Lipids and proteins -- their mutual influence and role in neurodegeneration and ageing.

Interested in a glimpse of one of my research projects? See this video of an invited talk where we use lipid nanodiscs to explore blind spots in the interaction between the Parkinson's Disease related protein alpha-synuclein and the lipid bilayer.

In the complex and constantly changing environment of the membrane it has remained a challenge to understand how each component may affect each other. And understanding this interplay is critical for understanding the molecular foundation of the cell. One of the main questions asked is whether some lipids or states of the membrane can cause certain proteins to misform, and how these misformed proteins can further affect the integritey of the cell and especially its metabolism. Proteins normally need to twist their shape into a specific structure, or fold, to gain their function. If this process, which is usually spontaneous, is disturbed, they can form damaging states instead. This is normally referred to as protein misfolding, and we asks whether some lipids can prompt certain membrane-associated proteins to misfold at a quicker pace than they normally would. Such misfolding events are implicated in many diseases, including age-realted diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's.  Findings so far indicate that cells and tissues change their lipid composition to a large extent throughout their life-time and disease state. The lipid mixes are so different that that the physical properties of the membrane changes significantly, leading to possible feedback effects on proteins associated with membranes or involved in lipid handling. In vitro, we find that different lipid mixes affect the aggregation-rates of model peptide systems.

We use zebrafish and human brain tissue to conduct neurolipidomics related to ageing and neurodegenerative diseases. Using biophysics, computer modelling and structural biology, we will investigate whether certain lipids and membrane associated proteins, such as phosphoinositides and so-called scaffold proteins, act as moderators of misfolding that can help explain how neurodegenerative diseases start and propagate. The biophysics and structural biology of this is being investigated, with a focus on “invisible protein states”, i.e., states that are not detectable by normal means. We also wish to know where in a cell misfolded protein accumulates, and whether this localization can be linked to lipid metabolism, thereby establishing a link between misfolding and lipidome. 

I also have a number of exciting collaborations. In a recent and very interesting work with Bodil Holst, we explored the lipid-related anti-icing adaptation of polar bear fur. I also work with the structural biology of honey bees in collaboration with Gro Amdam, and have investigated the structural biology and biophysics of Chromatine Regulation.

Courses taught

MOL310 - Structural Molecular Biology

MOL210 -  Lipid Biochemistry (with A. Lewis)

MOL200 - Metabolism: Reactions, Regulations and Compartmentalization (with Fergal O'Farrell and many others)

MOL270 - Bioethics (With Anders Goksøyr, Gyri Haugland and many others)

MOL220 - Techniques, model systems and current research topics in molecular biology

Supervision

By 2025, I have supervised 5 PhD students to completion as main supervisor, as well as 13 master students and 14 project students. I have also co supervised 6 PhD-students and mentored two post-docs. I have been responsible for MOL399, the Master degree at MOL since 2017, with a gap year in 2024-2025.

Discontinued courses:

MOL320 - Advanced Biophysical Techniques
 

Minor contributions:

2015: MBV 9520 (2x45 min lecture in protein dynamics, national-level Biostruct-course)

2014: MOL950 (a practical NMR module, national-level Biostruct-course)

2011-13: Lecture in BMED325 -  Nanobiochemistry

2012: Lecture in Atomic Force Microscopy (national-level Biostruct-course)

2007-11: Guest lectures and leading discussions in BMED310 - Philosophy of Science

1998-2001: Statistics (SOK33B) and Inorganic chemistry

Here is my academic production in:

PubMed

Google Scholar

Web of Science

Below is also my CRIStin publication list. 

2014:The membrane as a catalyst of damaging protein misfolding events (Research Council of Norway grant #240063)

2009: Interfaces as folding templates for polypetides (With associate professor Wilhelm Glomm)

2008: From details to drugs – a thorough structural and dynamic analysis of 14-3-3, tyrosine hydroxylase and membranes (Lie and Jensens fund/Norwegian Cancer Society, grant #58240001, with Professor Aurora Martínez)

2007: Dissecting molecular properties of honey bee vitellogenin (Research Council of Norway, grant #185306, with Professor Gro Vang Amdam)

2006: Linking new paradigms in protein chemistry to membrane-protein interaction, apoptosis and signalling (Norwegian Cancer Society, grant #06109/01, with Professor Aurora Martínez)

2002: Structural characterization of protein folding variants that induce apoptosis in tumor cells (Research Council of Norway, grant #149117, with Professor Aurora Martínez)

Active members

Christian Grønås, Johanne Hægeland (Masterstudents)

Diana Turcu (Senior Engineer)

Alumni

Johanne Hægeland, Master Student 2025-2026 

Christian Grønås, Master Student 2024-2025 

Sarah Torvholm Frøystad, Master Student 2023-2024 

Kristoffer Prince, Master Student 2022-2023 

Mette Ovesen, Master Student 2020-2021 

Elise Førsund, Master Student 2020-2021 

Vilde Leipart, PhD Student/post doc 2018-2025 (co-supervised with Gro Amdam)

Martin Jakubec, PhD Student 2015-2018

Maxim Bril'kov, PhD Student 2014-2018

Espen Bariås, PhD Student 2017-2021

Morten Andreas Govasli Larsen, PhD Student 2015-2018 (co-supervised with Pål Puntervoll)

Vinnit Georg, Master Student 2017-2018 (co-supervised with Jarl Underhaug)

Samuel Furse, Post Doc, 2015-2017

Lene Reed Hjorteset, Master Student 2015-2016

Øyvind Strømland, PhD Student 2012-2016

Hanzhen Wen, PhD Student 2010-2014

Ørjan Handegård, Master Student 2015-2016

Christophe Louis Balin, Master Student 2015-2016

Øyvind Ødegård, Master Student 2014-2015

Morten Andreas Govasli Larsen, Master Student 2013-2014

Helene Sandnes, Master Student 2012-2013

Ida Marie Lundgren, Master Student 2010-2011

Project Students

Angel Oftedal (2024),Gina Koulibaly Barry (2023), Linnea Løkeland (2022), Martin Skarbøvik Berge (2021), Kristine Ovidia Rostad (2021, Charlotte Bekkhus (2020), Susanne Velde (2020), Marte Nesse (2019), Amanda Fond (2019), Vilde Bringsjord (2018), Vinnit Georg (2017), Ørjan Handegård (2015), Dina Grønseth (2014), Nhi Nguyen (2011), Katharina Leopold (2011)