Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo

To learn from the future we need to look into the past!

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, Structural Variants, and Short Tandem Repeats Capture Distinct Signals of Adaptive Divergence in the Atlantic Puffin Abstract. The Arctic has been the scene for (re)colonization, diversification, and adaptation of boreal and Arctic fauna. As anthropogenic warming of the A

New publication: "Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, Structural Variants, and Short Tandem Repeats Capture Distinct Signals of Adaptive Divergence in the #Atlantic #Puffin" with O. Kersten, B. Star, K. Jakobsen and S. Boessenkool from @biovitenskap.bsky.social
Published in @genomebiolevol.bsky.social

Genome of the green-head ant, Rhytidoponera metallica, reveals mechanisms of toxin evolution in a genetically hyper-diverse eusocial species - Genome Biology Background While ants are textbook examples of eusocial animals in which altruistic behavior is maintained through kin selection, several ants form genetically diverse colonies that challenge this concept. One example is the Australian green-head ant (Rhytidoponera metallica) whose colonies harbor such extreme genetic variation that they have been speculated to represent an unstable form of eusociality. Yet, R. metallica is among the most successful ants on the Australian subcontinent. This success has been hypothesized to be partly due to the diverse venoms harbored within each colony. However, the genomic basis and evolutionary scenarios that maintain this toxin diversity remain unknown. Results To examine toxin genomic architecture, quantify individual-level genetic variation, and identify both proximate and ultimate mechanisms that have facilitated the toxin diversity in R. metallica, we generate a high-quality draft genome from a single worker. Most ectatotoxin genes are in clusters that contain evidence of multiple, complex gene-family expansions, some of which are likely explained by the presence of transposable elements. We also show that toxin regions of the genome exhibit elevated genetic variation despite being under strong selection and that this variation can translate to phenotypic diversity through toxin alleles with different functional properties. Conclusions Taken together, our results point to classical gene duplication and diversification as the main evolutionary mechanism by which the main toxin family in ant venoms evolves, suggest toxin-gene functional diversification under frequency-dependent selection maintains colony-level venom hypervariability in R. metallica, and provide new insight into the role of multi-level selection in eusocial animals.

New publication: "Genome of the green-head ant, #Rhytidoponera metallica, reveals mechanisms of toxin evolution in a genetically hyper-diverse eusocial species" with Isaksen, Nachtigall, Araya, Hansen & Undheim from @biovitenskap.bsky.social
Published in Genome Biology by @springernature.com

Er elgens gevir lite? Ja, mener forsker, men svaret er ikke opplagt. - Titan.uio.no Skogens konge har liten krone sammenliknet med det regaliet den irske kjempehjorten bar.

Hva er egentlig størrelsen på et gevir?

– Gevirene har komplekse og varierende størrelser. Det er ikke åpenbart at lengde eller bredde kan sammenliknes på tvers av arter fordi de kan ha ulik utforming, sier Thomas Hansen @biovitenskap.bsky.social @unioslo-cees.bsky.social

Les hele saken i #Titan

Molecular Footprints of Quaternary Climate Fluctuations in the Circumpolar Tundra Shrub Dwarf Birch The Arctic tundra biome is undergoing rapid shrub expansion (‘shrubification’) in response to anthropogenic climate change. During the previous ~2.6 million years, glacial cycles caused substantial s...

New article explores how #Arctic shrub responses to past #climate changes, revealing complex demographic histories that shaped modern genetic structures, providing insights into future adaptive responses to climate change.
With @saxopp.bsky.social from @biovitenskap.bsky.social
#MolecularEcology

Consequences of climate-related poleward shifts in cod spawning With climate change, many species alter their distribution according to local climate velocities. For marine fish, suitable areas for spawning in a warming climate may be less favorable for the result...

New publication about how Climate-induced shifts in spawning locations for #Atlantic #cod may lead to smaller offspring, impacting survival and recruitment success.
With Ø. Langangen, T. Olsen, G. Ottersen, J. Durant @jodurant.bsky.social from @biovitenskap.bsky.social
Published @cjfas.bsky.social

A reconceptualized framework for human microbiome transmission in early life - Nature Communications Here, the authors provide a critical view of historical approaches to categorize microbial transmission in early life, and present a conceptual framework to capture the multifaceted nature of human mi...

