Håkan Westerblad

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About me

Håkan Westerblad is Professor of Cellular Muscle Physiology at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology since 2003.

Research

The original focus of my research group is cellular mechanisms of skeletal muscle fatigue. We also study mechanisms behind muscle adaptations in response to training and maladaptations in disease, e.g. mitochondrial myopathies. To a large extent our research relates to the complex interactions between force production, intracellular calcium handling, mitochondrial function and reactive oxygen/nitrogen species.

Our experiments are performed on adult muscle, including unique methods to study isolated fully intact muscle fibers. We find this essential because the functions we are studying differ markedly between adult muscle and immature muscle cells/muscle-like cell lines.

Articles

Article: FASEB JOURNAL. 2026;40(9):e71813
Metabolic Health and Fitness Do Not Differ Substantially Between Overweight Adults With and Without α-Actinin-3 Deficiency
Venckunas T; Chaillou T; Degens H; Subocius A; Minderis P; Stasiulis A; Maconyte V; Mickeviciene D; Mickevicius M; Snieckus A; Vanckaviciene A; Cesanelli L; Westerblad H; Kamandulis S
Article: EBIOMEDICINE. 2025;122:106051
High-intensity interval training outperforms moderate exercise to improve aerobic capacity in patients with recent-onset idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a multicentre randomised controlled trial
Andreasson KM; Leijding C; Dastmalchi M; Notarnicola A; Gastaldello S; Yamada T; Sandlund H; Leonard D; Westerblad H; Lundberg IE; Andersson DC; Alexanderson H
Article: JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON. 2025
Antioxidant supplementation blunts the proteome response to 3 weeks of sprint interval training preferentially in human type 2 muscle fibres
Wyckelsma VL; Murgia M; Kamandulis S; Gastaldello S; Brazaitis M; Snieckus A; Eimantas N; Paeaesuke M; Edman S; Apro W; Andersson DC; Westerblad H; Venckunas T
Article: TOXICOLOGY IN VITRO. 2025;103:105975
The impact of bisphenol AF on skeletal muscle function and differentiation in vitro
Cui M; Tzioufa F; Bruton J; Westerblad H; Kos VM
Article: MUSCLE & NERVE. 2025;71(2):265-274
Cyclosporine A Delays the Terminal Disease Stage in the Tfam KO Mitochondrial Myopathy Mouse Model Without Improving Mitochondrial Energy Production
Chatel B; Varlet I; Ogier AC; Pecchi E; Bernard M; Gondin J; Westerblad H; Bendahan D; Gineste C
Article: MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS & EXERCISE. 2024;56(10):2007-2015
Mood, Cognitive Function, and Plasma Kynurenine Metabolites Responses Following Severe Changes in Physical Activity
Kamandulis S; Lukonaitiene I; Snieckus A; Brazaitis M; Mickevicius M; Cernych M; Ruas J; Schwieler L; Louvrou V; Erhardt S; Westerblad H; Venckunas T
Article: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 2024;121(34):e2319724121
Zfp697 is an RNA- binding protein that regulates skeletal muscle inflammation and remodeling
Correia JC; Jannig PR; Gosztyla ML; Cervenka I; Ducommun S; Praestholm SM; Dias JM; Dumont KD; Liu Z; Liang Q; Edsgaerd D; Emanuelsson O; Gregorevic P; Westerblad H; Venckunas T; Brazaitis M; Kamandulis S; Lanner JT; Teixeira AI; Yeo GW; Ruas JL
Article: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. 2024;14(1):689
Ca²⁺ and force during dynamic contractions in mouse intact skeletal muscle fibers
Fukutani A; Westerblad H; Jardemark K; Bruton J
Article: STAR PROTOCOLS. 2023;4(2):102260
Calcium measurements in enzymatically dissociated or mechanically microdissected mouse primary skeletal muscle fibers
