Britt Gustafsson

Britt Gustafsson

Professor Emeritus | Docent
Visiting address: Enheten för pediatrik, Novum, Blickagången 6A, 14157 Huddinge
Postal address: H9 Klinisk vetenskap, intervention och teknik, H9 CLINTEC Pediatrik, 141 52 Huddinge
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Research

  • *Studies of potential risk factors and prognostic factors after hematopoietic
    stem cell transplantation in children*
    Although cure rates in acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL) in children have
    improved during the last decades with an event free 5-year survival of 85 %
    it remains a challenge to understand how molecular aberrations influence the
    prognosis of ALL and thus the choice of optimal therapy. Hematopoietic stem
    cell transplantation (HSCT) is an established treatment for certain
    leukaemias with poor prognosis or relapses. Survival has improved, but there
    is a high risk for severe complications. Our research include studies
    concerning molecular aberrations in ALL and clinical studies to identify
    certain risk factors after HSCT. Finally we want to explore whether music
    therapy is a suitable therapy form for children after HSCT and if it improves
    the psychological and overall well being of the patients. Our research
    projects fall into the following questions/studies:
    * Can certain molecular proteins in the bone marrow predict the prognosis in
    leukaemia before and after HSCT?
    * Is there a prenatal origin of leukaemia? By investigating Guthrie cards in
    two approaches: viral studies and searching for leukemic clones we hope to
    find some answers.
    * Can certain neurotropic viruses cause neurological complications after
    HOST?
    * Is it possible to identify certain risk factors for children developing
    severe graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) in the gastro intestinal tract
    after HSCT?
    * Can music therapy affect the physiological and physical recovery after HCT
    in children?
    *The research group:*
    The PhD students working into the above projects are; Emma Honkaniemi, she
    has fulfilled her half-time seminar and she will defend her thesis in the end
    of 2014 or in the beginning of 2015. She has studied molecular proteins in
    bone marrow samples and she has also investigated certain viruses in prenatal
    neonatal blood spots. Thomas Mårtensson was registered as a PhD student in
    May 2013 and he is investigating different risk factors for developing GVHD
    in the gastrointestinal tract. Kristin Mattson was registered as a PhD
    student in Nov. 2013 and she continues the studies concerning prognostic
    factors in bone marrow samples after HSCT and she will also search for
    certain leukemic clones in Guthrie cards. Lena Uggla is the music therapist
    and she is investigating if music therapy can reduce anxiety, improve mood,
    increase quality of life and support the mental health recovery after stem
    cell transplantation. We plan to register her as a PhD student spring 2014.
    Professor J.Winiarski, professor M.Hassan, professor B. Sander, medical
    doctor G. Bogdanovic, associate professor G. Barbany, associate professor
    J.Mattson, associate professor T.Casswall, medical doctor K.Ramme, medical
    doctor B-M Swahn and associate professor B.Wrangsjö are all connected to
    different parts of the above projects.
    *Finances*
    Our research has been generously supported by the Swedish Child Cancer
    Foundation, the Samariten foundation, Mary Béves foundation, the Ekhaga
    foundation and ALF foundations.

Articles

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Grants

Employments

  • Professor Emeritus, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 2026-2029
  • Adjunct Professor, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 2013-2020

Degrees and Education

  • Docent, Karolinska institutet, 2004
  • Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, 2000

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