The Michael Sars Centre: a new name to honour a pioneer.
The Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology is changing its name to the Michael Sars Centre to honour the extraordinary contribution to science of one of Norway's most significant marine biologists. The center will now become part of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.
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During his prolific career Bergen marine biologist Michael Sars (1805 – 1869), described more than 200 marine species, which he collected in the local fjords. He was Norway’s most significant naturalists in the first half of the 19th century founding the country’s strong academic tradition in marine research. To honour his extraordinary contribution to science, the Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology is changing its name as it integrates into the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, becoming the Michael Sars Centre at the University of Bergen.
“With its new name, the Michael Sars Centre aims to bridge the legacy of a Norwegian luminary and pioneer marine zoologist with 21st century marine life sciences using cutting edge technologies to address fundamental questions which have broad impact on pressing modern challenges,” said Director of the Michael Sars Centre, Lionel Christiaen. “In the spirit of building bridges, the Centre aims to open its doors and serve as a local, national and international hub for vibrant and diverse communities of marine life scientists,” he said.
The Michael Sars Centre was established in 1997 as an independent research centre, and on January 1, 2023, it was incorporated into the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Bergen. The Centre studies the unique molecular and cellular biology of marine organisms within the broad field of Marine Life Sciences ranging from molecular, cellular, and developmental biology to neuroscience, genomics, systems biology, and evolution. As one of the first partners of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in 2003, the Michael Sars Centre serves as a national strategical asset for Norwegian marine life sciences.
“Michael Sars was a pioneer in his field. Today, Sars’ curiosity driven marine research is reflected in the Michael Sars Centre’s commitment to marine molecular biology, including its prestigious externally funded projects. The addition of the Michael Sars Centre to MatNat is in itself an important addition to our research portfolio. In addition, it also strengthens MatNat´s commitment to marine research, a research field where UiB has been given a global leadership role. It is a great pleasure to welcome the Centre to us,” says Gunn Mangerud, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.
The name change will be celebrated at the Michael Sars Centre at the High Technology Centre on January 31, 2023. During the event, there will be an exhibition opening of Michael Sars’ illustrations, that were discovered in The Manuscript and Rare Book Collection of the University of Bergen, where he used fine copper plate engravings to thoroughly document the organisms that he studied.
Book cover and scientific illustration from the Michael Sars book Beskrivelser og iagttagelser over nogle mærkelige eller nye i Havet ved den Bergenske Kyst levende Dyr af polypernes, acalephernes, radiaternes, annelidernes, og molluskernes classer (Christiania, 1835).
About the Michael Sars Centre
- 1997: The Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology was established.
- 2003: Became one of the first partners of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL).
- 2015: The Centre was integrated into the University of Bergen as an independent research centre.
- The centre has six research groups and one associate research group and employs 58 employees with 22 different nationalities.
- Major model species include the tunicates Oikopleura and Ciona, the sea anemone Nematostella, and the annelid worms Malacoceros fuliginosus and Dimorphilus gyrociliatus.
- 2023: On January 01, the Sars Centre was incorporated into the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MatNat) at the University of Bergen.
- 2023: On January 31, the Centre changed its name to the Michael Sars Centre, honoring the legacy of Bergen marine biologist Michael Sars.
Michael Sars (1805 – 1869)
- 1805: Michael Sars was born in Bergen, Norway
- 1818-1823: Attended Bergen Cathedral School
- 1823: Began his studies at the Royal Frederick University in Christiania
- 1829: Published his first work, the Natural History of Invertebrates
- 1835: Published Descriptions and Observations of some strange or new animals found off the coast of Bergen, in which he describes for the first time the complete life cycle of a scyphozoan jellyfish
- 1854: Appointed extraordinary professor of zoology at the Royal Frederick University in Christiania.
- 1856: Appointed a knight of the Order of St. Olav.
- 1865: Published a paper describing a species found at -550m in Lofoten. Together with the description of another species by the naturalist Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, this proved that life was present below depths previously assumed and prompted the famous Challenger expedition.
- Was an honorary doctorate at the universities of Zurich and Berlin and was elected to more than 20 learned societies in Europe and the USA.
- Named more than 250 species in his lifetime. Five genera were named after him, including the jellyfish Sarsia, and the algea Michaelsarsia.
- 1869: Died in Christiania
- 1961: the first volume of the marine biology Sarsia was published. The journal was renamed Marine Biology Research in 2004.