Youhanna S; Bruton J; Jardemark K; Westerblad H; Lauschke VM
Article: FASEB JOURNAL. 2023;37(6):e22978
Increased tetanic calcium in early fatigue of mammalian muscle fibers is accompanied by accelerated force development despite a decreased force
Leijding C; Viken I; Bruton JDD; Andersson DCC; Cheng AJJ; Westerblad H
Article: ANTIOXIDANTS. 2022;12(1):16
Adding High-Intensity Interval Training to Classical Resistance Training Does Not Impede the Recovery from Inactivity-Induced Leg Muscle Weakness
Venckunas T; Brazaitis M; Snieckus A; Mickevicius M; Eimantas N; Subocius A; Mickeviciene D; Westerblad H; Kamandulis S
Article: ISCIENCE. 2022;25(12):105654
Enzymatically dissociated muscle fibers display rapid dedifferentiation and impaired mitochondrial calcium control
Gineste C; Youhanna S; Vorrink SU; Henriksson S; Hernandez A; Cheng AJ; Chaillou T; Buttgereit A; Schneidereit D; Friedrich O; Hultenby K; Bruton JD; Ivarsson N; Sandblad L; Lauschke VM; Westerblad H
Article: ACTA PHYSIOLOGICA. 2022;236(3):e13869
Citrullination is linked to reduced Ca²⁺ sensitivity in hearts of a murine model of rheumatoid arthritis
Pironti G; Gastaldello S; Rassier DE; Lanner JT; Carlstrom M; Lund LH; Westerblad H; Yamada T; Andersson DC
Article: JOURNAL OF CACHEXIA SARCOPENIA AND MUSCLE. 2022;13(5):2551-2561
Sphingomyelinase activity promotes atrophy and attenuates force in human muscle fibres and is elevated in heart failure patients
Olsson K; Cheng AJ; Al-Ameri M; Tardif N; Melin M; Rooyackers O; Lanner JT; Westerblad H; Gustafsson T; Bruton JD; Rullman E
Article: ARTHRITIS RESEARCH & THERAPY. 2022;24(1):156
Improved skeletal muscle fatigue resistance in experimental autoimmune myositis mice following high-intensity interval training
Yamada T; Ashida Y; Tamai K; Kimura I; Yamauchi N; Naito A; Tokuda N; Westerblad H; Andersson DC; Himori K
Article: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY. 2022;122(1):255-266
Increasing the resting time between drop jumps lessens delayed-onset muscle soreness and limits the extent of prolonged low-frequency force depression in human knee extensor muscles
Kamandulis S; Mickevicius M; Snieckus A; Streckis V; Montiel-Rojas D; Chaillou T; Westerblad H; Venckunas T
Article: FASEB JOURNAL. 2021;35(11):e21988
Larger improvements in fatigue resistance and mitochondrial function with high- than with low-intensity contractions during interval training of mouse skeletal muscle
Yamada T; Kimura I; Ashida Y; Tamai K; Fusagawa H; Tohse N; Westerblad H; Andersson DC; Sato T
Article: ANTIOXIDANTS. 2021;10(9):1443
Vitamin C and E Treatment Blocks Changes in Kynurenine Metabolism Triggered by Three Weeks of Sprint Interval Training in Recreationally Active Elderly Humans
Wyckelsma VL; Trepci A; Schwieler L; Venckunas T; Brazaitis M; Kamandulis S; Paulauskas H; Gapeyeva H; Paasuke M; Gastaldello S; Imbeault S; Westerblad H; Erhardt S; Andersson DC
Article: DISEASE MODELS & MECHANISMS. 2021;14(9):dmm048981
Impaired aerobic capacity and premature fatigue preceding muscle weakness in the skeletal muscle Tfam-knockout mouse model
Chatei B; Ducreux S; Harhous Z; Bendridi N; Varlet I; Ogier AC; Bernard M; Gondin J; Rieusset J; Westerblad H; Bendahan D; Gineste C
Article: ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY. 2021;73(5):848-857
Eccentric Resistance Training Ameliorates Muscle Weakness in a Mouse Model of Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies
Himori K; Ashida Y; Tatebayashi D; Abe M; Saito Y; Chikenji T; Westerblad H; Andersson DC; Yamada T
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All other publications

