• Strukturell nevrobiokjemi: molekylær basis av myelinpakking, myelin stabilitet og demyeliniserende sykdommer
• Samspill mellom struktur og funksjon i myelinproteiner: proteinfolding, uordnede proteiner, biomolekylære interaksjoner og enzymer i nervesystemet
• Biokjemiske og biofysiske teknikker: kryss-komplementære metoder, arbeidsflytoptimalisering og kvalitetskontroll

En fullstendig oversikt over arbeidet mitt finner dere her (på engelsk).

Studentveileding

Doktorgrad

• 2020 – 2024  Oda Caspara Krokengen, doktorgrad i nanoteknologi, medveileder, 4 år

Mastergrad

• 2019 – 2021  Sigurbjörn Markússon, mastergrad i molekylærbiologi, medveileder, 2 år
• 2019 – 2020  Øystein Hetland, mastergrad i nanovitenskap, hovedveileder (50%), 1 år
• 2017 – 2018  Oda Caspara Krokengen, mastergrad i nanovitenskap, medveileder, 1 år

Internasjonale studenter

• 2021 – 2022  Marcel Schröder, ERASMUS student, 6 måneder
• 2021  José Miguel Godoy Muñoz, ERASMUS student, 2 måneder
• 2016  Helen Linxweiler, ERASMUS student, 2 måneder

Forskerstudenter (f.eks. BMED320)

• 2019  Øystein Hetland, 1 måned
• 2019  Marta Espevold Hjelmeland, 2 måneder
• 2019  Johanna Lepland, 2 måneder
• 2017  Oda Caspara Krokengen, 1 måned
• 2017  Anushik Safaryan, 1 måned
• 2016  Cecilie Katrin Kristiansen, 2 måneder
• 2016  Guro Helén Vatne, 2 måneder
• 2013  Samar Ahmad, 1 måned

Indekser på forfatternivå (Web of Science)

• h-index: 14
• g-index: 23
• m-index: 1.00
• i10-index: 18
• Sitater: 589

Akademiske publikasjoner

2025

• Krokengen O.C., Raasakka A., Klenow M.B., Pal A., Hetland Ø., Mularski A., Ruskamo S., Pedersen J.S., Simonsen A.C. & Kursula P. (2025) On the synergy between myelin proteins P0, MBP, and P2 in peripheral nerve major dense line formation. FEBS J. In press.
• Markusson S., Raasakka A., Schröder M., Sograte-Idrissi S., Rahimi A.M., Asadpour O., Körner H., Lodygin D., Eichel-Vogel M.A., Chowdhury R., Sutinen A., Iyer M., Cooper M.H., Weigel M.K., Ambiel N., Werner H.B., Zuchero J.B., Opazo F. & Kursula P. (2025) Nanobodies against the myelin enzyme CNPase as tools for structural and functional studies. J Neurochem. 169(1): e16274.

2024

• Krokengen O.C., Touma C., Mularski A., Sutinen A., Dunkel R., Ytterdal M., Raasakka A., Mertens H.D.T., Simonsen A.C. & Kursula P. (2024) The cytoplasmic tail of myelin protein zero induces morphological changes in lipid membranes. Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr. 1866(7): 184368.
• Kind L., Molnes J., Tjora E., Raasakka A., Myllykoski M., Colclough K., Saint-Martin C., Adelfalk C., Dusatkova P., Pruhova S., Valtonen-André C., Bellanné-Chantelot C., Arnesen T., Kursula P. & Njølstad P.R. (2024) Molecular mechanism of HNF-1A mediated HNF4A gene regulation and promoter-driven HNF4A-MODY diabetes. JCI Insight. 9(11):e175278.

2023

• Kind L., Driver M., Raasakka A., Onck P.R., Njølstad P.R., Arnesen T. & Kursula P. (2023) Structural properties of the HNF-1A transactivation domain. Front Mol Biosci. 10:1249939.
• Houry D.*, Raasakka A.*, Ferrario E.*, Niere M., Bifulco E., Kursula P. & Ziegler M. (2023) Identification of structural determinants of NAMPT activity and substrate selectivity. J Struct Biol. 215(3): 108004.
• Krokengen O.C., Raasakka A. & Kursula P. (2023) The intrinsically disordered protein glue of the myelin major dense line: Linking AlphaFold2 predictions to experimental data. Biochem Biophys Rep. 34: 101474.

