Materials researcher Malin Wohlert receives award for research on lignin in the pulp and paper industry

2026-04-14

Monica Ek, KTH and member of the Gunnar Sundblad Research Foundation, Elmira Zohrevandi, Linköping University, recipient of the Young Researcher’s Award, Malin Wohlert, Uppsala University, recipient of the Competence Development Award, and Torgny Persson, Director of Research and Innovation at the Swedish Forest Industries Federation and Chair of the Gunnar Sundblad Research Foundation

Malin Wohlert, Associate Professor at the Division of Applied Mechanics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, has been awarded the 2026 Competence Development Award from the Gunnar Sundblad Research Foundation. The award, worth SEK 700,000, will enable her to further develop research on lignin and on how molecular computer simulations can be used to understand and improve processes in the pulp and paper industry.

In her research project, Malin Wohlert investigates how lignin, one of the main components of wood, can be removed more efficiently during kraft pulping. By linking molecular simulations with process models, she aims to generate new knowledge about how the chemical structure of the raw material affects the pulping process.

The research draws inspiration from the pharmaceutical industry, where molecular dynamics simulations have long been an established tool. The aim is to explore how similar approaches can be applied in industrial processing, where variations in wood composition are still often handled through experience-based models and practical trials.

“I am very happy to receive this award and I would also like to extend my warm thanks to the Gunnar Sundblad Research Foundation and the Swedish Forest Industries Federation. I look forward to challenging myself by making my research directly relevant to the pulp and paper industry,” says Malin Wohlert.

In the longer term, the results could contribute to more efficient process optimisation, more stable operations and greater energy efficiency. The simulations may also reduce the need for extensive trials and improve the industry’s ability to adapt production to variations in raw materials or to new types of forest-based feedstock.

The award was presented at the Treesearch Progress research conference in Kolmården on 14 April 2026.

Malin Wohlert, Associate Professor at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.