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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.

 

News
On the left, the cover of the last issue of Science Advances featuring an artist rendition of a choanoflagellate colony. On the right, a microscopy picture of a colony.

Tiny microbe colonies communicate to coordinate their behavior

A new study published in Science Advances reveals evidence of electrical signaling and coordinated behavior in choanoflagellates, the closest living relatives of animals. This elaborate example of cell communication offers key insights into the early evolution of animal multicellularity and nervous...

News
3D model of a ligand-gated ion channel, electrophysiology curves and the outline of the lamp shell Novocrania anomalia.

A surprising mode of activation for ion channels discovered in a small marine invertebrate

In a new article, researchers from the Lynagh group explore the unexpected activation of an ion channel by a family of small molecules known to inhibit other similar channels .

News
Jellyfish unveiled exhibit

Photography exhibition ‘Jellyfish unveiled’ opens at the University Museum of Bergen

The new exhibit aims to challenge the public’s perspective on the often-misunderstood animals by highlighting their beauty and ecological relevance. It will run until January 26, 2025.

New publication
Mnemiopsis leidyi larva

Young again: study shows that comb jellies can age in reverse

For most animals, ageing is a one-way journey. In a recent PNAS publication, researchers Joan Soto-Angel and Pawel Burkhardt discovered that a species of comb jelly can reverse its life cycle, returning from adulthood to a larval stage.

News
Children and researcher observe sea anemones in an aquarium

International School of Bergen students visit the Centre

After studying biodiversity in class, Grade 4 students from the International School of Bergen (ISB) discovered marine species at the Michael Sars Centre.