MIR - Research group
This page describes who is currently working at the Division of Medical Inflammation Research and enlists our former and current PhD students. Furthermore, it gives an insight in our social activities within the division.
Head of division
Rikard Holmdahl
ProfessorPlease contact Angel Yao Mattisson for questions regarding the Division of Medical Inflammation Research.
Research group

Name | Title |
---|---|
Mike Aoun | Postdoctoral researcher |
Rajan Kumar Pandey | Postdoctoral researcher |
Michael Bonner | PhD student |
Ana Coelho | PhD student |
Changrong Ge | Affiliated |
Yibo He | PhD student |
Rikard Holmdahl | Professor |
Alexander Krämer | PhD student |
Taotao Li | PhD student |
Alex Moreno Giro | PhD student |
Huqiao Luo | PhD student |
Erik Lönnblom | Postdoctoral researcher |
Laura Romero Castillo | Postdoctoral researcher |
Outi Sareila | Affiliated |
Caroline Svensson | PhD student |
Zhongwei Xu | PhD student |
Angel Yao Mattisson | Project coordinator |
(Erasmus student) |
Lab social
Former and current PhD students
Awarded PhDs
Main supervision
- Mikael Andersson: 901214, "Self reactivity and tolerance in the immune system. Studies on T cells in murine type II collagen-induced arthritis", Medical Faculty, Uppsala University, opponent Antonio Coutinho, Paris.
- Tom J Goldschmidt: 910927, “T lymphocytes in autoimmune arthritis. Monoclonal antibody treatments in mouse and rat”, Medical Faculty, Uppsala University, opponent Anne Cooke, Cambridge.
- Liselotte Jansson, 940330; “Sex mediated influence in experimental models for rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis” Medical Faculty, Uppsala University, opponent Paul Wooley, Detroit.
- John A Mo, 941007; “B cell recognition of type II collagen in mouse cartilage” Medical Faculty, Uppsala University opponent Dan Holmberg, Umeå.
- Erik Michaëlsson, 960404, “T cell recognition of type II collagen - A cartilage glycoprotein of importance for autoimmune arthritis”, Medical Faculty, Lund University, opponent Polly Matzinger, New York.
- Vivianne Malmström, 970920, “Arthritis susceptibility and tolerance in collagen transgenic mice”, Medical Faculty, Lund University, opponent Erna Möller, Stockholm.
- Carina Vingsbo-Lundberg, 971108, “Chronic autoimmune arthritis in rats; pathogenesis and genetic factors”, Medical Faculty, Lund University, opponent Frank Emmrich, Leipzig.
- Ulrica Brunsberg, 980516, "The importance of major histocompatibility complex class II genes for the development of autoimmune inflammation", Medical Faculty, Lund University, opponent Ulf Gyllensten, Uppsala.
- Peter Kjellén, 991201, "The structural basis of MHC control in experimental autoimmunity", Medical Faculty, Lund University, opponent Sören Buus, Copenhagen.
- Alexandre Corthay, 000310, “T cells in autoimmunity, studies on murine type II collagen induced arthritis”, Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent George Kollias, Athens.
- Johan Jirholt, 001215, “A search for genes influencing autoimmunity. Focus on rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis”, Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Holger Luthman, Stockholm.
- Mikael Vestberg, 010126, “MHC and transgenic mice. A study into function and polymorphism of class I and class II molecules”, Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Jan Böhme, Stockholm.
- Ann-Sofie Hansson, 011019, “New models for relapsing polychondritis and rheumatoid arthritis, focus on the tissue specific response”, Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Norman Staines, London.
- Åsa Johansson, 011019, “T cells, cytokines, and genetic factors in autoimmunity. Studies of experimental models of arthritis and sialadenitis”, Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Linda Wicker, Cambridge.
- Shemin Lu, 020212, “Genetic analyses and vaccination of rat models of arthritis”, Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Raimund Kinne, Jena.
- Lars Svensson, 020213, “Role of B cells and cytokines in arthritis”, Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Hans Carlsten, Göteborg.
- Johan Bäcklund, 020924, “Studies on T cells reactive with posttranslational modification in arthritis”, Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Ludvig Sollid, Oslo.
- Patrik Wernhoff, 020924, “Genetic control of autoantibodies in experimental autoimmune disease”, Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Claudia Berek, Berlin.
- Peter Olofsson, 030527, “Identification of arthritis regulating genes in rats”Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Tim Aitman, London.
- Jens Holmberg, 041210, “Reduced ROS production triggers arthritis”Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Cor Verweij, Amsterdam.
- Martina Johannesson, 050128, “Novel strategies to explore the complex genetics of autoimmune diseases”Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Karl Broman, Baltimore, USA.
- Robert Bockermann, 050523 “The role of T cells and T cell receptor polymorphism in controlling pathways leading to arthritis”Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Juan Lafaille, New York, USA.
- Estelle Bajtner, 050917, “Role of collagen type II specific antibodies in arthritis”. Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Marie Wahren, KI, Stockholm.
- Stefan Carlsen, 051015, “Cartilage proteins and their antigenic properties in arthritis”, Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Richard Williams, London, UK.
- Kutty Selva Nandakumar, 060127, “Analysis of effector pathways in arthritis”, Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Birgitta Heyman, Uppsala, Sweden
- Lina Olsson, 071130, “Genetic and genomic analysis of arthritis regulating regions in human and mouse.” Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Janna Saarela, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
- Emma Ahlqvist, 071201, “Identification of arthritis susceptibility genes in mice and humans” Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Jonathan Flint, Oxford University, Oxford, UK.
