Federico Iovino

Federico Iovino

Principal Researcher | Docent
Telephone: +46852487121
Visiting address: Solnavägen 9, Biomedicum, kvarter D7, 17165 Solna
Postal address: C4 Neurovetenskap, C4 Forskning Iovino, 171 77 Stockholm
Part of:

About me

  • Associate Professor (Docent), Principal Investigator and Group Leader
    In my laboratory, we investigate bacterial interactions with brain cells during bacterial meningoencephalitis pathogenesis.

    I have studied Human Biology and Biomedical Sciences, bachelor and master, at the University of Pavia in Italy. After my undergraduate studies, I moved to the University Medical Center of Groningen, The Netherlands, to do 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 have immediately started my postdoc in December 2013 at the Karolinska Institutet, Department of
    Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), in the laboratory of Prof. Birgitta Henriques-Normark where I continued my studies on pneumococcal
    meningitis. My postdoc studies have been published in the leading journals Journal of Clinical Investigation, Journal of Experimental Medicine, Trends in Microbiology, and Journal of Infectious Diseases.
    I was awarded in November 2018 with the 4-year funding for Assistant Professor position by the Karolinska Institutet Board of Research. I have
    then established my own research team at the Department of MTC until December 2020. I am one of the 2020 awardee of 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 Karolinska Institutet. I was appointed Docent (Associate Professor) in Medical Microbiology in December 2021 and Principal Researcher in April 2023.

    The Iovino Laboratory: Visit https://ki.se/en/neuro/iovino-laboratory [1]

    BIBLIOMETRICS
    Total number of publications on Pubmed: 28
    Pubmed link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=iovino+federico&sort=date
    [2]
    Total number of last-author and corresponding-author publications: 7
    Total number of first-author publications: 16
    Total citations: 776 (Google Scholar)
  • h-index: 15 (Google Scholar)
  • Total Impact Points: 198
    https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=M-sgn1kAAAAJ&;hl=en&authuser=1 [3]

    RESEARCH GRANTS
    2023: WeRa Ekström Fund for Pediatric Research, Magnus Bergvall Foundation, Strategic Fund (Dept Neuroscience, KI), Stiftelsen Tysta Skolan,
    ItsME Foundation, HKH Crown Princess Lovisa's Association for Child Care, Therakind Limited (Pharmaceutical company, London, UK), Åhlén Foundation, Gun & Bertil Stohne Foundation.
    2022: European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), Bjarne Ahlström Memorial Fund in Clinical Neurology, Åhlén
    Foundation, Magnus Bergvall Foundation
    2021: Magnus Bergvall Foundation Stiftelsen för Gamla Tjänarinnor, MSD Sverige Meningitis Study Group, Tore Nilson Foundation.
    2020: Vetenskapsrådet Four-year Starting Grant Medicine & Health, Bjarne Ahlström Memorial Fund Prize in Clinical Neurology, Karolinska Institutet
    Research Foundation Grants, Clas Groschinsky Memorial Fund, HKH Crown Princess Lovisa's Association for Child Care, Magnus Bergvall Foundation, Tore Nilson Foundation.
    *2019: StratNeuro Start-up grant, Petrus and Augusta Hedlund Foundation, Åke Wiberg Foundation, Clas Groschinsky Memorial Fund, Loo and Hans Osterman Foundation (Geriatrics), Fredrik and Ingrid Thuring Foundation.
    2018: Four-year Faculty-funded Assistant Professor Position (Karolinska Instituet Committee for Research), Petrus and Augusta Hedlund Foundation,
    Jeansson Foundation, Åke Wiberg Foundation, HKH Crown Princess Lovisa's Association for Child Care, Stiftelsen Längmanska Culture Foundation
    (Kulturfonden), Karolinska Institutet Research Foundation (Pediatrics), Karolinska Institutet Research Foundation Grants, Fredrik and Ingrid Thuring
    Foundation.
    2017: Jeansson Foundation, Åke Wiberg Foundation.

