Research

Research Priorities: Optical linear dichroism spectroscopy, development of novel DNA-binding ligands

Bengt Nordén is a Swedish chemist. He conducts fundamental research regarding a variety of issues, though his approach remains consistent: He always examines DNA from a biological perspective. Using this approach, Nordén searches for, for example, novel principles for identifying long DNA sequences and mechanisms for genetic recombination.

The latter refers to a reorganisation of genetic material. This means that the genes, too, are recombined, thus causing their characteristics to change. The genetic variability which occurs this way is the basis for improved adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Currently, Bengt Nordén is focusing on homologous recombination in the contexts of cancer and sterility, and as it relates to CRISPR-Cas. Despite much research, the mechanisms with which the human DNA-binding protein Rad51 and the bacterial protein RecA search for homology (commonality) and carry out strand exchange are still not understood on an atomic level. If scientists were to succeed in understanding the mechanisms of recombination as well as in deducing generalisable effects on the management of DNA in Rad51-CRISPR Cas9 and other contexts, this would pave the way for important future medical applications.

Additionally, Bengt Nordén founded the organisation “Molecular Frontiers”, in which many Nobel laureates are involved. This internationally active organisation aims to identify scientific breakthroughs as early as possible as well as to pique young people’s interest in science.

Career

• 2004 Visiting Professor, California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, USA
• since 1995 Professor of Physical Chemistry, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
• 1980 Visiting Professor, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
• 1978 Visiting Professor, University of Oregon, Eugene and University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA
• 1972-1978 Lecturer of Inorganic Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
• 1971 PhD in Inorganic Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
• 1968 Degree in Mathematics, M.Sc. in Theoretical Physics and Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

Functions

• 2006-2008 Member, Prize Committee, Millennium Technology Prize, Technology Academy Finland, Finland
• 2007 Co-Founder, Molecular Frontiers, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Sweden
• 2004-2010 Member, Board of Trustees, Nobel Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden
• 2001-2003 Chairperson, Nobel Committee for Chemistry, Stockholm, Sweden
• 1998-2003 Chairperson, Chemistry Section, Swedish Research Council, Stockholm, Sweden
• 1994-2005 Member, Nobel Committee for Chemistry, Stockholm, Sweden
• 1992-1994 Scientific Advisor to Minister of Science Per Unckel and to the Swedish government, Sweden

Projects

• 2021-2023 “DNA recognition mechanisms”, Swedish Research Council, Sweden
• 2016-2020 “Physical and biological impacts of Stretched DNA”, Swedish Research Council, Sweden
• 2008-2015 “Bio-inspired Molecular Nanotechnolgy”, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
• 2008-2013 “Supramolecular Motive Power”, European Research Council (ERC)
• 2000-2015 “Molecular spectroscopy of biological systems”, Swedish Research Council, Sweden

Honours and Memberships

• 2014 Honorary Scholarship, Royal Society of Chemistry, London, UK
• 2009 Svante Arrhenius Gold Medal
• 2009 Honorary Fellow, Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI), India
• 2009 Honorary Fellow, Chinese Chemical Society, China
• since 2009 Fellow, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Trieste, Italy
• since 2008 Member, The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, Finland
• 2008 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Award, KAUST, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
• since 2007 Member, The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, Norway
• since 2006 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• since 2006 Member, The Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences in Finland, Helsinki, Finland
• 2006 Honorary Professor, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
• since 2005 Member, The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, Sweden
• since 2003 Member, Academia Europaea
• 1996 Honorary Fellow, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
• 1994 Arrhenius Placard (Arrhenius-Plaketten), Swedish Chemical Society, Sweden
• 1992 Göran Gustafsson Prize, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Sweden
• since 1992 Member, Royal Physiographic Society of Lund, Lund, Sweden
• since 1991 Member, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Sweden
• 1984 Member, The Royal Society of Arts and Sciences, Gothenburg, Sweden
• 1972 Fabian Gyllenborg’s Prize, Lund University, Lund, Sweden