- Malin Hultqvist, 071214, “The role of reactive oxygen species in animal models of autoimmunity” Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Philip Hawkins, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK.
- Carola Rintisch, 090213, "From Disease to the Gene-identification of arthritis-regulating loci in rats" Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Abdelhadi Saoudi, National Institute of Health and Medical Research, University Paul Sabatier, Hospital Purpan, Toulouse, France
- Therese Lindvall, 091127, "From Disease to Genes in Animal Models of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis" Medical faculty, Lund University, opponent Krisitna Lejon, Immunology, Umeå University
- Angela Pizzolla, 111209, "The role of Macrophages in Regulating Inflammation by Oxidative Burst". Karolinska Institutet, opponent Kristoffer Hellstrand, Gothenburg University
- Michael Förster, 121027, "The Genetics of Experimental Arthritis in Rodents", Karolinska Institutet, opponent Göran Andersson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala
- Bruno Raposo, 121130, "Genetic Regulation of Autoantibodies in Arthritis: Lessons From Mouse Models". Karolinska Institutet, opponent Dan Holmberg, Copenhagen University, Denmark
- Ingrid Lindh, 130412, "Autoantibody Recognition of Collagen Type II in Arthritis". Karolinska Institutet, opponent Leendert Trouw, Leiden University, Netherlands
- Tiina Kelkka, 130426, "Reactive oxygen species in inflammation", University of Turku, opponent Lars Rönnblom, Uppsala University, Sweden
- Jonatan Tuncel, 130601, "Functional and Genetic Analyses of the MHC and its impact on Autoimmunity in the Rat", Karolinska Institute, opponent Jacques Neefjes, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Netherlands
- Sabrina Haag, 140412, "The MHC and the Recognition of Self and Altered Self in Experimental and Rheumatoid Arthritis" Karolinska Institute, Lars Fugger, University of Oxford, UK
- Anthony Yau 161209 “Positional identification and functional analysis of genes regulating autoimmune arthritis” Karolinska Institutet, opponent Prof Edward Wakeland, Dallas.
- Ulrika Norin 170324 "Identification of genetic variants and their implications in autoimmunity", opponent Marie Malissen, från Centre d’Immunologic de Marseille-Luminy France.
- Cecilia Hagert 171202 “The innate immune system as a driver of Rheumatoid Arthritis”, opponent Prof. Robert Harris, Karolinska Institutet
- Daniëlle Vaartjes 180616 “From genes to function in autoimmunity - a salty story” Karolinska Institutet, opponent Bryce Binstadt, Univ. of Minnesota
- Erik Lönnblom 210610 “Antibodies as pathogenic factors and biomarkers in rheumatoid arthritis”, opponent Prof. Carl Turesson, Lund University
- Gonzalo Fernandez Lahore 210820 “Identifying genetic determinants of T cell-dependent autoimmunity using forward genetics", Opponent: Prof. Vijay Kuchroo, Harvard Medical School, USA
- Jaime James 210924 “Redox Regulation of T cells in autoimmunity”, Opponent: Prof. Tomas Mustelin, University of Washington, USA
- Weiwei Cai 211105 ”Analysis of Antibodies to Cartilage Oligomeric matrix Protein in Rheumatoid Arthritis and in mouse Models”, Opponent: Prof. Silke Appel, University of Bergen, Norway
Current PhD students (as a main supervisor)
46) Yibo He (KI), 47) Michael Bonner (KI), 48) Taotao Li (KI), 49) Alexander Krämer (KI), 50) Ana Coelho (KI), 51) Huqiao Lou (KI), 52) Zhongwei Xu (KI), 53) Yanpeng Li (SMU), 54) Alex Moreno Giro (KI), 55) Carolin Svensson (KI)
Assistant supervisor for the following PhD
1) Per Larsson, UU 1989, main supervisor Lars Klareskog, 2) Inga Hansson, UU 1993, main supervisor Ragnar Mattsson, 5) Jinan Li, UmeåU 2004, main supervisor Tor Ny 3) Hai Tao Yang, UU 2000, main supervisor Prof. Ulf Pettersson; 4) Ingrid Teige, LU 2004, main supervisor Prof. Shoreh Issasadeh; 6) Meirav Holmdahl, LU 2005, main supervisor Prof. Anders Grubb 7) Jenny Karlsson, LU 2005, main supervisor Prof. Shoreh Issasadeh, 8) Alexandra Treschow, LU 2005, main supervisor Prof. Shoreh Issasadeh 9) Patrick Merky, KI 2011, main supervisor Docent Johan Bäcklund; 11) Ia Khalmadze, KI 2014, main supervisor Prof. Kutty Selva Nandakumar; 12) Simon Guerad, KI 2016 main supervisor Dr Kajsa Wing:; 13) Katrin Klocke, KI 2017, main supervisor Dr Kajsa Wing; 14) Bibo Liang, SMU 2017, main supervisor Prof. Zhao Ming; 15) Dongmei Tong, SMU 2018, main supervisor Prof. Zhao Ming, 16) Mike Aoun, Main supervisor Dr Liselotte Bäckdahl, 210903 “Positional cloning of polymorphic loci that control autoreactive T cells”, Opponent: Prof. Marc K. Jenkins, University of Minnesota, USA