Ingemar Björkhem

About me

I got my education at the Karolinska Institute and have had positions as professor of “biochemical research on atherosclerosis” and senior physicican in Clinical Chemistry during the years 1986-2008. I am senior professor at the division of clinical chemistry, department of laboratory medicine, at the Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge since 2012. At present I work about 70% with research.

 

Research description

I have worked on different aspects of cholesterol  since 1963 when I started my PhD studies. In particular I have been involved in the elucidation of the mechanisms and regulation of the enzymes involved in the degradation of cholesterol into bile acids. During the last two decades I have focused on the regulatory mechanisms behind cholesterol homeostasis in the brain, and in particular the role of oxysterols. We made the key discovery that side-chain oxidized oxysterols , in contrats to cholesterol, are able to pass the blood-brain barrier. We have shown that these oxysterols are important for regulation of cholesterol synthesis, glucose uptake by the brain, generation of beta amyloid and several other processes. We utilize unique mouse models as well as clinical materials in our research involving collaborations with different clinical disciplines.

Academic honours, awards and prizes

1986. Adolf Windaus prize for ”Outstanding contributions in the field of bile acid research”, Freiburg, Germany;  1993. Honorary Professor, Institute of Microcirculation, Chinese  Academy of Medical  Sciences, Beijing, China; 1996. Astrup Legat, Copenhagen ; 2008. Honorary Professor University of Qindau and University of Taian, China; 2000. Member of the Norwegian Academy of Science; 2000. Doctor medicinae honoris causa, University of Oslo; 2006. The Schroepfer Award ; 2006. Selected to held the “Nikkilä Memorial  lecture” ; 2008. Selected to held the “Turner Lecture” , Chicago; Member of the Nobel Assembly 1989-2008.