Annikka Polster, Nicola Montaldo and Hilde Nilsen, from the Genome instability in disease and ageing group at OUS, has together with their collaborators identified a blood-based “signature” that may reveal Parkinson’s disease (PD) 10–20 years before classic motor symptoms like tremors and stiffness appear. The results were recently published in NPJ Parkinson’s Disease.
Parkinson’s is usually diagnosed only after many of the brain cells that control movement are already lost. This study asked whether early molecular warning signs can be detected in the blood long before diagnosis. 

Recommended sites for current OUS research news:

From Oslo University Hospital, in Norwegian:
OUS Innsikt – ny forskning, innovasjon og behandling - channel for science communication
More news from OUS (oslo-universitetssykehus.no)

From centres of excellence (UiO/OUS):
CanCell - Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming 
Cresco - Centre for Embryology and Healthy Development 
PRIMA - Precision Immunotherapy Alliance - Norwegian version
Hybrid Technology Hub - Centre for Organ on a Chip-Technology

Trevor Clancy is a cancer bioinformatics scientist with over 20 years of experience in bioinformatics, cancer research and biotechnology. Trevor has focused on integrating multi-omics, tumor–immune biology and AI to generate clinically meaningful insight. He co-founded OncoImmunity (later NEC OncoImmunity following its acquisition by the multinational NEC Corporation) and, as Chief Scientific Officer and leading senior scientist, spearheaded AI-driven personalized cancer immunotherapy projects.
His overarching goal now is to develop robust AI-based tools, such as tumor avatars, that improve cancer prevention, therapy selection and patient outcomes.

The National Research Archive (NVA) has replaced Cristin and is now open for both previous Cristin users and new contributors at OUS. Whether you're registering for the first time or updating your publications, NVA offers improved functionality for managing research outputs, including support for green open access and project code reporting.

Click More to learn how to get started, request editing access, and upload files for archiving.

Are you a researcher with an innovative idea based on your research that can contribute to solving an important need in society, but need funding to develop the idea further?

The University of Oslo has dedicated NOK 5 million in 2026 for early phase support for innovation projects that have a potential for value creation within all research areas at UiO.

The call is aimed at both commercial and non-commercial projects.

The application deadline is 16 March 2026.

More information here (uio.no)

Lorena Arranz, leader of the Stem Cells, Ageing and Cancer group and Deputy Director of CRESCO, and Vincent Cuminetti, researcher in her group, are first and last authors of this Nature Communications paper.

The team investigated a cell surface sensor called SUCNR1 (the succinate receptor) and how it affects blood stem cells and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). They found that SUCNR1 acts like a brake on blood stem cell activity and helps prevent leukemia from progressing. 

A new European collaboration cluster, EARLYSCAN (Early Screening & Hereditary Cancer Awareness Network), has been launched to strengthen prevention and early detection strategies for heritable cancers. The cluster brings together three Horizon Europe–funded projects: SHIELD, DISARM, and PREDI-LYNCH.

The PREDI-LYNCH project is led by Mev Dominguez-Valentin from the Department of Tumor Biology at the Institute for Cancer Research at OUS.

EARLYSCAN operates under the Mission on Cancer priority area “Prevention & early detection – early detection of heritable cancers” and aims to maximise the impact of EU investment by aligning efforts, reducing duplication, and accelerating translation into practice.

Lorena Arranz, leader of the Stem Cells, Ageing and Cancer research group at the Department of Microbiology and Deputy Centre Director of CRESCO, has received 9 million NOK in funding from Helse Sør-Øst RHF for her project NEUROTARGET: The nervous system as a druggable vulnerability in myeloid blood cancers.

Helse Sør-Øst RHF has awarded regional research funding to 96 research projects starting in 2026. The projects cover a wide range of disciplines and aim to contribute new knowledge and improved patient care. Lorena Arranz received funding from the thematic open structure, available to all research areas in the specialist healthcare services.

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Trond Olav Berg