An important infrastructure for multiple research areas

Portrait photo of Ruisheng Xiong.

Ruisheng Xiong, Lecturer at the Department of Chemistry, acts as an expert support for the equipment’s utilisation. Photo: Robin Widing.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a crucial tool for researchers across a range of disciplines and research fields. NMR Uppsala serves as a research infrastructure acting as a competence centre for the utilisation of NMR spectroscopy.

Established in 2018, NMR Uppsala is a high-tech cross faculty platform. The research infrastructure, funded equally by the Office for Medicine and Pharmacy and the Department of Chemistry at BMC, was initiated with the aim to provide researchers access to NMR, act as a competence centre for NMR at Uppsala University, enhance the understanding and use of NMR at the university, and serve as a hub connecting to national infrastructures.

“When I arrived at Uppsala University in 2017, one of my tasks was to launch the NMR facility,” recounts Máté Erdélyi, professor at the Department of Chemistry at BMC and a member of the NMR Uppsala steering group.

Porträttbild av Máté Erdélyi.

“We have users from Uppsala University and Sweden, as well as international guests,” says Máté Erdélyi, professor at the Department of Chemistry at BMC. Photo: Robin Widing.

“Previously, researchers at the university had to turn to external facilities for NMR spectroscopy, such as the University of Gothenburg, which then had more advanced equipment. Now, we have grown to the extent that we are one of the facilities that external researchers seek out. Particularly, we have the sensitivity in our equipment that provides very precise results,” adds Ulf Göransson, professor at the Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences and vice-chair of the steering group.

The investment has proven successful, as NMR Uppsala continues to expand and attract expertise. The infrastructure now hosts the national NMR conference for the second year and has become an expert node within the national infrastructure SwedNMR. Recently, Professor Katja Petzold was recruited to the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, and her research on RNA structure is based on this technology. She is now relocating both her group and an additional instrument to BMC.

Professional support

The use of NMR Uppsala’s equipment, consisting of four spectrometers at frequencies of 400 MHz (2 units), 500 MHz, and 600 MHz, spans various research and scientific areas, as mentioned earlier.

“We have users from a multitude of departments at Uppsala University, from other universities and companies in Sweden, as well as international guests from companies or institutions. In total, we have around 123 regular users solely within Uppsala University,” shares Máté Erdélyi and continues.

Given that the application of NMR has almost no limitations and can be a tool for everything from solar cell development to assessing a drug’s membrane permeability, expertise is required. This expertise is provided by Ruisheng Xiong, Lecturer at the Department of Chemistry, who acts as an expert support for the equipment’s utilisation.

One of those benefiting from his expertise is Xiguo He, a doctoral student at the Department of Pharmacy.

“NMR Uppsala has played a crucial role in the advancements of my research. It’s not just about having access to outstanding and advanced technology, but also the opportunity to collaborate with experts in the field. This allows me and my colleagues to conduct sophisticated analyses with great precision,” she says.

Portrait photo of Xiguo He.

“NMR Uppsala has played a crucial role in the advancements of my research,” says Xiguo He, doctoral student at the Department of Pharmacy.

Xiguo’s research project focuses on constructing oral nanoparticles to enhance the availability of poorly absorbed antibiotics. A central challenge in the work is to determine the efficiency with which the nanoparticles capture and subsequently release the antibiotic.

“NMR spectroscopy has been invaluable in this context, enabling precise tracking of the antibiotic’s distribution from the nanoparticles. Therefore, NMR has been central for us in demonstrating the efficiency of antibiotic release. The support, particularly from Ruisheng Xiong, has enabled us to swiftly overcome technical challenges and obstacles, as well as receive assistance in navigating through complex experiment designs and interpreting results accurately. The support extends far beyond just the equipment’s usage, and the collaboration lays the foundation for new innovations and discoveries. This support is absolutely crucial for the success of many projects,” concludes Xiguo He.

Research successes

Since its establishment in 2017, NMR Uppsala has steadily grown and has been able to propel many researchers forward in their projects. In fact, the number of publications mentioning and featuring NMR Uppsala has quintupled since the beginning.

“We have strengths and expertise here that have made us attractive, not just for researchers at Uppsala University, but from other institutions across Sweden and internationally. It’s a combination of our expertise and the equipment we have here,” says Máté Erdélyi.

Robin Widing

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