2022

• Ruskamo S., Raasakka A., Pedersen J.S., Martel A., Škubník K., Darwish T., Porcar L. & Kursula P. (2022) Human myelin proteolipid protein structure and lipid bilayer stacking. Cell Mol Life Sci. 79(8): 419.
• Markusson S.*, Hallin E.I.*, Bustad H.J., Raasakka A., Xu J., Muruganandam G., Loris R., Martinez A., Bramham C. & Kursula P. (2022) High-affinity nanobodies as tools for structural and functional studies on mammalian Arc. PLoS ONE. 17(6): e0269281.
• Sutinen A.*, Nguyen G.T.T.*, Raasakka A., Muruganandam G., Loris R., Ylikallio E., Tyynismaa H., Bartesaghi L., Ruskamo S. & Kursula P. (2022) Structural insights into Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease-linked mutations in human GDAP1. FEBS Open Bio. 12(7): 1306-1324.
• Kind L., Raasakka A., Molnes J., Aukrust I., Bjørkhaug L., Njølstad P.R., Kursula P. & Arnesen T. (2022) Structural and biophysical characterization of transcription factor HNF-1A as a tool to study MODY3 diabetes variants. J Biol Chem. 298(4): 101803.

2021

• Mahootchi E.*, Raasakka A.*, Luan W., Muruganandam G., Loris R., Haavik J. & Kursula P. (2021) Structure and substrate specificity determinants of the taurine biosynthetic enzyme cysteine sulphinic acid decarboxylase. J Struct Biol. 213(1): 107674.
• Nguyen G.T.T.*, Sutinen A.*, Raasakka A., Muruganandam G., Loris R. & Kursula P. (2021) Structure of the complete dimeric human GDAP1 core domain provides insights into ligand binding and clustering of disease mutations. Front Mol Biosci. 7: 631232.
• Myllykoski M., Sutinen A., Koski K., Kallio J.P., Raasakka A., Myllyharju J., Wierenga R.K. & Koivunen P. (2021) Structure of transmembrane prolyl 4-hydroxylase reveals unique organization of EF and dioxygenase domains. J Biol Chem. 296: 100197.

2020

• Raasakka A.^† & Kursula P. (2020) How Does Protein Zero Assemble Compact Myelin? Cells. 9(8): 1832. Review.
• Ruskamo S.*, Krokengen O.C.*, Kowal J., Nieminen T., Lehtimäki M., Raasakka A., Dandey V., Vattulainen I., Stahlberg H. & Kursula P. (2020) Cryo-EM, X-ray diffraction, and atomistic simulations reveal determinants for the formation of a supramolecular myelin-like proteolipid lattice. J Biol Chem. 295(26): 8692-8705.
• Lillebostad P.A.G.*, Raasakka A.*, Hjellbrekke S.J., Patil S., Røstbø T., Hollås H., Sakya S.A., Szigetvari P.D., Vedeler A. & Kursula P. (2020) Structure of the ALS Mutation Target Annexin A11 Reveals a Stabilising N-Terminal Segment. Biomolecules. 10(4): 660.
• Raasakka A. & Kursula P. (2020) Flexible Players within the Sheaths: The Intrinsically Disordered Proteins of Myelin in Health and Disease. Cells. 9(2): 470. Review.

2019

• Raasakka A. & Kursula P. (2019) Stability and flexibility of full-length human oligodendrocytic QKI6. BMC Res Notes. 12: 609.
• Raasakka A., Ruskamo S., Barker R., Krokengen O.C., Vatne G.H., Kristiansen C.K., Hallin E.I., Skoda M.W.A., Bergmann U., Wacklin-Knecht, H., Jones N.C., Hoffmann S.V & Kursula P. (2019) Neuropathy-related mutations alter the membrane binding properties of the human myelin protein P0 cytoplasmic tail. PLoS ONE. 14(6): e0216833.
• Raasakka A., Linxweiler H., Brophy P.J., Sherman D.L. & Kursula P. (2019) Direct binding of the flexible C-terminal segment of periaxin to β4 integrin suggests a molecular basis for CMT4F. Front Mol Neurosci. 12: 84.
• Raasakka A., Jones N.C., Hoffmann S.V. & Kursula P. (2019) Ionic strength and calcium regulate the membrane interactions of myelin basic protein and the cytoplasmic domain of myelin protein zero. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 511(1): 7-12.
• Raasakka A., Ruskamo S., Kowal J., Han H., Baumann A., Myllykoski M., Fasano A., Rossano R., Riccio P., Bürck J., Ulrich A.S., Stahlberg H. & Kursula P. (2019) Molecular structure and function of myelin protein P0 in membrane stacking. Sci Rep. 9:642.

