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Studenter som läser civilingenjörsprogrammet i bioteknik labbar.

Life science

Image: Malin Grönborg

Life science is the study of biological life and living organisms. It is a very broad field of study, fundamentally based on chemistry and biology.

Life science encompasses everything from diseases to how we function, as well as our interaction with nature and all its components. Here in Umeå, we have been conducting life science-related research since the university was founded, with a focus on molecular and microbiology as well as chemistry.

One example of groundbreaking life science research at Umeå University is the discovery of the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9, for which Emmanuelle Charpentier was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020.

The Life Science News Council is responsible for this website.

Collaboration with industry

"Collaboration with industry" is an article series that highlights the collaborations between Umeå researchers and life science companies. This is the second article in the series, that's written by the News council in life science.
Mikael Elofsson, professor vid Kemiska institutionen. Biträdande prefekt. Obs: Lågupplöst skärmdump från film. Passar bäst för webb.
Research collaboration with AstraZeneca provides insights into virus infections

Umeå professor Mikael Elofsson has collaborated with the global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca since 2018.

Magnus Wolf-Watz, professor vid Kemiska institutionen. Han installerades som professor vid Årshögtiden 2018.
Collaboration with biotechnology company opens new doors for Umeå chemist

Vacona's need for structural biology expertise coincided with Magnus' research group's ambition with Cryo-EM.

Latests news in life science at Umeå university

Václava Hazuková
Anknuten som postdoktor till Institutionen för ekologi, miljö och geovetenskap
Enhet: Stipendium
Research on lakes and rivers receives funding from Formas

Two new projects will investigate the carbon storage potential of Arctic lakes and flooding in watercourses.

Stephan Wenkel och Iker Valle Aramburu forskar båda om mikroproteiner, Stephan i växter och Iker inom immunförsvar och samspel mellan värdar och mikroorganismer. Tillsammans arrangerade de Nobelsymposiet om mikroproteiner vid Umeå universitet i september 2026.
Tiny proteins are proving hard to ignore

Once overlooked, tiny proteins are revealing surprising roles in biology – and new possibilities for research.

Magnus Andersson
Professor vid Kemiska institutionen
Roll: Studierektor
From still images to movies of life’s molecular machines

New technology could reveal how vital processes in the body work in real time.

New project to map pristine and vulnerable Arctic lakes

The Arctic is warming rapidly. Researchers are now set to investigate effects on lake ecosystems.

Johannes Messinger, lab, membrane inlet mass spectrometry
The quest for a better photosynthetic enzyme

Hidden mechanisms may provide clues for the development of more efficient plants.

Ryan Sponseller
Professor vid Institutionen för ekologi, miljö och geovetenskap
Roll: Studierektor
Tracking methane across land-water boundaries

Scientists want to gain a better understanding of how methane is produced to predict future emissions.

Elektronmikroskop vid Umeå Centre for Electron Microscopy.
7.5 million for Umeå University in new Nordic cryo-EM network

NCX expands Nordic cryo-EM collaboration, making advanced methods and expertise more accessible.

From Controlling Neurons with Light to Programming Living Cells

Light-controlled molecular tools let scientists program living cells, from cancer therapy to microbes.

Simulations reveal why pharmaceuticals become trapped in soil

Computer simulations reveal why some pharmaceuticals become trapped in soil—and others spread through water.

Students participating in demonstration of sample preparation during the CryoEM sample preparation and data collection course in December 2024.

Curious about studying Life Science?

The Bachelor’s programme in Life Science focuses on life, bridging chemistry and biology to explore living systems. The teachers have close links to outstanding research in areas such as microbiology, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, infectious medicine, and plant and forest biotechnology.

Learn more about the programme here.

Study both chemistry and molecular biology

The Life Science programme builds the basis and during the third year you specialize in chemistry or molecular biology.

 

Organisations within life science at Umeå university

Logotype of the Coalition Umeå for Life Science (CU4LS)
Coalition Umeå for Life Science (CU4LS)

An initiative to improve visibility of Umeå life science research activities nationally and internationally

KBC cafeteria
Chemical Biological Centre (KBC)

An interdisciplinary research centre in life/natural science and medicine at UMU and SLU

Europa sett från rymden med atmosfär och moln. Elements of this image furnished by NASA.
The European CBRNE Center

Learn more about the European CBRNE Center at Umeå university

SciLifeLab Site Umeå

SciLifeLab national site at Umeå (UMU and SLU) is a local site of the national SciLifeLab network.

UFBI logga
Umeå center for functional brain imaging

UFBI is an inter-disciplinary research center using imaging techniques to examine the brain.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Umeå Marine Sciences Centre

UMF is a dynamic environment for marine research including a complete suite of analytical platforms.

Logga UCMR
Umeå Centre for Microbial Research UCMR

UCMR is a Linnaeus Centre of Excellence promoting cutting-edge microbial research at Umeå University.

Gustav Andersson Institutionen för integrativ medicinsk biologi (IMB) WCMM / Wallenberg centrum för molekylär medicin
Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine

WCMM strives to enable excellent molecular and translational research

Latest update: 2025-09-18