    AWARDS AND PRIZES
    World Expert: In November 2021, recognized as “World Expert” in the top 0.1% of scholars in the category “Streptococcus pneumoniae”
    https://news.ki.se/federico-iovino-recognisedworld-expert-by-expertscape [4]
    Bjarne Ahlström Memorial Fund Prize 2020 for research in Clinical Neurology
    https://news.ki.se/federico-iovino-awarded-the-bjarne-ahlstrom-minnesfonds-pris-2020-for-research-in-clinical
    [5]

    REVIEWER ACTIVITY
    Scientific Journals: Nature Communications, Cell Systems, eBioMedicine (The Lancet), Scientific Reports (Nature publishing group), BMC Journal of Biomedical Science, PLOS One, Journal of Neuroinflammation, Brain Research, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Neurotoxicology and Teratology, Neuroscience Letters, Journal of Innate Immunity, Journal of Immunology, mBio (American Society of Microbiology), PLOS Pathogens, Molecular Microbiology, Journal of Bacteriology, The International Journal of Medical Microbiology, Microbiology (Microbiology Society), Microbial Pathogenesis, Pathogens and Disease (FEMS), Virulence, Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, Frontiers in Immunology, Frontiers in Pediatrics, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Current Research in Microbial Sciences, Infection and Drug Resistance, Heliyon (Cell Press), Experimental and Molecular Pathology, Annals of Medicine, BMJ (British Medical Journal) Case Reports.
    Grant applications: European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), UK Medical Research Council
  • French National Research Agency, Swiss National Science Foundation, Caixa Foundation (CaixaResearch Health Call, Spain), CIISA grant call (Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, University of Lisbon, Portugal), Karolinska Institutet Research Foundation Grants.

    EDITORIAL ACTIVITY
    Member of Editorial Board (Review Editor) at Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (IF 5.7), specialty section "Bacteria and Host".
    Editor of the book on the subject "Streptococcus pneumoniae", new volume for lab protocol based book series "Methods in Molecular Biology",
    published by Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-1-4939-9199-0 [6]
    Editor of the Section "Clinical Infectious Diseases", part of the "Encyclopedia of Infection and Immunity", published by Elsevier.
    https://www.elsevier.com/books/encyclopedia-of-infection-and-immunity/rezaei/978-0-12-818731-9
    [7]

    SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS
    PI representative, Advisory Board of Department of Neuroscience
    Safety representative, Department of Neuroscience
    Organizer of Department of Neuroscience Scientific Seminars
    Member of Biomedicum Work Environment Group
    Data Driven Research Reference Group, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neuroscience representative

    ACADEMIC EDUCATION
    2013: PhD in Medical Microbiology (University of Groningen, The Netherlands).
    2008: Master in Experimental and Applied Biology, Class of Human Biology and Biomedical Sciences (University of Pavia, Italy).
    2006: Bachelor in Biological Sciences, Class of Human Biology and Biomedical Sciences (University of Pavia, Italy).
    [1] https://ki.se/en/neuro/iovino-laboratory
    [2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=iovino+federico&sort=date
    [3] https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=M-sgn1kAAAAJ&;hl=en&authuser=1
    [4] https://news.ki.se/federico-iovino-recognisedworld-expert-by-expertscape
    [5] https://news.ki.se/federico-iovino-awarded-the-bjarne-ahlstrom-minnesfonds-pris-2020-for-research-in-clinical
    [6] https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-1-4939-9199-0
    [7] https://www.elsevier.com/books/encyclopedia-of-infection-and-immunity/rezaei/978-0-12-818731-9

Research

  • INTERACTION BETWEEN PNEUMOCOCCI AND NEURONS CAUSING NEURONAL DEATH
    Neurons are the main cell component of the brain, and mediate many functions controlled by the brain. Neurological sequelae caused by bacterial infection of the brain occur in up to 70% of meningitis survivors and are due to a neuronal cell damage caused by the infection. Our goal is to study how pneumococci can interact with neurons, invade and kill neuronal cells.
    Publication by the Iovino Group:
    /PLOS Pathogens/, 2021
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33760879/ [1]
    BLOCKADE OF PNEUMOCOCCAL INTERACTION WITH NEURONS - A NOVEL THERAPEUTIC STRATEGY TO PREVENT NEURONAL DAMAGE DURING BACTERIAL MENINGOENCEPHALITIS
    Following up our recent discovery that ß-actin mediates pneumococcal binding to neuronal plasma membrane, we are now investigating novel approaches to block the interaction of S. pneumoniae with neuronal ß-actin to protect neurons during bacterial meningitis pathogenesis.
    THE ROLE OF NEURONS AS "HELPER CELLS" IN BRAIN IMMUNITY TOWARDS BACTERIAL INFECTIONS
    Neurons, as well as other eukaryotic cells, use autophagy to degrade accumulated and misfolded proteins and other waste material. Brain endothelial cells were previously shown to eliminate intracellular pneumococci through lysosomes. We want to investigate how neurons can use autophagy to eliminate intracellular pneumococci and protect themselves from bacterial infections during meningitis pathogenesis.
    Publication
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23785439

