Research Summary
Prof. Wittung-Stafshede's research group uses biophysical and biochemical tools to study (dys)fuctional properties of proteins and biological pathways at the molecular level, with the aim of advancing fundamental knowledge to improve human health. We focus on copper-binding proteins linked to cancer and on misfolded proteins in neurodegenerative diseases, often with a central theme of cross-reactivity between different biomolecules.
While proteins are the workhorses of living organisms and implicated in virtually all diseases, metal ions are equally critical in biology. We study how human cells control copper - an essential but potential toxic metal - and how imbalances in copper homeostasis contribute to diseases. In cancer, where cellular copper levels are often elevated, we discovered that a copper transport protein promotes cancel cell migration, a key in metastasis. We are currently exploring its molecular partners and other novel copper-dependent mechanisms promoting cancer progression. In contrast, brain copper levels are often reduced in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Here, we study the proteins that forms amyloid plaques - a hallmark feature of these disorders. We recently discovered that amyloids, long considered chemically inert, can unexpectedly act as enzymes and catalyze reactions. We are now investigating the extent of tis amyloid reactivity, the role of metal interactions, and the molecular mechanisms involved. Building on our findings in neurodegeneration, we have also begun to explore the emerging role of amyloids in cancer, bringing the research full circle.
Our research is a mixture of biophysics, biochemistry, and bioinorganic chemistry: we combine purified proteins, spectroscopy, microscopy, biochemistry, cell structure, and computational methods, often in collaboration with other groups. I believe strongly that an inclusive and diverse environment where we support, trust, and complement one another - and have fun - is essential for scientific success.
Biography
Wittung-Stafshede earned a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry in 1996 from Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. She conducted postdoctoral research from 1997 to1998 at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California. In 1999, she began her independent academic career as Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, where she was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2002. In 2004, she joined Rice University as Associate Professor with tenure in the Biosciences Department. In 2008, she returned to Sweden to become Full Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Umeå University. In 2015, she moved to Chalmers University of Technology to join the newly founded Life Sciences Department, where she also served as Head of the Chemical Biology Division for three years. In July 2025, she rejoined Rice University as Professor of Chemistry. During her academic career in the US and Sweden, she has made pioneering discoveries around the role of metals in protein folding, macromolecular crowding effects on folding reactions, as well as on mechanisms of copper-transport proteins. Her current research focuses on unraveling underlying mechanisms of devastating human diseases.
Wittung-Stafshede was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 2016 and to the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences in 2020. She became an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2024 and was elected to the European Academy of Sciences and the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters in 2024. She has received numerous awards and distinctions, including the Arrhenius Medal, the IUPAC Distinguished Women in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Award, and recognition as a Fellow of the Biophysical Society. She has served on the Nobel Committee in Chemistry since 2020 and as a member of the Scientific Council for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings since 2021. For more than a decade, she has contributed to the Biophysical Society in various leadership roles.
Wittung-Stafshede has trained 18 doctoral students and over 25 postdoctoral researchers, many of whom have contributed to successful careers in academic and industry. In 2019, she launched and led the Gender Initiative for Excellence, a long-term initiative at Chalmers, which aimed to increase research excellence via recruitment and cultural/system changes. She is actively engaged in outreach and popular science to inspire the public, young students, and children. She has two daughters, born in 2001 and 2005.