Aleksandra Antovic

Aleksandra Antovic

Adjunct Senior Lecturer | Docent
Visiting address: D2:01, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, 17176 Stockholm
Postal address: K2 Medicin, Solna, K2 Reuma Antovic A, 171 77 Stockholm
Part of:

About me

  • Aleksandra Antovic, MD, PhD is Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer Adjunct at Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Solna and senior consultant in rheumatology at Karolinska University Hospital, ME Gastroenterology Dermatology Rheumatology. 
    Dr Antovic is, together with Dr Francesca Faustini and Dr Agneta Zickert, head of Lupus clinic at Rheumatology, Karolinska University Hospital.

     
    Since 2024 Aleksandra has been appointed as a research group leader for the SLE/APS/ANCA-vasculitis group, at Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine, Solna.

Research

  • For last 20 years Aleksandra Antovic has conducted research projects in coagulation medicine and she have been able to transfer and use this unique competence in order to perform studies on the occurrence and underlying mechanisms of thromboembolic manifestations and comorbidities in inflammatory systemic diseases such as vasculitis diseases, antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The research is translational, in close collaboration with clinical researchers and at the research laboratories at the Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM) and at the coagulation research laboratory at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery.
    Through our studies, we have been able to highlight the importance of vascular complications in rheumatic diseases, which has resulted in expanding this research area and several research groups today conduct studies on these issues in collaboration with our group. We also participate in studies of clinical monitoring of vascular pregnancy complications in patients with rheumatic diseases, specially SLE and APS.
    Dr Antovic was recently awarded the Scandinavian Research Foundation/Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology's award for successful research in rheumatology.

Teaching

  • 2017-2021: Responsible for undergaduate education of medical students at the Academic Specialist Centrum, Centrum for rheumatology
    2016: Pedagogic Award at Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine Huddinge

    - Current supervisor of PhD students:
    Main supervisor:
    • Natali Karandyszowska, project title: Diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome. Registered at KI, Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Rheumatology, June 2021.
    • Esin Ylmaz, title: The impact of female hormonal fluctuations on SLE features and damage. Registered at KI, Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Rheumatology, March 2023.
    Co-supervisor:
    • Anna Juto, title: Clinical and molecular studies in ANCA-associated vasculitis. KI, Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Rheumatology, Half-time June 2023.

    - Supervisor of PhD students finished PhD thesis:
    Main supervisor:
    • Jelena Colic, February 2023, project title: Hemostatic disturbances in patients with systemic sclerosis. Erasmus plus exchange of PhD students between KI and University of Belgrade, Serbia.
    • Lalic-Cosic Sanja, May 2022, project title: Evaluation of the hypercoagulability markers and global hemostatic tests in pregnanacies complicated with preeclampsia. Erasmus plus exchange of PhD students between KI and University of Belgrade, Serbia.
    • Aleksandra Vranic, November 2019, project title: Circulating microparticles in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Erasmus plus exchange of PhD students between KI and University of Kragujevac, Serbia.
    Co-supervisor:
    • Asta Jonasdottir, KI, Dept. of Medicine Huddinge, thesis November 2022, title: Evaluation of novel biomarkers for diagnosis of ANCA-associated vasculitis.
    • Giorgia Grosso, KI, Dept. of Medicine Solna, thesis 2021-05-07, title: Thrombotic and Cardiac disease in the Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS).
    • Anna Vikerfors KI, Dept. of Medicine Solna, thesis 2015-02-24, title: Antifosfolipidsyndrom (APS): clinical, serological and genetic studies.
    • Eli Westerlund KIDS, thesis May 2013, title: Effects of in vitro fertilization on hemostasis and the relationship between infertility and cardiovascular disease.
    • Sara Tehrani KIDS, thesis 2014-01-10, title: Studies on haemostasis and microvascular function in patients with type 1 diabetes: effects of treatment with statin and aspirin.