    THE PNEUMOLYSIN RELEASE PATTERN OF STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE AND ITS IMPLICATION IN NEURONAL CELL DAMAGE
    Pneumolysin is a pore-forming toxin released by Streptococcus pneumoniae and is known to damage the eukaryotic cells that gets in contact with. Pneumolysin is a conserved protein among pneumococcal serotypes, however it is not known if several isoforms of pneumolysin are released by different strains of S. pneumoniae. We want to investigate if different meningitis clinical isolates express and release different pneumolysins, and if different isoforms of pneumolysin have different pore-forming activity which can lead to different degrees of cytotoxicity towards eukaryotic cells, neurons in particular.

    THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN PNEUMOCOCCI AND MICROGLIA, THE PRIMARY IMMUNE CELLS OF THE BRAIN
    Microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, are the primary line of defense for the brain towards infection. Microglia can recognize bacterial proteins either secreted or surface-exposed and initiate phagocytosis to actively eliminate pathogens. In this project, we want to identify the pneumococcal proteins that trigger microglial phagocytic activity and use them as immunostimulatory agents to enhance this bacterial clearing activity.
    Publication by the Iovino Group:
    /Frontiers in Microbiology/, 2019
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30967852/ [3]

    THE PATTERN OF ENTRY OF THE BRAIN BY BLOOD-BORNE STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE
    Using our established bacteremia-derived meningitis mouse model and whole brain microscopy imaging, we want to identify what are the brain regions that are mostly affected by blood-borne pneumococcal invasion upon penetration of the blood-brain barrier.

    THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN BACTERIAL MENINGOENCEPHALITIS AND DEMENTIA
    Many molecular processes, like the injury of neuronal cells and the neuro-inflammation process, are common in both bacterial meningitis and neurodegenerative diseases. We want to investigate to what extent the neuronal damage caused by a bacterial infection of the brain can increase the risk for onset of dementia, such as Parkinson´s disease.
    This project is a collaboration with the research groups of Professor Gilberto Fisone (Department of Neuroscience), Professor Per Svenningsson (Department of Clinical Neuroscience), Dr. Joana Pereira (Department of Neurobiology, Care Science and Society), and Professor Fang Fang (Institute of Environmental Medicine) at Karolinska Institutet.
    Publication by the Iovino Group:
    /Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience/, 2021
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34149363/ [4]

    BACTERIOPHAGE-ENCODED ENDOLYSINS AS NEW ANTIMICROBIALS TO TREAT BACTERIAL MENINGOENCEPHALITIS
    Bacteriophage-encoded endolysins represent a novel type of antimicrobials that have received increasing attention due to their high killing efficacy, high specificity for the target pathogen and low chance of resistance development. Endolysins are enzymes encoded by bacteriophages that are produced at the end of the phage’s lytic cycle inside the bacterial host cell, from which they gain access to the cell wall and hydrolytically degrade their peptidoglycan substrate. In the context of Streptococcus pneumoniae, the antimicrobial potential has been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo for many pneumococcal endolysins, such as the well-studied cpl-1, cpl-7 and PAL. However, a major knowledge gap remains regarding their application potential for pneumococcal meningoencephalitis. The aim of the research group is to preclinically characterize and evaluate these promising pneumococcal endolysins against clinically relevant pneumococcal meningitis clinical isolates using cell culture models in vitro and our established bacteremia-derived meningitis mouse model.

