Medical Genetics

BIOGRAPHY

ACADEMIC POSITION:
Professor in Tumor Biology, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology,
Uppsala University

EDUCATION:
• 1971 MD, Uppsala University, Sweden
• 1970 PhD Virology, Uppsala University, Sweden
• 1964 BM, Uppsala University, Sweden

HONORS AND AWARDS:
• 2010 Elected member, European Academy of Cancer Sciences
• 2008 Rudbeck Gold Medal (Uppsala University)
• 2007 King Gustaf Adolf Gold Medal (Uppsala University)
• 2003-2013 Chairman, Research Commission, the Swedish Cancer Society
• 2002 Björkén Prize (Uppsala University)
• 2001 The Hyclone Award
• 1999-2002 Vice-Rector, Medicine and Pharmacy, Uppsala University
• 1996-2002 Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Uppsala University
• 1995 Elected member, Royal Academy of Science (Kungl. Vetenskapsakademien)
• 1993 The Nordic Fernström Prize
• 1993 Lennox K Black Prize (Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA)
• 1990 Swedish Medical Society Jubilee Award
• 1990 Acta Endocrinologica Award
• 1989 Elected member, European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO)
• 1988 Axel Hirsch's Prize (Karolinska Institute)
• 1988 The Thuréus Prize
• 1986 The Farber Award for contributions in brain tumor research (American Academy of Neurology)
• 1984 The Fernström Prize for Young Investigators
• 1984 The Alvarenga Prize (Swedish Medical Society)
• 1973 The Hwasser Prize and Silver Medal of Uppsala Medical Society

RESEARCH INTERESTS:
1. One project focuses on tyrosine phosphorylation in normal cells and cancer cells. Our plan is to identify all proteins in a human cell that are tyrosine phosphorylated and to apply this knowledge to clarify which signalling pathways that are disturbed in a given tumour. The long-term goal is to use the results to predict tumour malignancy.
2. Another project aims at identifying biomarkers that can be used to diagnose bladder cancer. Using masspectrometry we have shown that a small number of proteins are present at higher levels in the urine from bladder cancer patients. We are presently examining whether these proteins can be used to identify patients that have or have had a relapse of bladder cancer.
3. A third project aims to study how adenovirus alters gene expression during the course of an infection. Using massive parallel DNA sequencing of cDNA we are able to study changes in both coding and non-coding cellular genes.

In another sub project we are characterising all protein modifications in the adenovirus particle. For this analysis we employ mass spectrometry.

Using advanced technologies we can detect differences both in single genes and in the whole genome. Several projects require powerful, high through-put genetic analyses and we employ the technology for massively parallel sequencing.