Planetary Biology
SciLifeLab’s strategic area Planetary Biology is sprung out of a need for trans-disciplinary and coordinated approaches to study life on Earth, with a broad scope ranging from single molecules and cells to individual species, species communities, ecosystems, and their functioning on the planet. Simply speaking ”Life in environmental context”.
By combining SciLifeLab infrastructure, and the data-driven life science approach with a focus on planetary biology, Planetary Biology will create opportunities with a strong impact on ecosystem science. Taking advantage of SciLifeLab’s national research infrastructure, technology, and scientific excellence, techniques such as imaging, microscopy, genomics, bioinformatics, metabolomics, proteomics, and big data analysis, for non-biomedical research will be used to shed light on all aspects of life on our planet.
Planetary Biology concept
Research in molecular life sciences allows us to describe and understand the drivers and meaning of diversity: changes that are happening, the underlying mechanisms, and the impact of those changes on ecosystems and planetary health.
Invitation for an Expression of Interest: Project ideas in Planetary Biology
Planetary Biology invites researchers across Sweden to propose ideas that will drive significant advancements in environmental life sciences, are based on the SciLifeLab infrastructure and could be developed into project ideas with potential for high societal impact.
For selected Expressions of Interest, Planetary Biology together with submitting researchers will host open brainstorming workshops to develop project proposals.
We seek visionary ideas that:
- Address high-impact scientific and/or societal challenges in the Planetary Biology field (covering topics ranging from biodiversity, ecology, physiology and evolution at the level of species, communities and ecosystems)
- Can be particularly well studied in Sweden, at the national level
- Have the potential for groundbreaking outcomes and broad, long-term societal impacts
- Demonstrate the power of interdisciplinary collaboration and use of new approaches
- Demonstrate the use of SciLifeLab’s infrastructure on Planetary Biology
- Enhance the capacity of SciLifeLab to develop or deploy technology for planetary biology.
- Strengthen Sweden’s position as a global leader in life sciences research
Time line
| 24 February 2025 | Expression of interest opens |
| 30 April 2025 | Deadline to submit Expression of Interests |
| May – June 2025 | Initial screening and match-making by the Planetary Biology |
| 16-20 June | Results of initial screening are informed |
| Fall 2025 | Open brainstorming workshops |
| Fall- Winter 2025 | Writing proposals |
| Spring 2026 | Evaluation of proposals for targeted fundraising |
Course announcement: Best Practices for Reference Genome Generation
This course covers essential topics from project planning and sample collection to sequencing, data processing, data mobilization and deposition in open repositories.
The course is designed for junior and senior researchers utilizing reference genomes for biodiversity genetics research.
28 April 2025. Evolutionsbiologiskt Centrum (EBC), Uppsala
Topics and Instructors:
- Nagoya Protocol & ABS requirements: Niklas Wahlberg (LU), Sebastian Bromander (SLU), Johan DIxelius (SLU)
- Biosafety, import permits: Henrik Gradstedt (UU)
- Sampling and vouchering: Stefan Ekman (Uppsala Museum of Evolution)
- Introduction, DNA extractions and sequencing: Olga Vinnere Pettersson (SciLifeLab Planetary Biology Capability)
- Bioinformatic pipelines, metadata and FAIR (SciLifeLab-NBIS)
- Swedish Reference Genome Portal: Daniel Brink (SciLifeLab Data Center)
- Data mobilization: Veronica Johansson (SBDI)
Planetary Biology Conference – Linking molecules to ecosystems
Planetary Biology held its first conference, centered around the theme “Linking molecules to ecosystems”, in Gothenburg last September.
With eight out of ten SciLifeLab Platforms represented and twelve invited speakers, the event brought together researchers from different disciplines to connect molecular and ecosystem-level studies, promoting collaboration in planetary biology.
Across two days, attendees engaged in discussions on key environmental, climate, and biodiversity issues. The program included a range of talks, poster presentations, and interactive sessions, giving participants the opportunity to share project ideas and explore future collaborations.
Planetary Biology in Almedalen 2024
During the panel debate titled “The biodiversity crisis threatens sustainability and the bioeconomy – can Swedish research be the solution?”, key points were highlighted regarding the urgent need for action and collaboration. The panel emphasized the importance of fostering innovation and cooperation between academia, industry, and policymakers to effectively address the biodiversity crisis.
Utilizing existing research infrastructure, such as SciLifeLab, and environmental monitoring of genetic diversity were identified as crucial steps toward finding solutions.
Then panel consisted of
- Andreas Wallberg, Uppsala University
- Mats Svensson, Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management
- Charlotta Berggren, ByDemand
- Olga Vinnere Pettersson, Uppsala University, Scientific Lead for Planetary Biology at SciLifeLab
Moderator: Anna Wetterbom, Swedish Biodiversity Data Infrastructure (SBDI)
SciLifeLab Planetary Biology Capability Survey
The Planetary Biology Capability Survey was launched in June 2023 and aimed to identify the technology-related needs of the Planetary Biology community in Sweden. This involves pinpointing obstacles hindering the use of existing SciLifeLab platforms, areas where enhancements could boost the Planetary Biology community’s access to these platforms, or the need to create new tools, protocols, or services to be offered by SciLifeLab.
A total of 79 individuals participated in the survey, representing 13 affiliations. The gathered information allowed for the identification of platforms most used among Planetary Biology researchers (NGI and NBIS), and the ones to be highly used if technical/practical barriers are solved (NGI, NBIS, and Spatial Transcriptomics). Barriers encountered by researchers included a lack of technical expertise/protocols/standards for specific samples, cost, long delivery times, and lack of specific methodology.
The informational report is in preparation and it will be used as a guide to starting the dialogue with SciLifeLab platforms aiming to discuss potential changes and developments to fulfill the needs of users working on Planetary Biology related topics.
New tools to secure biodiversity in a changing world
Scientific Leads Olga Vinnere-Pettersson and Stefan Bertilsson highlight the importance of establishing the strategic area Planetary Biology. This initiative is designed to encompass all facets of biological research, from studying molecules, metabolites, genomes, and proteins to employing cutting-edge technologies such as imaging and AI.
They emphasize the critical role of molecular tools in monitoring biodiversity, particularly in assessing how human activities impact ecosystems and biodiversity over time.
Interview
Scientific leads for the SciLifeLab Planetary appointed
“We hope to bridge the gap between researchers working in different disciplines: conservation, population genetics, taxonomy, evolution, metagenomics, biogeochemistry, and so on, to create a strong environment for studying ecosystems as a whole” says Olga Vinnere Pettersson
“This entails more extensive and efficient use of the full portfolio of molecular biosciences methods and infrastructure for planetary biology, with the ambition of providing deep and mechanistic understanding of how different populations, communities and ecosystems function and interact with each other and the earth system” says Stefan Bertilsson.
Olga Vinnere Petterson and Stefan Bertilsson
Contact persons
Scientific Leads for SciLifeLab Planetary Biology are Olga Vinnere Petterson and Stefan Bertilsson.
Assigned Scientific co-Leads are Anders Andersson, Nathaniel Street, and Jacob Höglund. The coordinator for the Planetary Biology is Anabella Aguilera. Please reach out with any questions or research collaboration inquiries.