Team Microbiota-Inflammation

The driving question of my research team is the role of the microbiome in chronic infections like HIV /HCV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Additionally we investigate the mechanisms behind success of microbiome modulation in the clinic – faecal microbial transplantation - which has very good outcome in treating recurrent Clostridium difficile infections.

Part of the Department of Medicine, Huddinge

The group is part of the Infectious Diseases and Dermatology Unit at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH).

Our research

Our group has previously shown that changes of gut microbiota are extensive during HIV infection and contribute to the inflammation that is pathognomonic for HIV infection. Furthermore, we have recently reported that Elite controllers (rare individuals that can control HIV-1 infection without antiviral treatment) have a gut microbiome that is more like healthy individuals concerning the bacterial composition and functional metabolic potential.

My studies aim to elucidate the complexity of interactions between microbiome and immune system that leads to disease control mechanisms. The research is of translational nature and is highly patient-orientated and we apply the novel knowledge of omics in solving important clinical questions. Besides patient-orientated studies my research interest also include in vitro studies on models of gut inflammation/microbial translocation.

Techniques

High throughput sequencing, metabolomics, integrated system biology, cell cultures

Collaborations

  • Roger Paredes, Microbial Genomics Group at the IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Marius Troseid, University of Oslo
  • Lars Engstrand, Karolinska Institutet

Research support

  • Stockholm County Council
  • Swedish Physicians Against AIDS Foundation
  • Karolinska Institutet Research Foundation Grants