Anders Österborg's Group

Our group, which is lead by prof Anders Österborg and prof Håkan Mellstedt, has a tradition since the early 1980ies in developing targeted therapies for patients with B cell malignancies (chronic lymphocytic leukemia and B cell lymphomas).
The aim is to develop and optimize chemotherapy-free precision medicine to avoid or delay multidrug resistance and to reduce long-term conventional toxicity. Our research is conducted in 4 separate areas, each lead by a senior project leader and group member.


Research area A: Exploring new targets and developing new drugs.
Lead by Mohammad Hojjat-Farsangi, PhD, senior researcher.
We have a current focus on ROR1, an embryonic antigen expressed by many tumor types but abundant on most normal cells. Extensive characterization of ROR1 is performed and first-in-class small molecule inhibitors of ROR1 are developed in collaboration with Kancera AB (Solna Science Park). Another focus is TME (tumor microenvironment) and in particular nurse-like cells, that are inhibited in vitro by drug-mediated interference with the fractalkine axis. Examples of recent publications: Ghaderi A et al, EjHaem 2021, and Pharmaceutics 2022.

Research area B: Immune regulation of B cell malignancies.
Lead by Marzia Palma, MD, PhD.
We perform in-depth analysis of immunoregulatory cell populations preferentially in patients with CLL and Hodgkin’s disease. An important part is monitoring of immune functions during targeted therapies such as BTK-inhibitors (ibrutinib, zanubrutinib) and during Bcl-2 inhibition (venetoclax) in patients. Examples of recent publications: Palma M et al, Front Immunol 2021, Mulder T el al, HemaSphere 2021 and 2022.

Research area C: Academic clinical trials using targeted precision therapeutics in B cell malignancies.
Lead by: Jeanette Lundin, MD, PhD, assoc. prof.
The aim to develop optimized chemotherapy-free treatment regimens, including but not limited to BTK and Bcl-2 inhibitors. An important project is the ongoing ibrutinib “On-Off”phase 2 study, with the aim to reduce the risk of acquired resistance (BTK-mutation) and long-term side effects. Another study explores pre-emptive therapy in early-stage high-risk CLL. Examples of recent publications: Lundin J et al EjHaem 2021, Ma S et al, Leuk Res 2022.

Research area D: : Real-world evidence studies on new precision therapies and Covid-19 in CLL.
Lead by: Lotta Hansson, MD, PhD, assoc.prof.
Here we aim to describe the true effects of new (high-cost) targeted therapeutics in a wider population of patients treated real-world i.e. outside clinical trials that often recruit selected patients. Real-world (RWE) is of major importance for patients, health care professionals and society as a whole. We also study Covid-19 from a clinical and immunological point-of-view, including mRNA vaccination. Examples of recent publications: Bergman P et al eBioMedicine 2021, Blixt L et al Leukemia 2022 and Blood 2022.
Contact
Leila Relander, research coordinator
Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet
E-mail: leila.relander@regionstockholm.se, leila.relander@ki.se
Group members autumn 2022:
Andersson Maria, PhD student, resident in hematology
Blixt Lisa, PhD student, resident in hematology
Eketorp Sylvan Sandra, PhD, consultant oncology
Fahlén Anna, research nurse
Frödin Jan-Erik, assoc prof, senior physician
Ghaderi Amineh, PhD
Hansson Lotta, assoc prof, senior physician
Heimersson Kia, BMA
Hojjat-Farsangi Mohammad, PhD, senior researcher
Karlsson Claes, PhD, senior physician
Kokhaei Parviz, PhD, senior researcher
Lundin Jeanette, assoc prof, senior physician
Mattsson Agnes, PhD student, consultant internal medicine
Mellstedt Håkan, prof
Mosfegh Ali, PhD, senior researcher
Mulder Tom, MD, PhD
Murén Ingelman-Sundberg Hanna, PhD, resident in oncology
Palma Marzia, PhD, senior physician
Relander Leila, research coordinator
Svensson Ann, BMA
Zhong Wen, PhD student
Österborg Anders, prof, senior physician