About me
Expertise in preclinical research in the field of immunology and infection, myeloid immune cells, host pathogen interactions and cell biology.
Conduct translational projects based on preclinical science. This includes participation in the two international projects, PerAID and PERMIT, which focus on personalized medicine for infectious diseases (2019-2024).
Particular interest in: Infection and immunology, as well as human myeloid immune cells such as monocytes, dendritic cells and macrophages in acute and chronic tissue inflammation.
Current position: Research group leader, associate professor.
Is Director of Doctoral Education at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge and Chairman of the Dissertation Committee at Karolinska Institutet.
Research description
Our research group at the Center for Infectious Medicine (CIM), Department of Medicine, Huddinge conducts research aimed at understanding how the tissue microenvironment affects bacterial properties, immune cell responses and immune-mediated pathology with special focus on tissue-specific cells' ability to form myeloid cell functions in bacterial infections and chronic inflammatory conditions.
We strive to identify proteins and metabolites that are important for tissue-specific cells, such as fibroblasts, to shape the microenvironment for the function of myeloid immune cells and the specific properties of bacteria. The goal is to:
1. Develop customized human organotypic models for disease mechanism identification, biomarker detection, and validation of interventions in sever bacterial infectious diseases
2. Utilize identified disease mechanisms to develop tailored therapy and implement personalized medicine in sever infectious diseases.
3. Identify central host-derived mediators which in the tissue environment drives bacteria behavior and characteristics, such as biofilm formation and persistence.
Of particular interest are the two gram-positive bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. Both of these gram-positive bacteria can cause very aggressive invasive infections such as toxic shock, necrotizing pneumonia and necrotizing fasciitis which are associated with significant morbidity and mortality.
Education
1995, MSc, Biology, Lund University, Sweden
2000, PhD, Immunology, Lund University, Sweden
2001-2004, Post doctoral Fellow, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicin, London, UK
2010, Associate Professor, Immunology, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden