Evren Alici group - Cell and Gene Therapy

Group leader

Evren Alici received his MD at Ege University in 1999 and received his PhD from Karolinska Institutet in 2006.
Evren's main research interests are natural killer cells, multiple myeloma, lentiviral and retroviral gene transfer, stem cell transplantation and immunology. 

Group members

Sophia completed her PhD in Biotechnology from the National Centre for Cell Science, India in April 2019. Sophia’s PhD research focus was on generation, in-depth characterization and differentiation of hiPSCs (human induced pluripotent stem cells) from adult stem cells. After completing her PhD, she worked on developing 3D human skin equivalents in vitro for a CRO- Jai Research Foundation, Vapi, India. 

In July 2022, Sophia joined Evren Alici's group as a Postdoctoral researcher. Sophia's main research interests include developing iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cell) lines from blood cells and working on iPSC derived NK cells in vitro. 

Nutsa Burduli joined the Evren Alici group in April 2020 where she is working on NK cell-based immunotherapies in Multiple Myeloma.

She completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s studies at National University of Ireland, Galway where she was first introduced to the area of NK cell research.

Nutsa has previously worked on genetic modifications in NK cells to treat pancreatic cancer.

Carin Dahlberg has been working in Evren Alici’s group as a Project Coordinator since March 2017. She is responsible for ongoing projects as well as setting up new collaborations. 

Carin defended her PhD thesis in Immunology in March 2015 at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC). After her PhD, she had a postdoctoral fellowship at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA for two years focusing on NK cell therapy for Multiple Myeloma.

Mari Gilljam is a Biomedical analyst (BMA) in Evren Alici's group, primarily working with cells, both primary and cell lines.

She is educated in GMP work and has developed a closed system for expansion of NK-cells. Mari has worked in a GMP facility producing NK-cells in a clinical trial, phase one.

Kelly Grahn is the Research Group Coordinator in the Evren Alici group.

She has many years of professional international Regulatory Affairs and Quality Systems experience from the Medtech industry. After an inspiring course in Global Health, with a focus on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Kelly joined the Evren Alici group in January 2018.

Kelly has a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada.

Alamdar Hussain is a Senior lab manager and joined the Evren Alici lab as a Postdoc in April 2017. His research interests include the generation and modification of retro and lenti viral vectors and chimeric receptors for cancer immunotherapy.

Alamdar received his PhD degree in Molecular Medicine from Karolinska Institutet in 2013. He worked as an Assistant Professor at CIIT, Pakistan between 2013- 2017. 

Charlotte Hållstrand has a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology. Prior to her role as Biomedical Scientist in the Evren Alici group, Charlotte worked at Vecura, KCC, Karolinska University Hospital, starting 1996. At Vecura she mostly worked with GMP production of cell and gene therapy products for clinical trials. 

Maria Karvouni first joined Evren Alici's group as a student of the Advanced course in Immune, Infection and Tumour Biology offered by Karolinska Institutet in 2017. Her research focuses on CAR-NK cells, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and functionalized spider silk for treatment of Multiple Myeloma.

Maria received her diploma in Pharmacy from the University of Athens, Greece, in 2014 and her M.Sc. in Stratified Medicine and Pharmacological Innovation from the University of Glasgow, UK, in 2016.

Kyra Kuhnigk joined Evren Alici's group as a PhD student in August 2020. Her research focuses on the killing dynamics and immune synapse formation of genetically modified NK cells. This work is carried out in collaboration with Björn Önfelt (SciLifeLab) at Karolinska Institutet.

Kyra received her M.Sc. in Molecular Life Sciences in 2019 from the University of Lübeck, Germany. 

One part of Stephan Meinke's research is the investigation of immune-phenotypes of different individuals. He is interested in the changes in different populations of immune cells between healthy donors and patients, as well as in patients in response to different treatments.

The other part of his research is transfusion immunology with a focus on antibody-mediated anti-platelet responses. Here, Stephan investigates an approach to generate suitable platelet products for anti-HLA immunised patients by removing HLA molecules from non-matched donor platelets. This work is in collaboration with Professor Petter Höglund at MedH, KI.

Dara Mohammad joined Evren Alici’s group as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist in June 2018 and became a Researcher in September 2020. Dara’s research interests include Immuno-cell signaling, cancer development and signal transduction of engineered Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) targeting diseases for cancer immunotherapy application.

Dara received his PhD degree in Molecular Medicine from Karolinska Institutet in 2015 under the supervision of Professor C.I. Edvard Smith. He then worked as a postdoctoral research scientist at Evox Therapeutics within Karolinska Institutet until May 2018.

Anders Norman received his M.Sc.Eng in Medical Biotechnology from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in 2018. His degree project was on the Recombination Enhancer in Kluyveromyces lactis, at the Department of Molecular Biosciences at Stockholm University. After that, Anders worked at a startup company in Solna where he developed cancer diagnostics based on Circulating Tumor Cells in liquid biopsies.

Hazel Reilly joined the Evren Alici group in November 2021 where she is working on tumour retargeted iPSC derived NK cells.

Hazel received her B.Sc. degree in Biomedical Science, from Technological University Dublin, in June 2020. She has previously worked on GMP manufacture of hESC derived RPE to treat dry age related macular degeneration.