Articles

All other publications

Grants

  • Increased risk for thrombotic complications in patients with rheumatic diseases -from register data to individual patient and biomarkers
    Stockholm County Council and Karolinska Institutet (ALF)
    1 January 2024 - 31 December 2025
    Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common thrombotic vascular condition, comprising deep venous thrombosis-DVT and pulmonary embolism-PE. PE has a mortality rate of >15% in the first 3 months after diagnosis. Many studies show that patients with rheumatic diseases have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Comparatively little is known about the VTE-risk in rheumatic disorders. Despite the suggestive mechanistic links between systemic autoimmune diseases and VTEs, these highly inflammatory conditions are under-recognized as risk factors for hypercoagulability, and the underlying mechanisms explaining the increased risk for VTEs have not been clarified. We aim to identify, understand and eventually treat the underlying causes for VTE in consecutive cohorts of patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), systemic sclerosis (SSc), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The cross-talk between the coagulation, fibrinolysis and inflammation will be studied by investigating endothelial activation, the levels and activity of extracellular vesicles, thrombin generation, fibrin formation, fibrinolyisis and fibrin clot structure in relation to complement activation and inflammatory markers. In this way we would be able to link different steps of hemostatic process with inflammatory response and clinical characteristics of patients with AAV, APS, SSc, RA and PsA. Performing all analysis simultaneously in a single plasma sample comprises the investigation of virtually all components of hemostais without the need to analyse the whole blood. Identifying clinical- and laboratory characteristics of patients at VTE-risk among patients with AAV, APS, SSc, RA and PsA has important consequences in terms of management and treatment
    one might speculate that an addition of anticoagulant treatment to the aggressive anti-inflammatory treatment during flares could remodel vascular involvement especially in early stages of these diseases. The knowledge and clinical experience from this project should lead to favorable prognosis for individual patients.
  • Increased risk for thrombotic complications in patients with rheumatic diseases - from register data to individual patient and biomarkers
    Heart-Lung Foundation
    1 January 2023 - 31 December 2025
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2023 - 31 December 2025
    SLE is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease, characterized by the production of autoantibodies. Vascular disease (VD) is a major cause of early morbidity and mortality. Based on clinical experience and unsupervised clustering of 13 clinically relevant autoantibodies in 911 patients, we identified 4 SLE subgroups. Roughly outlined below:Anti-SSA/SSB, skin manifestations, Sjogren’s syndrom, HLA-DRB1*03Anti- dsDNA/nucleosome/Sm, nephritis, enhanced atherosclerosis, early onset, HLA-DRB1*15aPL, clotting disorders, HLA-DRB1*04No autoantibodies, late onset, no HLA association.Aim: To identify mechanisms contributing to autoimmunity and VD, by analyses of the 4 SLE subgroups separately.Method: We have since 1995 followed well-characterized cohorts, comprising &gt
    800 SLE, and 320 controls, every 10 years. Follow-up is ongoing at the clinic and in the National Patient Registries (NPR), where we also identify all Swedish SLE patients (N=7000) and 10 controls/patient.We seek to determine if the 4 groups differ regarding:Proteomics, new autoantibodies and microparticles (vesicles of cellular origin).Blood samples drawn during the different menstrual phases in women with SLE (new approach).Vascular function in the heart, as determined by cardiac magnetic resonance investigation.VD and long-term outcomes in NPRSignificance: Our results can impact how we diagnose and treat SLE in the future. VD mainly affects groups 2 and 3 but by different mechanisms, calling for tailored preventive treatment.
  • Clinical and laboratory predictors of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with rheumatic diseases
    Stockholm County Council and Karolinska Institutet (ALF)
    1 January 2022 - 31 December 2023
  • Clinical and laboratory predictors of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with systemic inflammatory diseases
    Stockholm County Council and Karolinska Institutet (ALF)
    1 January 2019 - 31 December 2021
  • Clinical and laboratory predictors of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with systemic inflammatory diseases
    Stockholm County Council and Karolinska Institutet
    1 January 2018 - 31 December 2018
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2015 - 31 December 2018

Employments

  • Senior consultant, ME Gastroenterology, Dermatology Rheumatology, Karolinska University Hospital, 2021-
  • Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 2020-2025
  • Senior consultant, Academic Specialist Center, Center for Rheumatology, Stockholm Health Services., 2017-2021

Degrees and Education

  • Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2015
  • Doctor Of Philosophy, Dept of Surgical Science, Karolinska Institutet, 2004

Leadership and responsibility assignments

  • Research team leader, Research Group SLE/APS/Vasculitis, Department of Medicine Solna (MEDS), Karolinska Institutet, 2024-

Supervision

  • Supervision to doctoral degree

    • Esin Ylmaz, The impact of female hormonal fluctuations on SLE features and damage, 2023-
    • Natali Karandyszowska, Diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome, 2021-

Committee work

  • Member, EULAR Study Group on Reproductive Health & Family Planning, European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology, 2023-
  • Member, Swedish Rheumatology Association, 2023-

Thesis evaluation

  • Ebba Westerberg, Examination board member, Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Molecular Profiling of Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML), 2024
  • Shahrzad Kia Komujuni, Examination board member, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Optimising treatment outcomes in people leaving with systemic lupus erythematosus, 2022
  • Alexander Juto, Examination board member, Department of Clinical Neuroscience & Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM), Neuroimmunology Unit., Karolinska Institutet, Anti-CD20 therapy in multiple sclerosis : clinical and paraclinical outcomes, 2021
  • Muna Saleh, Examination board member, Department of Biomedical & Clinical Sciences Rheumatology/Division of Inflammation & Infection, Linköping University Hospital, Half-time examination. Title: Biomarkers associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and other disease-related manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus, 2021
  • Karin Hjorton, Examination board member, Uppsala Universitet, Department of Medical Sciences, The activation and regulation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells in SLE and possible therapeutic interventions, 2020
  • Margarita Ivanchenko, Examination board member, Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Cellular and Molecular Factors in the Pathogenesis of Systemic Autoimmunity and Comorbidities, 2019
  • Eva Waldheim, Examination board member, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Nursing, Karolinska Institutet, When systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) involves pain: occurrence and impact on daily life, 2018
  • Ingrid Lekander, Examination board member, Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Karolinska Institutet, 2017
  • Torstein Jensen, Opponent, Hematological Researh Laboratory, Oslo, Norway, University of Oslo, Norway, Studies on subfractions of fibrinogen. With special emphasis on fibrinogen quantification, viscosity and inflammation, 2008

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