2018

• Laulumaa S., Nieminen T., Raasakka A., Krokengen O.C., Safaryan A., Hallin E.I., Brysbaert G., Lensink M.F., Ruskamo S., Vattulainen I. & Kursula P. (2018) Structure and dynamics of a human myelin protein P2 portal region mutant indicate opening of the β barrel in fatty acid binding proteins. BMC Struct Biol. 18:8.
• Raasakka A.*, Mahootchi E.*, Winge I., Luan W., Kursula P. & Haavik J. (2018) Structure of the mouse acidic amino acid decarboxylase GADL1. Acta Cryst. F74(1): 65-73. 

2017

• Ruskamo S., Nieminen T., Kristiansen C.K., Vatne G.H., Baumann A., Hallin E.I., Raasakka A., Joensuu P., Bergmann U., Vattulainen I. & Kursula P. (2017) Molecular mechanisms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy linked to mutations in human myelin protein P2. Sci Rep. 7:6510.
• Raasakka A., Ruskamo S., Kowal J., Barker R., Baumann A., Martel A., Tuusa J., Myllykoski M., Bürck J., Ulrich A.S., Stahlberg H. & Kursula P. (2017) Membrane Association Landscape of Myelin Basic Protein Portrays Formation of the Myelin Major Dense Line. Sci Rep. 7:4974.
• Muruganandam G., Raasakka A., Myllykoski M., Kursula I. & Kursula P. (2017) Structural similarities and functional differences clarify evolutionary relationships between tRNA healing enzymes and the myelin enzyme CNPase. BMC Biochem. 18:7.
• Tuusa J., Raasakka A., Ruskamo S. & Kursula P. (2017) Myelin-derived and putative molecular mimic peptides share structural properties in aqueous and membrane-like environments. Mult Scler Demyelinating Disord. 2(4).
• Snaidero N., Velte C., Myllykoski M., Raasakka A., Ignatev A., Werner H.B., Erwig M.S., Möbius W., Kursula P., Nave K.A. & Simons M. (2017) Antagonistic functions of MBP and CNP establish cytosolic channels in central nervous system myelin. Cell Rep. 18(2):314-323.

2016

• Myllykoski M., Seidel L., Muruganandam G., Raasakka A., Torda A.E. & Kursula P. (2016) Structural and functional evolution of 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase. Brain Res. 1641(Pt A):64-78. Review.

2015

• Raasakka A., Myllykoski M., Laulumaa S., Lehtimäki M., Härtlein M., Moulin M., Kursula I. & Kursula P. (2015) Determinants of ligand binding and catalytic activity in the myelin enzyme 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase. Sci Rep. 5:16520.
• Laulumaa S., Blakeley M.P., Raasakka A., Moulin M., Härtlein M. & Kursula P. (2015) Production, crystallization, and neutron diffraction of fully deuterated human myelin peripheral membrane protein P2. Acta Cryst. F71(11): 1391-1395.
• Chukhlieb M., Raasakka A., Ruskamo S. & Kursula P. (2015) The N-terminal cytoplasmic domain of neuregulin 1 type III is intrinsically disordered. Amino Acids. 47(8): 1567-1577. 

2014

• Raasakka A. & Kursula P. (2014) The myelin membrane-associated enzyme 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase: on a highway to structure and function. Neurosci Bull. 30(6): 956-966. Review.

2013

• Myllykoski M.*, Raasakka A.*, Lehtimäki M., Han H., Kursula I. & Kursula P. (2013) Crystallographic analysis of the reaction cycle of 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase, a unique member of the 2H phosphoesterase family. J Mol Biol. 425(22): 4307-4322.

2012

• Myllykoski M., Raasakka A., Han H. & Kursula P. (2012) Myelin 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase: Active-site ligand binding and molecular conformation. PLoS ONE. 7(2): e32336.

