This year, Protistology Nordics convened in Uppsala, Sweden, gathering over 60 researchers for an in-depth exploration of protist genetics, cell biology, ecology, and evolution. The conference commenced with a session on population genomics of protists, featuring an invited talk by Ramiro Logares (Institute of Marine Sciences, CSIC), followed by a hands-on bioinformatics workshop led by Jennah Dharamshi (Uppsala University & IBE, CSIC). The following day featured a captivating plenary by Elisabeth Hehenberger (Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences), who delved into the fascinating world of dinoflagellates.

Over the course of two days, attendees engaged in fourteen insightful talks and twenty-seven flash talks. Special congratulations to Allen Williamson from our team, who was awarded the Best Talk Prize!

Another highlight was Thursday evening’s pub dinner, where the ‘Stairs’ Lab’ team clinched victory in the ‘Protistology Nordics Pub Quiz’.

These two exhilarating and inspiring days of scientific exchange made Protistology Nordics 2024 a memorable event for all involved.

GENECO 2023: Graduate Research School in Genomic Ecology – Grand Finale meeting

Karla Aguilera

Karla went to the GENECO Grand Finale meeting in Höör, where she talked about the potential for metabolic cross-feeding between breviates and Arcobacteracea species, one of her PhD projects. In the meeting, she interacted with other PhD students and researchers from academy and industry who work in the interface between ecology, evolution, molecular biology, and genomics.

Vetenskapsdagarna 2023: Lund Cathedral celebrates 900 years, with the Asgards archaea and the evolution of life
Cortney Stairs

Courtney visited the Lund Cathedral to talk about Metagenomics, Asgard archaea, Evolution, and why it is fun to play in the mud to 350 high school students. This event was in celebration of 900 years of the Lund cathedral. Did you know, that the first lectures at Lund University were held IN the Cathedral? “It was a great experience to interact with future scientific leaders of Sweden at such a historic venue.”
Read more about the Asgard archaea on Lund University’s website (links: på svenska or in English) and on a recent publication with Courtney as co-author (also check out the research links of lead authors Laura Eme, Daniel Tamarit, and Thijs Ettema)

Protistology Nordics 2023: Exploring the Depths of Protistology
Sofia Paraskevopoulou (sofiapar-ecoevo.de)
Carl-Tryggers Stiftelse-sponsored postdoc

On the 2nd of May, Protistology Nordics took flesh and bones in Lund, Sweden, with a gathering of 35 passionate participants joining forces to advance research on our unique critters among the Nordic countries. The conference showcased a remarkable lineup of presentations, each shedding light on different aspects of protistology and pushing the boundaries of knowledge in the field.

Mahwash Jamy from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences kicked off the day with an intriguing talk titled “Long Reads and rRNA Databases: Exploring Protist Diversity and Evolution through Metabarcoding.” Her research highlighted the power of advanced sequencing techniques in uncovering the vast diversity and evolutionary relationships among protists. Following that, Micah Dunthorn from the University of Oslo captivated the audience with his presentation on “The Number of Free-living Ciliate Species”. Megan Gross from Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau introduced the audience to the cutting-edge tool of Digital PCR in her talk, “Digital PCR as a New Cutting-edge Tool for Measuring Ciliate Abundance.” This innovative technique showcased its potential for precise quantification of ciliate populations. The session continued with Yash Pardasani from Uppsala University, who presented groundbreaking research on “Investigating Paulinella Amoebas to Understand the Origin of Photosynthetic Eukaryotes”.

The afternoon sessions commenced with Staffan Svärd from Uppsala University, who shared insights into “Giardia – a Parasite with Two Faces” exploring the dual nature of this parasitic protist. Jon Jerlström Hultqvist from Uppsala University then took the stage to present the three-dimensional structure of a protist symbiosis, offering fascinating insights into the intricate relationships between different organisms. The final presentation by Courtney Stairs from Lund University, titled “Hacking the Electron Transport Chain to Live without Oxygen,” showcased the remarkable adaptability of certain protists in challenging environments, including their pilot results on potential gene transfer of an anaerobic metabolism related gene in multicellular organisms such as sponges.

Together, these presentations not only enriched our understanding of protists but also exemplified the diverse and groundbreaking research being conducted in the field. The day closed with a nice walk around the conference hall, which was held in Kulturen, a unique open-air museum, providing an immersive experience of the cultural heritage of the Skåne region. The conference concluded on a high note with the announcement of two prizes for the best oral presentation and best flash talk, awarded to Yash Pardasani and Nina Pohl, respectively.
The success of the Protistology Nordics conference demonstrated the passion and dedication of researchers in advancing our knowledge of these unique critters. With each presentation, the boundaries of protistology were pushed further, and new avenues of exploration and discovery were opened. As the conference came to a close, the shared enthusiasm and achievements of the participants left a lasting impact, inspiring further research and exploration in the captivating world of protists.

Sparking Curiosity and Unveiling the Microscopic World
Sofia Paraskevopoulou (sofiapar-ecoevo.de)
Carl-Tryggers Stiftelse-sponsored postdoc

In a memorable event on May 26, our Microbiology lab had the pleasure of hosting a group of enthusiastic high school students. With a thirst for knowledge, these students embarked on a captivating journey into the unseen realm of microcritters. Guided by our passionate researchers, the students were granted the unique opportunity to peer through the lens of a microscope and witness the incredible diversity of protists, a fascinating group of microbes that play a crucial role in various ecosystems.

They had the opportunity to take a closer look at a variety of protists collected from diverse environments, nearby ponds, animal stools, soils. From spiral algae and diatoms to ciliates darting through the water with astonishing speed, each protist displayed its unique characteristics and behaviour. Our researchers patiently answered questions, fuelled the students’ curiosity, and provided fascinating insights into the vital roles of protists in our life. The students learned about the symbiotic relationships that protists form, their impact on nutrient cycling, and their significance in medical and environmental research.

As the visit drew to a close, the students left the lab with a newfound appreciation for the microscopic world. Their faces glowed with excitement and inspiration, carrying with them memories of this enlightening experience. The visit not only exposed them to the wonders of protists but also ignited a spark of scientific curiosity within their young minds. We look forward to welcoming more young minds in the future, inspiring them to explore the hidden wonders of the microscopic universe and pursue their own scientific journeys.