SciLifeLab, Science for Life Laboratory, is a Swedishnational center for molecular biosciences. To furtherstrengthen the research environment, the institutionregularly recruits young, talented research leaders tobecome SciLifeLab fellows.

Each fellow is recruited by one of the center’s hostuniversities and also receives funding from them. Oneof the 22 fellows currently enrolled in the program isClaudia Kutter, who was recruited from CRUK, Cam-bridge, by Karolinska Institutet/SciLifeLab in 2016.

“I was actively lookingfor research institutionswhere I would be embed-ded in a vivid and inter-national scientifc settingwith an active young fac-ulty”, says Claudia Kutter.

“Each of us brings aunique line of researchand expertise to thecenter. I appreciate thecontinuous exchange of

experience, the interdisciplinary research approachesthat can come together in a synergistic manner, and theformation of interest groups on special research topics.”

Potential for future cancer treatment

Her research focuses on genome, chromatin and RNAbiology in the context of human disease.

“I am intrigued by the fact that we have one genomethat gives rise to diferent transcriptomes, which thengenerate functionally diverse cell types”, she says.

In particular, her group wants to understand the cel-lular and molecular defects underlying noncodingRNAs by using a combination of computational andexperimental methods. Many of these noncoding RNAmolecules have been disregarded as transcriptionalnoise or by-products but, in fact, harbour tremendousregulatory potential since they can interact with DNA,other RNA molecules and proteins.

“SciLifeLab is like a Mecca for Swedish research”

www.scilifelab.se

“In a sense, a noncoding RNA is like a molecular Swissarmy knife with various tools all stowed inside oneunit”, she says. “Besides contributing to novel insights,our long-term goal is to incorporate noncoding RNAsin biomedical research and therapeutics.”

Using genome-engineering methods, Claudia Kutterand her colleauges remove regulatory sequences fromDNA entirely, decrease or enhance the expression levelsand assess the phenotypical consequences. For exam-ple, they enhanced the expression of a noncoding RNA,which stopped cancer cells from proliferating whereasnormal cells remained unchanged.

“Noncoding RNAs might become essential for futuretherapeutic development since we would only targetcancer cells and not healthy cells. Tis could lead tomore refned treatments and prevent many of the sys-temic efects of classical treatment strategies”, she ex-plains.

For the future, she wants to ensure that the conditionsfor her group remain optimal and constructive to allowinnovations and embark on interdisciplinary researchprojects.

“SciLifeLab truly ofers an attractive research environ-ment, has state-of-the-art instrumentation and corefacilities, and is continuously increasing the researchactivities - it is like a Swedish Mecca for research. It isbenefcial to be in a place without institutional bound-aries.”

Advancing life sciences

SciLifeLab is both a research institution and anational resource for Swedish researchers withthe mission to develop, use and provide advancedscientific technologies and expertise. The centeris a joint effort by Karolinska Institutet, KTH RoyalInstitute of Technology, Stockholm University andUppsala University. Founded in 2010, SciLifeLabtoday encompasses more than 60 research groups

and 40 infrastructure units across the country.

Photo

:Jo

hn

Senett

Claudia Kutter

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aaas.org/meetings

As ofOctober 15, 2018

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The worldís oceans

hold essential and

important reserves

of natural resourc-

es, critical for the contin-

ued and sustainable sur-

vival of humanity. These

oceans are now confront-

ed with serious environ-

mental challenges due

to human activity and

global climate change,

potentially leading to sig-

niˇcant socioeconomic

consequences. The inter-

national community con-

tinues to call for the creation of innovation partnerships to

explore effective solutions for the conservation and sus-

tainable use of the oceans and their resources. The ˇeld of

marine science offers a vitally important foundation for the

implementation of these goals, but suffers from an imbal-

ance in global capacity building. In an effort to bring together

marine research institutes from around the world to tackle

the challenges confronting marine science, the Pilot National

Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao)

(QNLM) launched the Global Ocean Summit (GOS).

The ˇrst GOS was held in Qingdao in September 2016,

with the primary purpose of providing a forum for lead-

ers from marine research institutes, universities, and other

international organizations to share their ideas and expe-

riences related to ocean science and technology strate-

gies, and to promote collaborative innovation. The director

of QNLM, Lixin Wu, as chair of the local organizing com-

mittee, put forward a declaration that called for enhanc-

ing marine science and technology innovation and creat-

ADVERTORIAL

PHOTOS:QNLM

Creating partnerships tostrengthen ocean science

ing a shared community of concerned scientists who can

assess and address the impact of ocean changes. The

GOS 2018 participants believe that these discussions are

critical to ensure a secure and sustainable future for the

peoples of the world.