New article reviews historical approaches to early-life microbiome acquisition and proposes a new framework based on "what, where, who, and when" to improve understanding and guide disease prevention strategies.
By Hanna Noordzij @biovitenskap.bsky.social & @unioslo-cees.bsky.social
Publ.@nature.com

Mapping suitable habitat and Anthropocene refugia for Ethiopian Guerezas: Insights for their conservation Ethiopia is home to two subspecies of Colobus guereza, C. g. guereza and C. g. gallarum. Whereas C. g. guereza is listed as Least Concern by IUCN, the…

New research article models habitat suitability for #Ethiopian #Colobus subspecies, highlighting the need for afforestation and strategic conservation planning as most suitable habitats lie outside protected areas.
With T. Ergon @t-ergon.bsky.social & Nils C. Stenseth from @biovitenskap.bsky.social

Elevational range expansion of Betula pubescens may be slowed by lack of suitable mycorrhizal symbionts in alpine soils The elevational limit for trees is increasing worldwide due to global warming. The elevational range expansion of obligate ectomycorrhizal trees, such…

New research article investigates the role of #fungal communities in treeline expansion under global warming, finding that fewer #ectomycorrhizal fungi in alpine soils may limit the establishment of #Betula pubescens seedlings above the treeline.
With Eivind Ronold, @drhyfe.bsky.social & Ella Thoen

Assessing biodiversity trends in a quasi-permanent non-equilibrium state The ‘equilibrium assumption’ underlying biodiversity trends assessments in response to environmental changes is rarely challenged, the traditional ass…

New research article challenges the equilibrium assumption in #biodiversity assessments, introducing a framework with temporal influence functions to model non-equilibrium changes.
Published @sciencedirect.bsky.social
With Etienne Lalechère & Torbjørn Ergon from @biovitenskap.bsky.social

Cryosectioning-enhanced super-resolution microscopy for single-protein imaging across cells and tissues | PNAS DNA-points accumulation for imaging in nanoscale topography (DNA-PAINT) enables nanoscale imaging with virtually unlimited multiplexing and molecul...

New research article presents #tkPAINT, an enhanced #DNA-PAINT method that offers 3 nm precision for molecular counting and imaging, demonstrating its versatility in exploring biomolecular organization and interactions across cells and tissues. @pnas.org
With Jens Wohlmann @biovitenskap.bsky.social

Katalin Ferenc presenting how to improve bioinformatics software quality through teamwork.

Great talk by Kata Ferenc on improving bioinformatics software quality through teamwork, sharing how we’ve approached this at @ncmbm.bsky.social

It sparked discussion on taking action within our Bioinformatics in Life Science initiative at @uio.no @biovitenskap.bsky.social

doi.org/10.1093/bioi...

– Sjølv et eg ikkje blåskjel lenger - Titan.uio.no Plastflasker og gummidekk i havet frigjev kjemikaliar til vatnet. Mykje av dei hamnar i vår eiga næringskjede, men vi veit ikkje kva effekten er.

– Forskarar har identifisert meir enn 16 000 kjemiske tilsetjingsstoff i plast. Vi finn òg ei mengd potensielt giftige substansar i daglegdagse produkt av gummi. Til dømes i oppvaskhanskar og ballongar for barn, seier Maria Elisabetta Michelangeli.

Ho tok nyleg doktorgrad @biovitenskap.bsky.social

Thanks #nets2025 for a fantastic conference! Impressive how much science was packed into 2 days (+ early career workshop). Our @biovitenskap.bsky.social group shared results from the tropics to the Arctic, & zooplankton to whales & polar bears! 🐳🐻‍❄️ w/ @julia-gieb.bsky.social @khuongdinh.bsky.social

Regjeringen med storsatsing i Arktis: Vil bruke en milliard på polarforskning Norge skal fortsatt være en av verdens fremste polarforskningsnasjoner. Det er viktig for å ivareta Norges sikkerhet og geopolitiske interesser, og for å håndtere og forstå raske klimaendringer. Derfo...

Regjeringen gir 1 milliard kroner til polarforskning og forskningsprosjektet #Polarhavet2050, hvor Universitetet i Oslo er én av fjorten partnere. Dette blir spennende!
@jentoft.bsky.social

Surface-specific outcomes of mechanical debridement with titanium, chitosan and nitinol brushes on titanium dental implant surfaces Dental implants are susceptible to peri‑implant inflammation caused by bacterial biofilms, with surface properties playing a key role in bacterial adh…

New researchpaper: Our researchers discovered that while titanium and nitinol brushes significantly alter the morphology and hydrophobicity of rough dental implant surfaces, the chitosan brush causes minimal surface changes but increases hydrophobicity due to organic residue from rapid bristle wear.

IRX3 controls a SUMOylation-dependent differentiation switch in adipocyte precursor cells - Nature Communications Here, the authors show that IRX3 is a transcriptional master regulator of multiple histone- and chromatin-remodeling enzymes and the SUMOylation pathway in adipocyte precursor cells. IRX3 ablation res...

New publication @chymkowitchlab.bsky.social about how #IRX3 regulates adipocyte fate by influencing #epigenetic reprogramming, through modulating #SUMOylation and #chromatin remodeling, impacting fat storage and mesenchymal identity while suppressing osteogenesis.
Published in @natcomms.nature.com

🐟🌊🥁 Marine biology and samba—who said they don’t mix?
First day of Marine Bio @biovitenskap.bsky.social, we had fish biodiversity, costumes, and samba-enredo all in the same class!
🎭 So, which species inspired the costumes of 2007 parade? Tnx to Anders, Oslo Sambaskole's conductor for the imgs!

