Karl Tryggvason
Karl Tryggvason´s group carries out research on the molecular structure, biology and diseases of basement membranes.
Division Chief, Professor Karl Tryggvason
- Phone:
- +46-8-524 877 20
- Fax:
- +46-8-31 61 65
- E-mail:
The basement membranes (BM) are specialized extracellular structures that promote cellular differentiation, migration and adhesion, and they are involved in many diseases. The group has characterized numerous BM proteins and their genes, and elucidated the molecular basis of five genetic BM diseases; Alport syndrome, diffuse leiomyomatosis, junctional epidermolysis bullosa, congenital muscular dystrophy and congenital nephrotic syndrome.
BMs are an important component of the kidney filter that is currently a major target of the group's research. The involvement of BMs in diabetes complications and tumor invasion and metastasis is also a major research focus. Furthermore, the group has carried out extensive work on matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and novel bacteria binding macrophage receptors MARCO and SCARA5.
About Karl Tryggvason
Karl Tryggvason, MD, PhD, a citizen of Iceland and Sweden, got his MD training at the Univerisity of Oulu in Finland. He is a specialist in clinical chemistry (clinical pathology). He has spent 4 years as postdoc and visiting professor in the USA, and was professor of biochemistry at the University of Oulu prior to his move to Karolinska Institutet in 1995. He is currently professor of medical chemistry at the Department of Medical Chemistry and Biophysics (MBB) and a member of the Nobel Assembly for physiology or medicine.
Karl Tryggvason has made broad contributions to the characterization of the structure and biology of basement membranes and has identified the molecular basis of five genetic diseases, two of which are kidney diseases. He has a research staff of about 30 persons from numerous countries.Tryggvason is cofounder of BioStratum Inc. and NephroGenex Inc.
