Bjørn Panyella Pedersen

Bjørn Panyella Pedersen is a Professor at Aarhus University's Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and a Hans Fischer Senior Fellow at the TUM Institute for Advanced Study (2023). His research centers on plant membrane transport mechanisms, integrating structural biology and biophysical approaches to study proton-driven processes for nutrient and hormone transport.

He earned his PhD in 2008 from Aarhus University, where he solved the first structures of the proton P-type ATPase (critical for plant electrochemical gradients) and sodium/potassium P-type ATPase (fundamental for animal cell function). His postdoctoral work at UCSF focused on calcium/proton exchange in plant stress pathways and eukaryotic phosphate uptake mechanisms.

Pedersen's research explores plant membrane transport, membrane protein structure-function relationships, cryo-EM methodologies, and proton-coupled transport of sugars, sterols, ions, and hormones. His work provides atomic-level insights into transporter mechanisms with implications for agricultural innovation, particularly in understanding abiotic stress responses and nutrient uptake efficiency.

His publication record demonstrates consistent leadership in structural membrane biology, with recent work emphasizing cryo-EM analysis of plant-specific transporters (SUC1, PIN-FORMED) and eukaryotic sterol systems. Key trends include elucidating substrate-binding mechanisms, proton-coupling dynamics, and evolutionary adaptations in transport proteins.

His scientific recognition includes:

• EMBO Young Investigator Programme fellowship (2019)
• DuPont Young Professor Award (2015)
• Danish Young Academy membership (2015)
• ST Science Award from Aarhus University (2015)
• Lundbeck Foundation talent prize (2008)
• Nature Structural Highlight of 2007

Pedersen leads an independent research group at Aarhus University supported by an ERC Starting Grant, ERC Consolidator Grant, and Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND fellowship. His collaborative work includes the TUM-IAS Focus Group on "Auxin Exporters as Targets for Herbicide Resistance" with Prof. Claus Schwechheimer, aiming to develop novel agricultural solutions through structural insights.

His laboratory combines high-resolution structural techniques with functional assays to dissect transport mechanisms, contributing to fundamental understanding of plant physiology and potential applications in crop improvement.