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Associate Professor (Docent), Principal Investigator and Group Leader

Between 2009 and 2013, I performed my PhD in Medical Microbiology under the supervision of Prof. Jan Maarten van Dijl and Prof. Grietje Molema studying how Streptococcus pneumoniae interact with endothelial cells causing meningitis. In 2010, I have been visiting PhD student in the lab of Prof. Carlos Orihuela in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, USA.

After my PhD graduation in November 2013, I started my postdoc in December 2013 at the ̽����ѡ, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC) where I continued my studies on pneumococcal meningitis. My postdoc studies have been published in the leading journals Journal of Clinical Investigation (2016), Journal of Experimental Medicine (2017), and Journal of Infectious Diseases (2018).
I was awarded in 2018 with the Four-year funding for Assistant Professor position by the ̽����ѡ Board of Research and in 2020 with the Starting Grant in Medicine and Health from the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet). Because of my profound interest in nervous system infections, in January 2021 I have started my own independent laboratory of Neuro-Infections and Neuroinflammation at the Department of Neuroscience at ̽����ѡ. I was appointed Docent (Associate Professor) in Medical Microbiology in December 2021 and Principal Researcher (Senior Forskare) in April 2023.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR APPOINTMENTS

2023: Principal Researcher (Senior Forskare), Department of Neuroscience, KI.

2021: Docentship (Associate Professorship) in Medical Microbiology, Department of Neuroscience, KI.

2021: Group Leader, Department of Neuroscience, KI.

2018: Assistant Professorship in Medical Science, KI.

BIBLIOMETRICS
Total number of publications on Pubmed: 30 (Pubmed link:
Total number of last-author and corresponding-author publications: 10
Total number of first-author publications: 16
Citations and h-index:
Total Impact Points: 210

In my laboratory, we investigate molecular mechanisms of bacterial interaction with brain cells during meningoencephalitis pathogenesis. In particular, we are interested in elucidating the interactions between bacteria and neurons leading to neuronal cell death, pathological hallmark of the neurological disabilities experienced by 70% of the individuals affected with bacterial meningoencephalitis. Our goal is to understand the molecular properties of bacteria-neuron interaction and develop strategies to block it in order to prevent neuronal damage. In addition, we are also interested in understanding how brain immunity reacts towards bacteria attacking the central nervous system. Microglia, the brain immune sentinels, can recognize proteins either surface-exposed or secreted by the bacteria and initiate phagocytosis to eliminate the pathogen threat. Our goal is to identify such proteins and use them as immunotherapy to stimulate microglia to excert a quick and efficient bacterial elimination.

TEACHING AT KI

Course coordinator and Lecturer: “Interplay between neuro-infections and neurodegenerative diseases”, PhD Course, Neuroscience Doctoral Program (2023-ongoing); “Bacteriology” Course, Biomedicine Bachelor Program (2016-2022).
Lecturer: Infection and Immunology, and Medical Microbiology, “Illness and Disease” Course, Study Program of Medicine; “Pneumococcal Infections”, “Cellular and Molecular Infection” PhD course.
Laboratory teacher: “Medical Microbiology” Course, Study Program of Medicine; “Bacteriology” Laboratory Course, Biomedicine Bachelor Program.
Examining teacher: “Frontiers in Biomedicine” Course, Biomedicine Master Program.