Federico Iovino

Federico Iovino

Principal Researcher | Docent
Telephone: +46852487121
Visiting address: Solnavägen 9, Biomedicum, kvarter D7, 17165 Solna
Postal address: C4 Neurovetenskap, C4 Forskning Iovino, 171 77 Stockholm
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About me

  • Associate Professor (Docent), Principal Investigator and Group Leader

    Between 2009 and 2013, I performed my PhD in Medical Microbiology under the supervision of Prof. Jan Maarten van Dijl and Prof. Grietje Molema studying how Streptococcus pneumoniae interact with endothelial cells causing meningitis. In 2010, I have been visiting PhD student in the lab of Prof. Carlos Orihuela in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, USA.

    After my PhD graduation in November 2013, I started my postdoc in December 2013 at the Karolinska Institutet, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC) where I continued my studies on pneumococcal meningitis. My postdoc studies have been published in the leading journals 

  • Journal of Clinical Investigation (2016), Journal of Experimental Medicine (2017), and Journal of Infectious Diseases (2018).
    I was awarded in 2018 with the Four-year funding for Assistant Professor position by the Karolinska Institutet Board of Research and in 2020 with the Starting Grant in Medicine and Health from the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet). Because of my profound interest in nervous system infections, in January 2021 I have started my own independent laboratory of Neuro-Infections and Neuroinflammation at the Department of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet. I was appointed Docent (Associate Professor) in Medical Microbiology in December 2021 and Principal Researcher (Senior Forskare) in April 2023.

     

  • PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR APPOINTMENTS

    2023: Principal Researcher (Senior Forskare), Department of Neuroscience, KI.

    2021: Docentship (Associate Professorship) in Medical Microbiology, Department of Neuroscience, KI.

    2021: Group Leader, Department of Neuroscience, KI.

    2018: Assistant Professorship in Medical Science, KI.


    BIBLIOMETRICS
    Total number of publications on Pubmed: 30 (Pubmed link: sort=date">https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=iovino+federico&

  • sort=date)
    Total number of last-author and corresponding-author publications: 10
    Total number of first-author publications: 16
    Citations and h-index:hl=sv"> https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=M-sgn1kAAAAJ&
  • hl=sv
    Total Impact Points: 210

Research

  • In my laboratory, we investigate molecular mechanisms of bacterial interaction with brain cells during meningoencephalitis pathogenesis. In particular, we are interested in elucidating the interactions between bacteria and neurons leading to neuronal cell death, pathological hallmark of the neurological disabilities experienced by 70% of the individuals affected with bacterial meningoencephalitis. Our goal is to understand the molecular properties of bacteria-neuron interaction and develop strategies to block it in order to prevent neuronal damage. In addition, we are also interested in understanding how brain immunity reacts towards bacteria attacking the central nervous system. Microglia, the brain immune sentinels, can recognize proteins either surface-exposed or secreted by the bacteria and initiate phagocytosis to eliminate the pathogen threat. Our goal is to identify such proteins and use them as immunotherapy to stimulate microglia to excert a quick and efficient bacterial elimination.

Teaching

  • TEACHING AT KI

    Course coordinator and Lecturer: “Interplay between neuro-infections and neurodegenerative diseases”, PhD Course, Neuroscience Doctoral Program (2023-ongoing)

  • “Bacteriology” Course, Biomedicine Bachelor Program (2016-2022).
    Lecturer: Infection and Immunology, and Medical Microbiology, “Illness and Disease” Course, Study Program of Medicine
  • “Pneumococcal Infections”, “Cellular and Molecular Infection” PhD course.
    Laboratory teacher: “Medical Microbiology” Course, Study Program of Medicine
  • “Bacteriology” Laboratory Course, Biomedicine Bachelor Program.
    Examining teacher: “Frontiers in Biomedicine” Course, Biomedicine Master Program.

