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Prestigious prizes awarded to two SciLifeLab researchers

Simon Elsässer from Karolinska Institutet and Marta Carroni from Stockholm University have been awarded The Svedberg Prize 2023 and Hugo Theorell Prize in Biophysics 2023 respectively. Simon received The Svedberg Prize for his contributions to the understanding of epigenetic gene regulation, while Marta was awarded the Hugo Theorell Prize in recognition of her exceptional efforts in enabling Swedish researchers to access cryo-electron microscopy. Both researchers have made significant contributions to their respective fields, and their outstanding work continues to inspire innovation in biophysics research.

The Svedberg Prize 2023 and the Hugo Theorell Prize in Biophysics 2023 was awarded to Simon Elsässer (Karolinska Institutet) and Marta Carroni (Stockholm University) respectively.

The Svedberg Prize is awarded to a successful biochemist or molecular biologist who is active in Sweden and who holds a doctoral degree since less than 12 years. Simon Elsässer is awarded the prize for his contributions to the scientific community’s understanding of epigenetic gene regulation.

The primary area of his research is centered around the plasticity of gene expression in pluripotent stem cells. To achieve his goal, Simon has employed a diverse range of techniques, spanning from traditional biochemical approaches and structural biology to cutting-edge epigenomic and single-cell methodologies.

“I’m honored to receive this prize, it is a distinction for the work of past and present members of my lab at SciLifeLab.”, he says.

After obtaining his PhD from the David Rockefeller Graduate Program at Rockefeller University and postdoctoral work in Cambridge, UK, Simon was recruited to KI in 2015 as a SciLifeLab Fellow. He currently serves as an Associate Professor within the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.

The Hugo Theorell prize of 2023 is awarded to Marta Carroni, head of the Stockholm node of the Swedish Cryo-EM facility at SciLifeLab.

“When I received the news that I was awarded the Theorell prize I felt so happy and thankful. I felt so happy that my mentor Gunnar nominated me, and I felt so honored when I looked at the list of people that received it in the past, all structural biologists that I have in high esteem.”, says Marta.

The Hugo Theorell Prize is awarded to a successful young researcher who is active in biophysics in Sweden and has not yet turned 45 during the year of the award. The prize was granted to Marta in recognition of her “exceptional efforts in enabling Swedish researchers to access cryo-electron microscopy, imparting knowledge to users of the Cryo-EM unit at SciLifeLab, and conducting significant research on her own” according to the motivation.

“Working to make cryo-EM accessible to researchers in Sweden has given me the chance to get quickly in close contact with the structural biology community, in a way that would have taken much longer otherwise. For that, I thank SciLifeLab for the breadth of thinking in making infrastructure available to everyone.”, she says.

Marta holds a PhD in Biophysics from the Imperial College London and joined Stockholm University and SciLifeLab in 2016.


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Last updated: 2023-04-05

Content Responsible: Hampus Persson(hampus.persson@scilifelab.uu.se)