ESS Instrument Scientist receives CLRF Prize

Alessandra
Alessandra Luchini, Instrument Scientist for ESTIA Credit: Alessandra Luchini

Alessandra Luchini, Instrument Scientist for ESTIA at ESS, has been awarded the Camurus Lipid Research Foundation Junior Prize for 2022.

The foundation was founded in 1997 with the aim of supporting research within the lipid area, i.e. their structure, self-assembly, and their role as fundamental building blocks in cells, as well as their physiological importance and how they can be used to act as new efficient vehicles for drug delivery.

Since 2018, the foundation has, with the exception of a break due to the pandemic, awarded two classes of prizes every year. The ceremony took place on 4 April in Lund as a part of the annual symposium, where one of our own scientisits, Alessandra Luchini, won the prize in the Junior class for 2022.

Alessandra was chosen for her significant work on models of cell membranes and how these can be used to study the effect when particles and proteins, including of so-called SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins, interact with the lipid membranes. She used neutron reflectometry as part of her research, and with the experience gained now actively contributes towards the construction of  the ESTIA instrument at ESS.

When asked about the award, Alessandra stated "I am very honoured to receive this prize. It represents an important accomplishment and a great motivation to continue working in the exciting research field of membrane biophysics."

Congratulations Alessandra!

 CLRF was founded by Professor Kåre Larsson, Lund University and Dr.h.c. Gunnar Sandberg, GS Development, Malmö. Larsson was a world-leading expert on lipid structure and assembly, and Sandberg was a Swedish entrepreneur who later became involved in many forward-looking and innovative companies. Their collaboration began in the late 1980s, with Larsson’s pioneering scientific discovery of cubic lipid liquid crystalline nanoparticles – Cubosomes.

The Kåre Larsson and Gunnar Sandberg Research Foundation, was founded in 1997, which was given the name Camurus Lipid Research Foundation (CLRF), and reflected their joint vision for multi-disciplinary research in lipid science, particularly focused at structure and function of complex systems and their roles and applications in biology and life science.

 Sandberg passed away in 2007. Larsson resigned as Chair of the foundation in 2016, and passed away in 2018. They were succeeded on the Board by their sons, Marcus Larsson and Per Sandberg.