Articles

All other publications

Grants

  • Medicin 2025, projektmedel
    ALF (Region Stockholm)
    1 January 2025 - 31 December 2024
  • Etablering av en ny neuroprotektiv terapi för att förhindra hörselnedsättning orsakad av hjärninfektioner
    Stiftelsen Tysta Skolan
    1 June 2024
  • Supporting innovators to fight drug-resistant infections
    INCATE
    1 May 2024
  • Blocking bacterial interaction with neurons: a new therapeutic strategy to prevent permanent neurological damage caused by brain infections
    Magnus Bergvall Foundation
    1 February 2024
  • Preventing neurological disabilities caused by perinatal brain infections
    Åhlén Foundation
    1 January 2024
  • The bacteria-neuron blockade, the FIRST therapeutic approach to prevent permanent neurological damage caused by infections
    Gun & Bertil Stohne Foundation
    1 January 2024
  • Novel fusion proteins with bacteriocidic, anti-neurotoxic and antibiotic synergistic properties to improve pneumococcal meningitis treatment
    HKH Crown Princess Lovisa's Association for Childcare
    1 November 2023 - 1 November 2024
  • Preventing permanent severe hearing loss caused by brain infections
    Tysta Skolan Foundation
    1 May 2023
  • A new therapeutic approach to prevent permanent neurological disabilities in infants and children affected by brain infections
    Wera Ekström Fund for Pediatric Research
    1 February 2023
  • Bakteriell interaktion med neuroner: ett nytt terapeutiskt mål mot hjärninfektioner
    Magnus Bergvall Foundation
    1 February 2023
  • Prevention of neurological disabilities caused by perinatal brain infections
    Åhlén Foundation
    1 January 2023
  • Blockade of pneumococcal‐neuron interaction to prevent neuronal damage in bacterial meningitis
    European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
    1 January 2023 - 1 January 2024
  • Establishment of the first therapeutic approach to prevent permanent neurological disabilities caused by brain bacterial infections
    Bjarne Alhström Memorial Fund
    1 January 2023
  • Bacterial interaction with neurons: a new therapeutic target against brain infections
    Magnus Bergvall Foundation
    1 January 2022
  • Preventing irreparable neurological damage after bacterial meningitis by blocking pathogen interaction with neurons
    Tore Nilson Foundation
    1 January 2022
  • Preventing neuronal loss that leads to Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases
    Foundation of the Elderly
    1 May 2021
  • Bacterial Meningitis: Understanding Bacterial Interactions with Microglia and Neurons to Develop New Methods to Boost the Brain Immune System and Prevent Neuronal Damage
    Tore Nilson Foundation
    1 January 2021
  • Förhindra irreparabel neurologisk skada efter bakteriell meningit genom att blockera patogeninteraktion med neuroner
    Magnus Bergvall Foundation
    1 January 2021
  • Understanding bacterial invasion of the brain: Interactions of Streptococcus pneumoniae with microglia and neurons.
    Åke Wibergs Stiftelse
    1 January 2020
  • Show more

Employments

  • Principal Researcher, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 2023-
  • Postdoctoral researcher, Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, 2013-2015

Degrees and Education

  • Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2021
  • PhD degree, Medical Microbiology, Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, 2013

Leadership and responsibility assignments

  • Responsible for a section, Principal Investigator representative, Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, 2022-
  • Responsible for a section, Safety representative, Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, 2022-

Distinction and awards

Supervisor

  • Niels Vander Elst, 2023
  • Simona Serra, 2023
  • Miguel Tofiño-Vian, 2021
  • Kristine Farmen, 2021

Editorial work

Journal reviewing

  • Nature Communications, Cell Systems, PNAS, eBioMedicine (The Lancet), Scientific Reports (Nature publishing group), BMC Journal of Biomedical Science, PLOS One, Journal of Neuroinflammation, Molecular Neurobiology, Brain Research, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Journal of Neuroimmunology, Neurotoxicology and Teratology, Neuroscience Letters, Journal of Innate Immunity, Journal of Immunology, mBio (American Society of Microbiology), PLOS Pathogens, Infection & Immunity, Molecular Microbiology, Journal of Bacteriology, The International Journal of Medical Microbiology, Microbiology (Microbiology Society), Microbial Pathogenesis, Pathogens and Disease (FEMS), Virulence, Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, Frontiers in Immunology, Frontiers in Pediatrics, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Current Research in Microbial Sciences, Infection and Drug Resistance, Heliyon (Cell Press), Experimental and Molecular Pathology, Annals of Medicine, BMJ (British Medical Journal) Case Reports, Journal of Pediatric Infectious Disease Society., Anonymous peer review, 2018

Other expert reviewer/evaluation assignment

  • Evaluator of research applications in international competition, Grant reviewer / Evaluation panel member, European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 2021

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