Meet our Researchers

Erica Leder wants to know more about the forces of evolution

Erica Leder is interested in how species develop and adapt to their surrounding environment, and she approaches the question at a very basic level – what is going on in the genes How do the genes interact with each other and the environment?

"Every organism is an interesting case study of the forces of evolution. It is trying to make the connection between genotype and phenotype that I find interesting," says Erica Leder.

Sophie Steinhagen is plumbing the depths of future foods

The cultivation of algae for food production is a major reason why Sophie Steinhagen settled on her field of research.

"Algae farming could be a major part of the solution to future food needs. We have food shortages in many countries and climate change has led to droughts that affect traditional food production on land," says Sophie Steinhagen.

Irina Polovodova Asteman uncovers the marvels in the seafloor

Marine geologist Irina Polovodova Asteman studies the tiny concealed in the seafloor. From long cores of mud, she uncovers the most astonishing organisms that can convey details about both the climate, as well as the environment.

“I never know what I'll uncover in the microscope before I start. The sediment is always a mystery, a voyage into the unknown,” says Irina Polovodova Asteman.

Kerstin Johannesson: Snails teach me about genetics and evolution

Kerstin Johannesson is a world-leading researcher in marine evolutionary biology. Her object of study is small periwinkles.

“My research teaches me how nature works, and I can apply my expertise much further. It doesn’t really matter that I’ve learned about genetics and evolution from snails. I can apply this information to any species.”

Katarina Abrahamsson measures carbon dioxide on drifting ice

MOSAiC is the world’s biggest ever Arctic expedition. Researchers from around 20 countries are carrying out unique studies of the air, ice, and ocean. Participants from the Department of Marine Sciences are researchers Adam Ulfsbo and Katarina Abrahamsson.

"The effects of climate change are visible earlier in the Arctic and more clearly than anywhere else," says Katarina Abrahamsson.

Isaac Santos researches the oceans' capacity to fix carbon

Isaac Santos and his family moved to Gothenburg because of a ship.  The University's new research vessel R/V Skagerak is a fairly unique initiative, even internationally.

Now, Isaac Santos and his new research team are going to set up a high-tech mini-laboratory in the Amazon.

Sebastiaan Swart wants to reveal secrets under the Southern Ocean ice

"One of the greatest difficulties with predicting climate is that we don’t know enough about what is going on in the ocean. For example, how it emits or absorbs heat from the atmosphere and how the exchange of CO2 between the ocean and the atmosphere occurs."

Charlotte Björdal studies archaeological wood in shipwrecks

Charlotte Björdal is a leading expert when it comes to erosion bacteria, and by studying wood samples from wrecks she can work out how quickly they decompose. Despite the fact that decomposition takes place more slowly in water, this is a complex environment to protect.

"For me, it’s a matter of conserving and preserving our cultural heritage for future generations," says Charlotte Björdal.