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Hej!
I’m Juan Gefaell, and I just joined Tobias Uller’s group as a postdoc in the Biology department. I will be primarily working on historical and philosophical topics related to evolutionary theory.

For those unfamiliar with the philosophy of evolutionary biology—or the philosophy of science more broadly—it basically involves reflecting on and shedding light on the fundamental assumptions underlying most scientific theories and disciplines. These reflections may not only provide insights into how science works but also can help specific disciplines move forward by identifying shaky foundations and suggesting sounder alternatives.

My background is in both philosophy of science and evolutionary biology. For my master’s, I assessed whether the history of contemporary evolutionary biology aligns with Thomas Kuhn’s theory of scientific change. For my PhD, I studied the evolutionary ecology of shell color polymorphism in the marine snail Littorina saxatilis. So I also know what it’s like to get dirty while searching for animals in the field!

Outside work, I’m very into sports—particularly skateboarding, which I’ve been riding for more than 20 years. I also enjoy diving into all sorts of scientific and philosophical disciplines, as well as politics and law, so you’ll likely spot me with a book in hand.

I’m looking forward to discussing science and philosophy with everyone interested and would love to hear more about what you’re working on. So don’t hesitate to get in touch!

januari 28, 2025

Inger Ekström

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Hi, I am Ada Behncké Serra and I’m a new doctoral student under Edith Hammer in the SoilChip group that now is under Functional Ecology. I will study how the chemical properties and stability of microbial necromass are affected by the soil pore space characteristics and the death pathway. I will be working with soil chips (silicone-carved microstructures that mimic the soil pore space), Raman microspectroscopy and deep learning tools to follow the life and death of soil microbes at the microscale.

I am an Environmental Biologist with broad interests. I have worked on plant ecophysiology and chemical ecology, molecular approaches to protist ecology, marine chemical ecology, and soil microbial ecology. I am very interested in tiny things, metabolism, and biogeochemistry. I have a thing for anaerobiosis and symbiosis. I’m also very much into science communication and environmental education.

I love learning and trying out new things. I spend most of my free time hiking, reading, or working out, and I have recently started playing the piano. I like arts and crafts, and I am always up for any kind of physical and cultural activity.

januari 27, 2025

Inger Ekström

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Hello, I am Julia Forsbacka and I’m a new doctoral student under Edith Hammer in the SoilChip group that now is under Functional Ecology. I will work with plant pathogenic soilborne fungi and oomycetes and their spatio-temporal spread in agricultural fields through soilchips and deep learning techniques in a larger project with Lund University, LTH and the Swedish Agricultural University (SLU).

I have a background as a horticulturist (plant biologist with a focus on horticultural crops and crop management) with a focus in soil and integrated pest management. I did my master thesis at SLU in collaboration with LU and looked into restproduct compost and it’s impact on soil characteristics, soil microbiota and apple trees as compared to conventional practices. I have a big interest for sustainable food production and how circular economy and integrated pest management can help us in getting the food we rely on. After completing my masters I joined the soilchip group to help with culturing fungal- and fungal-like plant pathogens which then lead to this position a year later.

I am a rather active person who, like most people here, love learning new things, not only related to my studies (last year I spent most of my free time studying Arabic). I have a horse and a dog and when I’m not in the lab, I can usually be found in the barn or knitting, drawing and drinking tea on the couch at home. If you want to discuss crop management and the implications of growing food, look for me. Or if you want tips on Swedish pastries and food, or want to discuss horses, I am always more than happy to give you the run down.

januari 24, 2025

Inger Ekström

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Hi, I’m Jamie! I’ve just started my PhD in Susanne Åkesson’s lab, where my project will provide an in-depth investigation of migratory phenotypes in songbird species, with a focus on behavioural adaptations, cognitive traits, and physiology. My background is in computational biology, so a large part of my project will involve developing artificial intelligence tools to extract behavioural information from experimental data, bypassing the limitations of traditional methods.

I spent the last two years working as a Data Scientist for an epigenetics-focussed biotech company in the UK. Before that, I completed my Master’s in Bioinformatics & Theoretical Systems Biology at Imperial College London. Whilst I have little experience in animal navigation, evolutionary ecology is an area I have maintained a keen interest in since undergrad, and I am really excited to be studying it again! Outside of research, I’m very into skateboarding, football, cycling, and all kinds of music. Although I’m not much of a birder yet, I’m looking to get more into it, so please feel free to share any tips!

november 19, 2024

Inger Ekström

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Hi there, I’m Calley Eads, the new research engineer at the Microscopy for Biosciences platform (M-Bio). I’m responsible for six instruments across multiple locations in Ecology, Biology, and MAX IV. My role involves not only maintaining and developing instrumentation, but also supporting your research! We have instruments that combine both microscopy and spectroscopy for chemical identification overlaid on spatial coordinates, probing vibrational (infrared, Raman) or electronic (X-ray) interactions.

I come from the synchrotron world, having spent three years as a beamline postdoc at MAX IV and performing numerous studies at synchrotrons back home in the States. My scientific work is heavily driven by a variety of spectroscopic tools that allow me, for example, to probe chemical reactions in real time or study electron dynamics in individual materials and across junctions that resemble the architecture of many device structures. However, I don’t have a formal biological background. My hope is to work together with people here – where you can share your interesting scientific challenges, and I can bring my expertise in material analysis. By combining what we each do best, we can learn from each other and keep building on the nice research program already in place.

During warmer months, I love hitting the mountain bike trails and exploring the forests and “hills” of Skåne. As the cold approaches, I tend to retreat to the warmth with a good book in hand or a pen for drawing.

I look forward to learning more about the diverse biology and ecology research areas that are important to everyone here and helping to advance your research through the use of microscopy and spectroscopy tools!

november 11, 2024

Inger Ekström

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