About the Chemical Biological Centre (KBC)

KBC is a part of Umeå University and of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)

Presentation

The Chemical Biological Centre (Kemiskt Biologiskt Centrum, KBC) is an interdisciplinary centre for basic science-oriented research in life/natural sciences, technology, medicine and forest sciences at Umeå University (UMU) and the Swedish University for Agricultural Science (SLU). KBC is an international environment represented by more than 50 nationalities. Since its start in 2007, KBC is now established as a valuable resource for coordination and support of 16 important technical platforms/infrastructures, which are available to all scientists at Umeå University and SLU.

History

In the mid 1990th, the chemistry and physiology buildings (kemi- och fysiologihusen) were connected by a new building. One of the ambitions with this was to strengthen the research in the interface between chemistry and biology. In 2006 the evaluation of the future organization of chemistry in Umeå "Molekylärt samspel" suggested a reorganization of chemistry linked to the recruitment of new professors, also including other departments within the KBC complex. To support this development, the university has appointed a KBC group led by a scientific coordinator. The task for this group is to promote a positive and creative environment for research and graduate and undergraduate teaching. The aim is to develop KBC into a world-leading research and teaching environment.

Goals and Mission

KBC was initially formed as a structure to coordinate activities aimed at nourishing contacts between scientists working in the new KBC building. Over the years, the activities of KBC have developed into a project that embraces a large part of the research activities within the field of basic research-oriented life sciences at UMU and SLU, Umeå. In addition to representatives from all departments located within the KBC building, the KBC board now includes representatives from the Department of Applied Physics and Electronics/TEC-Lab, Department of Physics, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Department of Molecular Biology, and SLU's departments of Forest Biomaterials and Technology and Forect Ecology and Management.

The mission of KBC has been simple and straightforward: to increase contacts and stimulate interdisciplinary collaborations between scientists working within the field of basic-oriented life sciences in Umeå, to support and organize technically demanding and expensive research infrastructures, and to spread information about this strong research environment at Umeå University to the outside world. KBC’s focus is to serve the researchers' needs for doing high-class research in fast-developing fields.

The KBC Environment/Organisation

Presentation of KBC's affiliated departments and research centres, as well as collaborative partners.

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KBC-affiliated departments and collaborative partners

Today, the KBC Environment includes all departments located within the KBC building and affiliated departments at other locations on campus. It also includes research centres, research units and centres of excellence at Umeå University (UMU) and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). Three faculties and two universities are represented in KBC. All participating departments and research units, as well as affiliated members, are represented in the KBC Group, the board that coordinates the research and infrastructure activities at KBC. Read more about KBC departments and partners here.

KBC Services

There are two different structures located in the KBC building that provide services to the departments and researchers: the KBC Group (KBC board), including the KBC Communications office, and the KBC Service Centre. The KBC Service Centre is funded independently from the KBC board but collaborates tightly with the board and the KBC Communications office. Read more about KBC Services here.