Two new researchers from Medfarm elected to the Young Academy of Sweden

Wojciech Piotr Michno, Lecturer at the Department of Public Health and Care Sciences, and Marcel Tarbier, Lecturer at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, have together with six other researchers been elected to the Academy, including another young researcher from Uppsala University.

What does being elected to the Young Academy of Sweden mean to you?

“It is a great honour to be elected to the Young Academy of Sweden,” says Wojciech Piotr Michno. “I find it inspiring to work alongside such driven members in this independent organisation. I see it as a unique opportunity to contribute to the interaction between academia and society, both through the academy’s socio-political role and the outgoing work researchers can engage in. It is also a great responsibility to be entrusted with strengthening the voice and long-term conditions for the younger faculty within academia.”

“It’s, of course, an incredible honor!” says Marcel Tarbier. “It means joining a group of exceptional people who are in a unique position to influence policy, engage with the public and exchange with other young scientists in Europe and elsewhere. Becoming a member is a vote of confidence and a great opportunity as well as responsibility.”

Can you briefly describe your research and what motivates you in your work?

“My research group investigates how cellular metabolism and chemical communication affect brain health. We look at how seemingly small changes in these processes can contribute to brain disease. To do this, we develop stem cell-based brain models (organoids) and methods to study these processes in single cells. There is a long way between the genetic background and the phenotypes that we can observe. We hope that through our work, we can better understand and, in the future, influence disease mechanisms in a cell type-specific way – from early development to ageing,” Wojciech explains.

“My work focuses on using advanced computational approaches and machine learning to gain insights into the properties of cells purely based on their overall molecular composition. This allows us to study the heterogeneity of tumor cells and its relationship to the cellular environment and lineage relationships. Thereby we can answer questions such as which of their properties – for example, invasiveness or therapy resistance – are shaped by genetic factors and which are triggered by their environments. Understanding these interactions is not only the first, but also most important step in finding new diagnostic and prognostic markers as well as developing new targeted therapies,” Marcel underscores.

What issues or challenges do you want to address through academia?

“I want to work to strengthen the voices of young research leaders on issues of teaching, collaboration and research initiatives with societal relevance,” Wojciech states. “In a time of increased attacks on academic freedom, rapid research development and growing visibility of structural issues, it is crucial that we continuously safeguard the role and trust of academia in society.”

“There are a number of issues close to my heart, some newly emerging ones and some older than myself,” says Marcel. “There are, for instance, the distribution strategy for funding, the onboarding of new faculty, the organization of teaching and the quality development thereof, and finally the use of AI in research.”

What do you hope to contribute to the Young Academy of Sweden?

“Young faculty members have great flexibility but also a particular social responsibility – many of us will lead the research and education of the future. Therefore, it is essential to strengthen communication with established faculties and help update outdated guidelines for research and teaching that are relevant to today’s society. I want to promote transparent and inclusive research communication – both at Uppsala University and nationally – beyond today’s narrow performance metrics. I am particularly passionate about engaging young people in science and highlighting interdisciplinary perspectives on youth mental health,” Wojciech emphasises.

“Every member of the Academy brings their unique backgrounds and perspectives to the table. I have, for instance, a very interdisciplinary background at the intersection of technology, basic life science research, and medicine. On top of that I have had the pleasure to work as an expert in quality assurance and development for many years – an expertise that I would very much like to put to use again,” Marcel concludes.

Congratulations Wojciech and Marcel!

Petter Nording Cronsten