* Likt bidrag      ^† Tilsvarende forfatter

Konferanseabstrakter

• Raasakka A., Krokengen O.C., Schneider R. & Kursula P. (2023) Myelin protein zero - the structural foundation behind peripheral compact myelin. Biophys J. 122(3): S1,500a. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.11.2669. (67th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society, San Francisco, CA, 18. - 22.2.2023)
• Raasakka A., Han H., Myllykoski M. & Kursula P. (2018) Flexibility of the Myelin Scaffolding Protein Periaxin. Biophys J. 114(3): S1,407a. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.11.2254. (62nd Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society, San Francisco, CA, 17. - 21.2.2018)
• Chukhlieb M., Han H., Myllykoski M., Laulumaa S., Raasakka A., Ruskamo S., Wang C. & Kursula P. (2013) Membrane Interactions, Intrinsic Disorder, and Unknown Functions of Myelin Proteins. Biophys J. 104(2): S1,548a. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2012.11.3036. (57th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society, Philadelphia, PA, 2. - 6.2.2013)

Formidling og andre publikasjoner

• An Unexpected Role for Heavy Proteins: Deuterated Proteins Make Bigger Crystals for High-Resolution Structural Studies. Highlights of ILL Research – Neutrons and Health 2. 2019: 20.
• Towards Understanding Neurological Diseases: Neutron Studies Reveal How a Flexible Protein Sticks Together the Insulating Layers Protecting Nerve Cells. Highlights of ILL Research – Neutrons and Health 2. 2019: 21.
• Study biomedical sciences in modern Norway. Intervju for UiB nettside [publisert 18.08.2017].
• Protein-Lipid Interactions: Advanced Experimental and Computational Tools. Kursrapport i NBS Nytt 3/2017: 30-31.

Avhandlinger

• The Characterization of Disordered Membrane-Binding Proteins of Myelin: A Biophysical Approach. UiB, Norge. 2019. ISBN: 978-82-308-3520-3. (PhD)
• Structural Enzymology of 2′,3′-Cyclic Nucleotide 3′-Phosphodiesterase. Oulun yliopisto, Finland. 2012. (MSc)
• TNF-α ja etanersepti – sytokiini ja sen inhibiittori. Oulun yliopisto, Finland. 2010. (BSc)

Foredrag

• Konferanse: BioCat Annual Conference 2023, Sommarøy, Norge, 7.6.2023: Order and Disorder in the Myelin Membrane.
• Konferanse: 18th International Conference on Chiroptical Spectroscopy, New York City, NY, USA, 26.7.2022: Structural biology of the myelin membrane: Unraveling the folding of myelin proteins in health and disease.
• Konferanse: 56th Norwegian Biochemical Society Contact Meeting, Voss, Norge, 24.01.2020: The Role of Myelin Basic Protein in Health and Multiple Sclerosis – Recent Advances and Avenues for New Research.
• Disputas: PhD degree, Bergen, Norway, 12.4.2019: The Characterization of Disordered Membrane-Binding Proteins of Myelin: A Biophysical Approach.
• Prøveforelesning: PhD degree, Bergen, Norge, 12.4.2019: Intrinsically Disordered Proteins.
• Vitenskapelig møte: SPIRE network meeting, Bergen, Norge, 13.6.2018: Protein-lipid interactions in myelin: A biophysical approach.
• Konferanse: Health and Environmental Safety Day, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norge, 1.12.2017: Molecular Flexibility of Myelin Basic Protein Enables Tight Packing of Lipid Multilayers.
• Seminar: Early Stage Research Seminar, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norge, 19.10.2017: Protein-lipid interactions in myelin: A biophysical approach.
• Konferanse: 7th Annual BioStruct Conference, Jægtvolden, Norge, 27.8.2016: Myelin Basic Protein and the Cytoplasmic Extension of Myelin Protein Zero: A Comparative Study.
• Konferanse: 6th Annual BioStruct Conference, Jægtvolden, Norge, 28.8.2015: Structural Enzymology of 2′,3′-Cyclic Nucleotide 3′-Phosphodiesterase: A study of mutagenesis and perdeuteration.

