APPOINTMENT. Michael Schöll, brain researcher at the University of Gothenburg, is one of eight young top researchers in Sweden to be elected to the Young Academy of Sweden. He points out career paths for young researchers and research communication as two important areas.
For Michael Schöll, the Young Academy of Sweden plays an important role in raising awareness of the research and working conditions of young researchers, especially in the political arena. He strongly believes in this interdisciplinary forum that allows like-minded researchers from different areas in approximately the same phase of their careers to discuss and pursue important questions.
Enormous pressure on young heads of research
“As a group, young research leaders are responsible for determining the establishment and renewal of research, while they also face enormous pressure to establish independent funding and their own line of research and supervising the next generation of researchers. They often feel that they lack concrete support and that their needs are not communicated clearly. We need clear, transparent criteria and more opportunities to offer promising young researchers attractive and secure academic careers in Sweden, and I hope to be able to contribute to that through my involvement in the Young Academy of Sweden.”
Faster communication paths
Academics need to be better at communicating their research in general, as this is part of the University’s community outreach. Michael Schöll sees an opportunity in this area to take advantage of the abundance of new and fast media, which are unfortunately often used to spread disinformation – something he also hopes to be able to highlight during his period as a member of the Young Academy of Sweden.
Significant progress in Alzheimer’s research
Schöll is an associate professor in molecular medicine at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology. His research team is associated with the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, where he conducts research using neuroimaging and other biomarkers to facilitate early identification of pathological changes in the brain prior to the development of clinical Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
“Alzheimer’s research is currently in an incredibly exciting phase, where we’ve seen significant progress in both diagnostics and treatment. It’s especially nice that researchers here at the University of Gothenburg have played a crucial role in the development of blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease, which is going to revolutionize clinical praxis.”
Eight new members
The Young Academy of Sweden gathers young, leading researchers from throughout Sweden and in all fields. Membership period is limited to five years and provides continuous influx of energy and ideas. The eight newest members are: Oscar Agertz (astronomy, Lund University), Lisa Hellman (history, Lund University), Karolina Kauppi (medical biology, Umeå University), Johan Larsbrink (molecular enzymology, Chalmers), Gabriele Messori (meteorology, Uppsala University), Sigrid Schottenius Cullhed (literary studies, Uppsala University), Michael Schöll (molecular medicine, University of Gothenburg) and Janina Seubert (psychology, Karolinska Institutet).
BY ELIN LINDSTRÖM
