ocean'.

New publication
Photograph of a comb jelly seen from above.

Ctenophore research points to earlier origins of brain-like structures

New 3D reconstructions of a key sensory organ in ctenophores reveal an unexpected structural and functional complexity. The findings suggest that an elementary brain may have already appeared in our most ancient relatives, reshaping our understanding of nervous system evolution in animals.

Research
Researcher Emily Claereboudt on board the G.O. Sars

On the hunt for sea cucumbers on board the G.O. Sars

Postdoctoral researcher Emily Claereboudt recently joined an Institute of Marine Research (IMR) expedition in the North Sea. Her goal - collect as many sea cucumbers as possible to find out how they communicate with each other.

New publication
Cells seen under a confocal microscope

A widely used RNA assay labels the wrong molecules in several model organisms

After a routine experiment raised suspicions, Steinmetz group researchers joined forces with collaborators to highlight the limitations of a commonly used RNA labeling product.