Editorial: ACTA PHYSIOLOGICA. 2025;241(9):e70089
Muscular Accumulation of Inorganic Phosphate Ions Has a Key Role in Muscle Fatigue In Vivo
Westerblad H
Editorial: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY. 2025;125(3):591-592
Modelling to decipher physiological determinants of improved muscle endurance
Place N; Westerblad H
Corrigendum: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY. 2025;125(3):593
Modelling to decipher physiological determinants of improved muscle endurance (Sept, 10.1007/s00421-024-05590-4, 2024)
Place N; Westerblad H
Preprint: BIORXIV. 2025
Antioxidant supplementation blunts the proteome response to three weeks of sprint interval training preferentially in human type 2 muscle fibres
Wyckelsma V; Murgia M; Kamandulis S; Gastaldello S; Brazaitis M; Snieckus A; Eimantas N; Pääsuke M; Edman S; Apro W; Andersson D; Westerblad H; Venckunas T
Editorial: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY. 2025;125(1):3-5
High-quality experimental records and physiology-based assessments outperform automated procedures and complex statistics. Introducing "Methods in Applied Physiology", a new topical collection
Westerblad H; Lindinger MI
Review: EXERCISE AND SPORT SCIENCES REVIEWS. 2025;53(1):41-47
Task-Dependent Mechanisms Underlying Prolonged Low-Frequency Force Depression
Richards AJ; Watanabe D; Yamada T; Westerblad H; Cheng AJ
Preprint: MEDRXIV. 2024
High-Intensity Interval Training Outperforms Moderate Exercise to Improve Aerobic Capacity in Patients with Recent-Onset Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial
Andreasson K; Leijding C; Dastmalchi M; Notarnicola A; Gastaldello S; Yamada T; Sandlund H; Leonard D; Westerblad H; Lundberg I; Andersson D; Alexanderson H
Editorial: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY. 2024;124(12):3475
Resigning as editors in chief
Westerblad H; Westerterp K
Review: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-CELL PHYSIOLOGY. 2024;327(4):C946-C958
New insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms of skeletal muscle fatigue: the Marion J. Siegman Award Lectureships
Debold EP; Westerblad H
Preprint: BIORXIV. 2024
α-Actinin-3 deficiency protects from the effects of acute cold exposure through altered skeletal muscle Ca2+ and OXPHOS signaling
Houweling PJ; Tiong CF; Kiriaev L; Díaz-Peña R; Albers PK; Wood H; Wyckelsma V; Stait T; Venckunas T; Valenzuela PL; Castillo-García A; Brazaitis M; Berman Y; Seto JT; Westerblad H; Lek M; Thorburn D; Lucia A; Head SI; North KN
Preprint: BIORXIV. 2023;BIORXIV
Zfp697 is an RNA-binding protein that regulates skeletal muscle inflammation and regeneration.
Correia JC; Jannig PR; Gosztyla ML; Cervenka I; Ducommun S; Præstholm SM; Dumont K; Liu Z; Liang Q; Edsgärd D; Emanuelsson O; Gregorevic P; Westerblad H; Venckunas T; Brazaitis M; Kamandulis S; Lanner JT; Yeo GW; Ruas JL
Preprint: BIORXIV. 2022
Cyclosporin A delays the terminal disease stage in Tfam KO mice without improving mitochondrial energy production
Chatel B; Varlet I; Ogier A; Pecchi E; Bernard M; Gondin J; Westerblad H; Bendahan D; Gineste C
Preprint: RESEARCH SQUARE. 2022
Improved skeletal muscle fatigue resistance in experimental autoimmune myositis mice following high-intensity interval training
Yamada T; Ashida Y; Tamai K; Kimura I; Yamauchi N; Naito A; Tokuda N; Westerblad H; Andersson DC; Himori K
Letter: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS. 2022;109(5):973
Response to Morseburg et al.
Wyckelsma VL; Venckunas T; Houweling PJ; Schlittler M; Lauschke VM; Tiong CF; Wood HD; Paulauskas H; Eimantas N; Andersson DC; North KN; Brazaitis M; Westerblad H
Book chapter: EXERCISE METABOLISM: PHYSIOLOGY IN HEALTH AND DISEASE. 2022;p. 377-399
Metabolic Factors in Skeletal Muscle Fatigue
Place N; Westerblad H
Conference publication: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEART FAILURE. 2021;23:31
Impaired myofibrillar contractile function in a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis is linked to increased citrullination of a-actin
Pironti G; Gastaldello S; Rassier D; Carlstrom M; Lund LH; Westerblad H; Yamada T; Andersson D
Preprint: BIORXIV. 2021
Disruption of the microphysiological niche alters matrix deposition and causes loss of mitochondrial Ca ²⁺ control in skeletal muscle fibers
Gineste C; Youhanna S; Vorrink S; Henriksson S; Hernández A; Cheng A; Chaillou T; Buttgereit A; Schneidereit D; Friedrich O; Hultenby K; Bruton J; Ivarsson N; Sandblad L; Lauschke V; Westerblad H
Book chapter: THE ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK ON BIOCHEMISTRY OF EXERCISE. 2020;p. 71-84
Biochemical Contributors to Exercise Fatigue
Cheng AJ; Schlittler M; Westerblad H
Preprint: BIORXIV. 2020
Loss of α-actinin-3 during human evolution provides superior cold resilience and muscle heat generation
Wyckelsma VL; Venckunas T; Houweling PJ; Schlittler M; Lauschke VM; Tiong CF; Wood H; Ivarsson N; Paulauskas H; Eimantas N; Andersson DC; North KN; Brazaitis M; Westerblad H
Conference publication: ACTA PHYSIOLOGICA. 2019;227:85
The effects of antioxidant supplementation (Vitamin C&E) in sprint interval training in young and older adults
Wyckelsma V; Venckunas T; Kamandulis S; Andersson D; Westerblad H
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Grants

Clinical and molcular effects of exercise in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, myositis
Swedish Research Council
1 January 2020 - 31 December 2022
The evaluation of in vitro skeletal muscle models for the assessment of metabolism disrupting chemicals contributing to insulin resistance
Swedish Research Council for Environment Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning
1 January 2020 - 31 December 2023
The role of leaky Ca2+ channels and mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in skeletal muscle for the response to training, temperature control, statin-induced myopathy and mitochondrial myopathy
Swedish Research Council
1 January 2019 - 31 December 2022
The role of Ca2+ in endurance training, overtraining and mitochondrial myopathies
Swedish Research Council
1 January 2014 - 31 December 2018
The interplay between Ca2+ and reactive oxygen species in skeletal and cardiac muscle under normal conditions and in association with diesease processes.
Swedish Research Council
1 January 2011 - 31 December 2013
Transient models for muscular force production
Swedish Research Council
1 January 2009 - 31 December 2009

Employments

Professor Emeritus, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 2024-2026
Professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 2003-2024

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