Posters

• Kind L.*, Molnes J., Tjora E., Raasakka A., Myllykoski M., Colclough K., Saint-Martin C., Adelfalk C., Dusatkova P., Pruhova S., Valtonen-André C., Bellanné-Chantelot C., Arnesen T., Kursula P. & Njølstad P.R. Molecular mechanism of HNF-1A mediated HNF4A gene regulation and promoter-driven HNF4A-MODY diabetes. 9th Meeting of the Study Group on Genetics of Diabetes. 17. – 19.4.2024, Exeter, Storbritannia.
• Krokengen O.C.*, Raasakka A., & Kursula P. Investigation of disordered myelin proteins using AlphaFold2. BioCat Annual Conference. 2023. 7. - 9.6.2023, Sommarøy, Norge.
• Raasakka A.*, Krokengen O.C., Schneider R. & Kursula P. Myelin Protein Zero – The Structural Foundation Behind Peripheral Compact Myelin. The 67th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. 18. - 22.2.2023, San Diego, CA, USA.
• Raasakka A.*, Ruskamo S., Krokengen O.C., Schneider R. & Kursula P.Structural biology of the myelin membrane: Unraveling the folding of myelin proteins in health and disease. 18th International Conference on Chiroptical Spectroscopy. 24. – 27.7.2022, New York City, NY, USA.
• Kind L.*, Raasakka A., Njølstad P.R., Kursula P. & Arnesen, T. Biophysical and functional studies on the transactivation domain of HNF-1A: Finding order in disorder? FEBS 2022 Advanced Course: Lost in Integration - Probing Biomolecules with Electrons, Photons, Neutrons and Magnetic Spins. 9. – 15.5.2022, Spetses, Hellas.
• Kind L.*, Molnes J., Raasakka A., Colclough K., Saint-Martin C., Bellanné-Chantelot C., Kursula P., Njølstad P.R. & Arnesen, T. Biochemical insights into HNF4A gene regulation and promoter-driven MODY1 diabetes. Diabesity Nordic conference. 9. – 11.3.2022, Solstrand, Norge.
• Kind L.*, Raasakka A., Molnes J., Aukrust I., Njølstad P.R., Kursula P. & Arnesen, T. Structural and biophysical characterization of HNF-1A as a tool to study MODY3 diabetes variants. The 66^th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. 19. – 23.2.2022, San Francisco, CA, USA.
• Kind L.*, Raasakka A., Njølstad P.R., Kursula P. & Arnesen, T. Structural and biochemical characterization of the transcription factor HNF-1A. 6th European Crystallographic School. 4. – 10.7.2021, Budapest, Ungarn (online).
• Houry D.*, Raasakka A., Bockwoldt M., Niere M., Heiland I., Kursula P. & Ziegler M. Structural insights into the catalytic mechanism of human NAMPT. The NAD+ Metabolism and Signaling Conference. 23. - 28.6.2019, Dublin, Irland.
• Raasakka A., Myllykoski M., Ruskamo S., Baumann A., Kowal J., Stahlberg H., Eichel M., Werner H., Sherman D., Brophy P. & Kursula P*. Intrinsic Disorder and Myelin Protein Complexes. Current Topics in Myelin Research. 28.2. - 2.3.2019, Kassel, Tyskland.
• Raasakka A.*, Han H., Myllykoski M. & Kursula P. Flexibility of the Myelin Scaffolding Protein Periaxin. The 62nd Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. 17. - 21.2.2018, San Francisco, CA, USA.
• Raasakka A.* & Kursula P. Molecular Flexibility of Myelin Proteins Enables Tight Packing of Lipid Multilayers. The Kavli Prize Symposium in Nanoscience. Atomic Force Microscopy: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. 25.9.2017, Zürich, Sveits.
• Raasakka A.*, Baumann A., Barker R., Ruskamo S., Kowal J., Myllykoski M., Bürck J., Stahlberg H. & Kursula P. Myelin Basic Protein - Unraveling Lipid Interactions and Membrane Insertion. 7th Annual BioStruct Conference. 25. - 28.8.2016, Jægtvolden, Norge.
• Raasakka A.*, Myllykoski M., Ruskamo S., Laulumaa S. & Kursula P. Exploring the Many Proteins of Myelin - Structural Enzymology and Membrane Stacking in vitro. HERCULES Specialized Course HSC16: Non-atomic resolution scattering in biology and soft matter. 15. - 19.9.2014, Grenoble, Frankrike.
• Raasakka A.*, Laulumaa S.*, Chukhlieb M., Han H., Muruganandam G., Myllykoski M., Ruskamo S. & Kursula P. Structural Biology of the Myelin Membrane - A Biophysical Approach to a Biological Problem. Biocenter Oulu Discovery of the Year. 16.12.2014, Oulu, Finland.