معرفی
Mattias Alenius is a full Professor at the Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Sweden, where he heads an active research group investigating the molecular and cellular bases of olfaction and taste. His laboratory exploits the genetic tractability of Drosophila and the physiological relevance of mouse models to uncover conserved mechanisms that govern sensory neuron specification, ciliary trafficking, and systemic feedback control of sensory perception.
Research Focus
His team is particularly interested in:
- Homeostatic control of neuronal activity and how its failure leads to neurodegenerative diseases.
- Olfactory and gustatory circuits—leveraging the numerically simple and genetically powerful Drosophila system.
- Hedgehog signaling and its role in ciliary transport of odorant receptors across species.
- Inter-organ communication, including gut-to-brain signaling that modulates feeding behavior.
- Epigenetic inheritance, exploring how paternal diet shapes chromatin states and metabolic phenotypes in offspring.
Methodologically, the group integrates in vivo genetics, single-cell transcriptomics, live-cell imaging, cryo-EM, and behavioral assays to dissect these processes from molecule to organism.
Scientific Output & Trends
Across more than two decades, Prof. Alenius has produced a steady stream of high-impact publications in journals such as Nature Communications, Cell Reports, PNAS, Cell, PLoS Biology, and BMC Biology. His recent work (2022-2024) increasingly centers on nutrient sensing and gut-brain taste modulation, while earlier studies laid the groundwork for understanding ciliary dynamics and transcriptional codes specifying olfactory receptor choice.
Collectively, the publications reveal a trajectory from developmental specification of sensory neurons to systemic metabolic control, unified by a focus on hedgehog signaling, cilia-mediated processes, and transcriptional/epigenetic mechanisms.
Labs & Teams
Prof. Alenius leads the Group Mattias Alenius located in rooms 6K and 6L within the hospital area at Umeå University. The group participates in the university’s Department of Molecular Biology and collaborates extensively across neuroscience and metabolism communities both nationally and internationally.
Contact
- Email: mattias.alenius@umu.se
- Phone: +46 90 786 91 57