Katharina Helene Susek joined Evren Alici’s group in January 2018 as a PhD student. Her research focus is the genetic modification of Natural Killer Cells to re-target immune checkpoint inhibition in Multiple Myeloma and herpes-simplex virus type 1 oncolytic virotherapy in the context of Multiple Myeloma and sarcoma.

After receiving her medical degree from the University of Muenster, Germany in winter 2014, Katharina worked as a physician at the Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Muenster from January 2015 until December 2017. 

Arnika Wagner joined Evren Alici’s group in September 2016 to study NK cells in immunotherapy in Multiple Myeloma. She is particularly interested in advancing the use of genetically modified NK cells in different immunotherapeutical approaches.

Arnika received her M.Sc. in 2008 from the University of Lübeck, Germany. She conducted her PhD studies under the supervision of Klas Kärre at the Dept of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet. Her research focused on NK cells in mouse models for immunotherapy, and studied the crosstalk of NK cells with other immune cells.

Research Assistants

Affiliated members

Alumni

Tolga Sütlü, PhD. Dissertation 2012: Expansion and genetic modification of human natural killer cells for adoptive immunotherapy of cancer. Opponent: Prof. Jeffrey S. Miller, University of Minnesota. Dr Sutlu left the lab for to do a postdoc at Sabanci University, Turkey. Dr Sütlü is now Assistant Professor at Sabanci University, Turkey.

Adil D. Duru, Postdoc. Left the lab 2014 for a senior staff scientist position at Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Florida, USA. Dr Duru is now Assistant Professor at Cell Therapy Institute, Nova Southeastern University, Florida, USA.

Katarina Uttervall, MD PhD (co-supervisor). Dissertation 2015: Biological markers and treatment as prognostic factors in multiple myeloma. Opponent: Prof. Ola Landgren, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr Uttervall is now working as an MD and is a post doc in our group.

Johan Lund, MD PhD (co-supervisor). Dissertation 2016: Clinical studies in multiple myeloma. Opponent: Prof. Frits van Rhee, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Dr Lund is now a hematology specialist and post doc in our group.

Ceyda Çalışkan, Postdoc. Ceyda visited our lab from November 2018 until November 2019.

Thuy Luu Thanh, PhD (co-supervisor). Dissertation 2020: Interleukin 15 throughout murine natural killer cell biology. 

Charlotte Gran, PhD (co-supervisor). Dissertation 2021: Strategies to assess and improve prognostication of plasma cell disorders.

Göran Wålinder, MD PhD (co-supervisor). Dissertation 2022: Plasma cell malignancies in Sweden: Subgroup descriptions and regional outcomes for multiple myeloma. Dr Wålinder is now working as an MD.

Nerges Winblad, PhD (co-supervisor). Dissertation 2022: Exploring early development and regenerative medicine using CRISPR/Cas9.

Selected publications

1. Comparison between procaine and isocarboxazid metabolism in vitro by a liver microsomal amidase-esterase.[Biochemical studies on camomile components/III. In vitro studies about the antipeptic activity of (--)-alpha-bisabolol (author's transl)]. Moroi K, Sato T, Isaac O, Thiemer K. Biochem. Pharmacol. Arzneimittelforschung 1975 AugSep;2425(169):1517-211352-4
2. A combination regimen of bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and betamethasone gives quicker, better and more durable response than VAD/CyBet regimens: results from a Swedish retrospective analysis.Uttervall K, Admasie J, Alici E, Lund J, Liwing J, Aschan J, et al. Acta Haematol. 2013;130(1):7-15
3. Inhibition of intracellular antiviral defense mechanisms augments lentiviral transduction of human natural killer cells: implications for gene therapy.
   Sutlu T, Nyström S, Gilljam M, Stellan B, Applequist SE, Alici E. Hum. Gene Ther. 2012 Oct;23(10):1090-100
4. Tracheobronchial transplantation with a stem-cell-seeded bioartificial nanocomposite: a proof-of-concept study.
   Jungebluth P, Alici E, Baiguera S, Blomberg P, Bozóky B, Crowley C, et al. Lancet 2011 12;378(9808):1997-2004
5. Ex vivo expansion of natural killer cells: a question of function.
   Sutlu T, Alici E. Cytotherapy 2011 Jul;13(6):767-8
6. Clinical impact of chromosomal aberrations in multiple myeloma.
   Nahi H, Sutlu T, Jansson M, Alici E, Gahrton J. Intern. Med. 2011 Feb;269(2):137-47
7. IPH-2101, a fully human anti-NK-cell inhibitory receptor mAb for the potential treatment of hematological cancers.
   Alici E. Curr. Opin. Mol. Ther. 2010 Dec;12(6):724-33
8. GMP facilities for manufacturing of advanced therapy medicinal products for clinical trials: an overview for clinical researchers.
   Alici E, Blomberg P. Curr Gene Ther 2010 Dec;10(6):508-15
9. Clinical-grade, large-scale, feeder-free expansion of highly active human natural killer cells for adoptive immunotherapy using an automated bioreactor.
   Sutlu T, Stellan B, Gilljam M, Quezada HC, Nahi H, Gahrton G, et al. Cytotherapy 2010 Dec;12(8):1044-55
10. Suicide gene therapy for graft-versus-host disease.
    Georgoudaki AM, Sutlu T, Alici E. Immunotherapy 2010 Jul;2(4):521-37