Erik Lindahl is a Professor of Theoretical Chemistry at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University. His research group is primarily located at the Science for Life Laboratory, a joint research environment for Stockholm University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and Karolinska Institutet. Lindahl serves as deputy director of the Swedish e-Science Research Center (SeRC), sits on the steering committee for the national program in Data-driven Life Sciences at SciLifeLab, and is program manager for Stockholm University's part of a joint master's program in molecular techniques for the life sciences. He also serves as vice section dean for chemistry and is involved in creating a Swedish node within CECAM. Lindahl's research focuses on understanding the structure and function of ligand-gated ion channels, particularly in the human nervous system. His group combines experimental and computational approaches, including bioinformatics for building receptor models, molecular dynamics simulations to understand molecular interactions, and experimental techniques like electrophysiology and spectroscopy. They have made significant contributions to understanding how voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channels function, including determining molecular mechanisms of channel opening and identifying binding sites for molecules that modulate neural signaling. The group is also a leader in developing computational tools for life sciences, particularly the widely used GROMACS software package for molecular dynamics simulations and methods for cryo-electron microscopy data analysis through the RELION program. Analysis of Lindahl's recent publications reveals a strong focus on structural biology of membrane proteins, particularly ligand-gated ion channels. His work integrates cutting-edge computational methods like molecular dynamics simulations, AlphaFold predictions, and cryo-EM data analysis to understand protein conformational dynamics and ligand binding. Key research themes include the structural basis of ion channel function, lipid-protein interactions that stabilize membrane proteins, and computational methods for biomolecular simulation and structural biology. His publications demonstrate a consistent interdisciplinary approach that bridges computational chemistry, structural biology, and neuroscience. Lindahl leads an active research group with multiple postdocs, researchers, and PhD students working on various aspects of membrane protein structure and function. His research is supported by diverse funding sources including the Swedish Research Council, European Research Council, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and several EU programs. He plays significant leadership roles in major computational infrastructure initiatives including BioExcel (an EU-funded center of excellence for computational biomolecular research), PRACE (the European computing infrastructure), and EuroHPC. The Lindahl research group operates primarily at the Science for Life Laboratory, where they have access to advanced computational resources and experimental facilities for structural biology. The group collaborates extensively with researchers across Stockholm University, KTH, Karolinska Institutet, and international partners through EU-funded projects. They are particularly active in developing and maintaining open-source software tools that are widely used in the computational biology community.