    FLUID DYNAMICS IN THE BRAIN DURING PNEUMOCOCCAL MENINGITIS
    The glymphatic system is responsible for solute exchange and clearance is a critical process to maintain proper brain homeostasis and take away from the brain harmful material. During pneumococcal meningitis, the glymphatic system's functionality is impaired and the lack of proper solute exchange process leads to a progressive accumulation in the brain of bacteria and bacterial toxic components with consequent neuroinflammation and neuronal damage. In this project, we investigate how physiological processes of the brain are altered during cerebral invasive infectious diseases and how we can translate our results into new therapeutic strategies to preserve solute exchange systems to protect the brain during infections.
    Publication by the Iovino Group:
    /mBio/, 2022
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36036510/ [5]
    [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33760879/
    [2] https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mBio.00984-14
    [3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30967852/
    [4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34149363/
    [5] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36036510/

Teaching

  • Course coordinator and Lecturer: "The interplay between neuro-infections and neurodegenerative diseases" Course, PhD course, Doctoral Program in Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet.
    Lecturer: Infection and Immunology, Medical Microbiology ("Illness and Disease Course", Study Program of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet), Pneumococcal Infections (Cellular and Molecular Infection PhD course, Karolinska Institutet), Bacteriology ("Frontiers in Biomedicine" Course, Biomedicine Master’s Program, Karolinska Institutet).
    Examining teacher: "Frontiers in Biomedicine" Course, Biomedicine Master’s Program, Karolinska Institutet.

Articles

All other publications

Grants

  • Supporting innovators to fight drug-resistant infections
    INCATE
    1 May 2024
  • Blocking bacterial interaction with neurons: a new therapeutic strategy to prevent permanent neurological damage caused by brain infections
    Magnus Bergvall Foundation
    1 February 2024
  • Preventing neurological disabilities caused by perinatal brain infections
    Åhlén Foundation
    1 January 2024
  • The bacteria-neuron blockade, the FIRST therapeutic approach to prevent permanent neurological damage caused by infections
    Gun & Bertil Stohne Foundation
    1 January 2024
  • Novel fusion proteins with bacteriocidic, anti-neurotoxic and antibiotic synergistic properties to improve pneumococcal meningitis treatment
    HKH Crown Princess Lovisa's Association for Childcare
    1 November 2023 - 1 November 2024
  • Preventing permanent severe hearing loss caused by brain infections
    Tysta Skolan Foundation
    1 May 2023
  • A new therapeutic approach to prevent permanent neurological disabilities in infants and children affected by brain infections
    Wera Ekström Fund for Pediatric Research
    1 February 2023
  • Bakteriell interaktion med neuroner: ett nytt terapeutiskt mål mot hjärninfektioner
    Magnus Bergvall Foundation
    1 February 2023
  • Prevention of neurological disabilities caused by perinatal brain infections
    Åhlén Foundation
    1 January 2023
  • Blockade of pneumococcal‐neuron interaction to prevent neuronal damage in bacterial meningitis
    European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
    1 January 2023 - 1 January 2024
  • Establishment of the first therapeutic approach to prevent permanent neurological disabilities caused by brain bacterial infections
    Bjarne Alhström Memorial Fund
    1 January 2023
  • Bacterial interaction with neurons: a new therapeutic target against brain infections
    Magnus Bergvall Foundation
    1 January 2022
  • Preventing irreparable neurological damage after bacterial meningitis by blocking pathogen interaction with neurons
    Tore Nilson Foundation
    1 January 2022
  • Preventing neuronal loss that leads to Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases
    Foundation of the Elderly
    1 May 2021
  • Bacterial Meningitis: Understanding Bacterial Interactions with Microglia and Neurons to Develop New Methods to Boost the Brain Immune System and Prevent Neuronal Damage
    Tore Nilson Foundation
    1 January 2021
  • Förhindra irreparabel neurologisk skada efter bakteriell meningit genom att blockera patogeninteraktion med neuroner
    Magnus Bergvall Foundation
    1 January 2021
  • Understanding bacterial invasion of the brain: Interactions of Streptococcus pneumoniae with microglia and neurons.
    Åke Wibergs Stiftelse
    1 January 2020
  • Understanding bacterial invasion of the brain
    Loo & Hans Osterman Foundation
    1 November 2019
  • Start-up Grant
    StratNeuro
    1 June 2019
  • Show more

Employments

  • Principal Researcher, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 2023-

Degrees and Education

  • Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2021

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