Blastocystis in free-ranging wild ruminant species across the Iberian Peninsula - Veterinary Research The growing wild ungulate populations across Europe represents an increasingly important source for the spread of zoonotic pathogens. Blastocystis is a common intestinal protist observed in humans and...

New publication: "Blastocystis in free-ranging wild ruminant species across the #Iberian Peninsula" with Ana M. Figueiredo and Atle Mysterud from @biovitenskap.bsky.social published in Veterinary Research by @springernature.com

Kristine Bonnevie lectures 2025: Guardians of Biodiversity – The Vital Role of Taxonomists - CEES - Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis Open lectures on biodiversity from ants to ocean life, and how taxonomy helps us understand ecology and evolution. With Corrie S. Moreau, Cornell University, and Torsten H. Struck, University of Oslo.

Welcome to the Kristine Bonnevie lectures – Tuesday 2 September, with Corrie S. Moreau and Torsten H. Struck. On biodiversity from ants to ocean life, and how taxonomy helps us understand ecology and evolution. Venue: Helga Engs hus, Blindern, Oslo @corriemoreau.bsky.social @biovitenskap.bsky.social

Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Epidemiological modelling (Plague) (284120) | University of Oslo Job title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Epidemiological modelling (Plague) (284120), Employer: University of Oslo, Deadline: Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Available position: Postdoc in Epidemiological modelling (Plague). Join a pioneering project dedicated to the study of plague through history! The position is associated with an ERC-funded interdisciplinary research project. Application deadline: 16 September 2025. @biovitenskap.bsky.social

A century of anthropogenic perturbations impact genomic signatures of the iconic migratory Atlantic cod Retrospective assessment of the iconic migratory Atlantic cod uncovers human-induced genome-wide changes during the last century.

New publication from our brilliant researchers @biovitenskap.bsky.social
They have found evidence that anthropogenic stressors are altering the genomic landscape of Atlantic cod in the Barents Sea, uncovering complex evolutionary changes in these iconic fish species.
@jentoft.bsky.social

Senior Engineer - Systems Developer (1-2 positions) (282855) | University of Oslo Job title: Senior Engineer - Systems Developer (1-2 positions) (282855), Employer: University of Oslo, Deadline: Friday, August 15, 2025

Apply for a position as Senior Engineer - Systems Developer with the ELIXIR Norway team @biovitenskap.bsky.social, University of Oslo (UiO).
#ELIXIR Oslo are developing and maintaining systems that allow users to share, find and reuse life science data according to the FAIR principles.

IRX3 controls a SUMOylation-dependent differentiation switch in adipocyte precursor cells Nature Communications - Here, the authors show that IRX3 is a transcriptional master regulator of multiple histone- and chromatin-remodeling enzymes and the SUMOylation pathway in adipocyte...

I am delighted to share a publication in @natcomms.nature.com. IRX3, linked to obesity via the FTO locus, influences fat vs bone cell fate. It is the result of a wonderful collaboration between S. Dankel, G. Mellgren @unibergen.bsky.social and my lab @biovitenskap.bsky.social 🍾
👉 rdcu.be/ezA5o

Our DNA analysis of 75,000-year-old bones in Arctic caves reveals how animals responded to changing climates More than 6,000 bone fragments were found and dated, giving a rare ecological snapshot of the last ice age.

Our DNA analysis of 75,000-year-old bones in #Arctic caves reveals how animals responded to changing climates @buarchanth.bsky.social @biovitenskap.bsky.social

theconversation.com/our-dna-anal...

What a week for our SHARKSense project - wrapped up our first field work in Costa Rica and Friday I'll share some colorful insights on sharks at UCR. Pura vida 🦈 @biovitenskap.bsky.social

Unike funn i norsk grotte: – Avdekker ting vi aldri før har visst ­

– Jeg hadde aldri drømt om at vi skulle finne så mange arter fra så lang tid tilbake, sier Sanne Boessenkool til NRK. Hun er professor ved @biovitenskap.bsky.social

Eksempler på arter som er funnet i grotten er Arktisk lemen, fjellrev, torsk, hvalross, grønlandshval, lundefugl og fjellrype.

– Vi har forsket ferdig. Nå trenger vi handling - Titan.uio.no En tredel av norsk tareskog er borte. Forskerne advarer om en stille katastrofe under vann.

– Det som skjer i Oslofjorden, og det som skjer med tareskogen er to eksempler på hvordan forskere har varslet om katastrofen i årevis uten at noe har skjedd, forklarer marinbiolog Simon Hasselø Kline fra @biovitenskap.bsky.social

– Vi har forsket ferdig, konstaterer han. Nå trenger vi handling

If the observed alterations in genomic signal affect their long term resilience is up for debate … and e.g., linked to the past years shift in their distribution and where they spawn … this urge for higher awareness on how we exploit out stocks ‼️ @unioslo-cees.bsky.social @biovitenskap.bsky.social

So proud of Dr Sim and Dr Ong!! What a privilege I had to be your advisor. Thank you for the trust! Excited to see your next scientific adventures!! 😍😍 @biovitenskap.bsky.social