In the spirit of the GOS 2016 Declaration, QNLM worked

with the Department of Science and Technology of Shan-

dong Province and Science/AAAS to organize the sec-

ond GOS, which took place in July 2018, also in Qingdao.

Participating in the GOS 2018 conference were 152 lead-

ers and representatives from 101 marine research insti-

tutes and universities in 24 countries, as well as ˇve in-

ternational organizations involved in ocean research. The

theme of the conference was ìEnhancing Partnerships on

Ocean Observation and Research,î and it included in-

depth conversations and vigorous discussions covering

many challenging issues related to ocean research. The

summit drew much interest and attention from global in-

stitutions involved in marine-related research and policy,

particularly the discussion around topics such as en-

hancing global collaboration in ocean observation and

prediction, polar-seas research, deep-sea research, and

ocean sustainability. The summit released the GOS 2018

Recommendations (see facing page), which advocat-

ed strengthening cooperation in capacity building;

promoting activities such as ocean monitoring, explora-

tion, sustainable utilization, protection, event forecasting,

and management; and tackling the challenges presented

by global climate change.

The next GOS is scheduled for 2020. In the interim, it

is expected that the previous two GOS gatherings will en-

courage long-term, stable dialogue among the leaders of

global marine-related institutions and organizations, and

promote the development of new international programs in

ocean research.

Professor Lixin Wu

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PHOTO:QNLM

Recommendations from the Global Ocean Summit 2018

Global environmental changes resulting from human activity pose unprecedented challenges to the Earthís ecological

systems and, most importantly, to the sustainable development of the worldís oceans. In response, we, as GOS 2018

participants, ˇrmly believe that it is the responsibility of the worldís marine institutions and universities to deepen our sys-

tematic understanding of the oceans in order to tackle these global challenges.

Jointly, we make the following recommendations:

1. We propose to adhere to the spirit of the ìGlobal Ocean

Summit 2016 Declarationî and strive for ìEnhancing Part-

nerships on Ocean Observation and Research,î to imple-

ment United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals,

and to support initiatives announced at the UN Ocean

Conference 2017. We will do this by establishing a joint

global network for sharing knowledge and experience. The

network will encourage societyís rights and equal access

to marine knowledge, develop marine research capacity

through sharing of observational and educational resourc-

es, and promote the efˇcient use of megafacilities and infra-

structure. The network will actively encourage participation

by intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations.

2. We will collaborate to advance ocean research for the

beneˇt of humanity.

2.1. We are committed to supporting international ocean

observation through the sharing of open-access data from

international ocean observation programs; boosting re-

search and development of new technologies for ocean

observation; ensuring data quality control and assurance;

and facilitating the calibration and standardization of key

ocean parameter measurements while also forging collab-

orations to create a sustainable, vertically integrated ob-

servation system, encompassing the ocean ˇoor, ocean,

and space.

2.2. We will encourage deeper integration of the ob-

servation system with high-resolution models to improve

ocean environment forecasting and the development of

early warning systems to combat extreme weather events

and marine ecological disasters.

2.3. We will strengthen research collaboration in polar

research, focusing on sea-ice changes and permafrost

melting, global sea-level change, and ocean acidiˇcation,

to improve our understanding of polar climate change and

its impact on the oceans.

2.4. We will promote interdisciplinary research of the

deep ocean to improve our understanding of ocean tem-

perature and carbon uptake as well as the deep-ocean

ecological environment, through the development of deep-

ocean, onsite, remote-controlled monitoring technologies.

3. We will encourage our governments to support inter-

national ocean observation. We will promote engagement

with policy-makers, shareholders, students, and the gen-

eral public to involve every individual in the development

of ocean science for the well-being of humanity.

4. In future Global Ocean Summits, we will explore means to

enhance international cooperation in other areas of marine

research and monitoring of importance to humanity, includ-

ing but not limited to coastal development, environmental

research on regional seas, and the sustainable utilization

of ocean resources (also known as the ìblue economyî).

We stand by the mantra: ìOne earth, one ocean.î We

commit to contributing our knowledge and wisdom for the

continued vitality and abundance of the worldís oceans

and the maintenance of a sustainable marine environment

for all of humanity.

PRODUCED BY THE SCIENCE/AAAS CUSTOM PUBLISHING OFFICE

GOS 2018 participants

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