Helder Andre
Affiliated to Research
E-mail: helder.andre@ki.se
Visiting address: Eye Center of Excellence Avd Ögon & Syn, Eugeniavägen 12, 17164 Solna
Postal address: K8 Klinisk neurovetenskap, K8 Ögon och Syn Kvanta/Andre, 171 77 Stockholm
About me
- Head of Molecular and Cellular Research at St Erik Eye Hospital and group
leader for the Retina research group.
I received my Pharm.D. degree from the University of Lisbon, Portugal. My
masters and doctoral studies were focused on how oxygen levels mediate
protein degradation of the hypoxia-inducible factors. These studies
culminated in a Licentiate and a Ph.D., both in Cell and Molecular Biology,
Medicine from Karolinska Institutet.
As a postdoctoral fellow, I investigated the cellular and molecular
mechanisms involved in neovascular age-related macular degeneration, a
particularly incident sight-threatening disease. My research elucidated a
central role for hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha in this disease.
Following my postdoctoral period, I have been assigned as Head of Molecular
and Cellular Research at St Erik Eye Hospital, affiliated to the Karolinska
Institute. My group is invested in understanding the cellular and molecular
mechanisms that lead to pathologic formation of blood vessels in the eye, and
ultimately vision impairment.
The Erik and Edith Fernström Foundation for Medical Research Award
The Stohnes Foundation for Ophthalmic Research Award
EVER Foundation Scientific Contribution Award
ARVO Foundation / Genentech Research Fellowship
Research
- Our research has a pivotal interest in discovering how the pathological
formation of new blood vessels – neoangiogenesis – affects and
contributes to disease. In the eye, neoangiogenesis represents a predominant
aspect of many diseases’ progression, and understanding the primordial
mechanisms that allow regulation of neoangiogenesis is imperative to
understand and cure ocular diseases. *The André Lab translates the new
knowledge from molecular, cellular and preclinical models, thus developing
new and better treatments for many potentially blinding diseases.* Nowadays,
the key area of the lab’s research is age-related macular degeneration
(AMD), one of the most common and rapidly increasing sight-threatening
diseases, using both gene and cell therapies. In addition, the lab’s
developed concepts can easily and rapidly be adapted to the treatment of
many other neovascular and degenerative ocular diseases, such as
proliferative diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions, hereditary
retinal and macular degenerations, all directly associated with blindness.
*Bench-to-bedside studies on ocular vascular diseases*
The field is compartmentalized on the pathophysiological mechanisms of eye
neovascular diseases between either local tissue ischemia or the presence of
low-grade inflammatory reaction. Our goal is to established molecular,
cellular and animal models relevant for ocular neovascular pathologies, and
our research is developing strategies to better improve the relationship
between basic and clinic research. Many of our projects fall on neovascular
diseases, where the lab has been a fundamental contributor to elucidate
molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these pathologies and develop
therapeutic alternatives based on our discoveries.
*Sustainable gene therapy for neovascular AMD*
AMD has one the of fastest rates of increased prevalence in the developed
world, and is estimated to become an immense burden for healthcare systems
worldwide, with massive economic implications. Current treatments for
neovascular AMD patients consider anti-vascular intra-ocular injections for
life, and must be repeated ever 6-8 weeks. Our research has identified a
clear role for hypoxia in mediating the vascular growth factors associated
with neovascular AMD, including multiple inflammatory cytokines. Our work was
pioneer in revealing HIFs as the transcriptional mediators for progression
of AMD, and led us to create a bonafide sustainable gene therapy [1] for
neovascular AMD.
*A platform for cellular regenerative treatments of eye diseases*
In a collaborative effort with Profs Anders Kvanta [2] and Fredrik Lanner
[3], we have developed a project to study cell transplantation therapies of
human embryonic stem-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells in a newly
developed large-eyed clinically-relevant model, which benefit the
translational value of cell-based therapies in age-related macular
degeneration. We have created immuno-stealth hESC-RPE cells that can be used
as universal donor for cell-based treatments for degenerative AMD. These has
led us to establish a partnership [4] between the Karolinska Institutet, St
Erik Eye Hospital and NovoNordisk to translate our cell-based strategies into
a first-in-human clinical trial. Currently, we are invested in expanding the
human embryonic stem cell differentiation into photoreceptors and developt
future treatments for hereditary retinal and macular degenerations.
*Lab Members*
Filippo Locri [5], Postdoc. Establishes ocular study models and gene therapy
for neovascular AMD.
David Brenière-Letuffe [6], Postdoc. Develops novel ESC differentiation
strategies for photoreceptors.
Yesenia Ortega-Melin [7], MD, PhD candidate. Establishes clinically relevant
models for a cell-based treatment for diabetes.
Flavia Plastino [8], PhD candidate. Cellular and molecular mechanistic
studies of transplantation preclinical models.
Jonathan Bernd [9], Research Resident, PhD candidate. Clinical translation of
gene therapy for neovascular AMD and develops clinically relevant in vitro
models of AMD.
Mooud Amirkavei [10], Visiting PhD candidate - University of Aalto, Finland.
Unravels the effects of hormetic heat as a treatment modality.
Nuria Sueiro, Research intern. Undergraduate from the Bachelor’s program in
Biomedicine, Karolinska Institutet.
*Lab Alumni*
Selçuk Tunik [11], Postdoc - now Associate Professor at University of Dicle,
Turkey.
Effat Alizadeh [12], Postdoc - now Associate Professor at Tabriz University of
Medical Sciences, Iran.
Sandra Petrus-Reurer [13], PhD graduate - now Postdoc at Cambridge
University, UK.
Parviz Mammadzada [14], MD PhD graduate - now ophthalmology Specialist at
Örebro hospital, Sweden.
Noemi Anna Pesce [15], PhD graduate - now Postdoc at University of Turin,
Italy.
[1] https://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/s_t_eriks_ogonsjukhus_ab/pressreleases/genterapi-ger-nytt-hopp-vid-behandling-av-aaldersblindhet-1845041
[2] https://staff.ki.se/people/anders-kvanta
[3] https://staff.ki.se/people/fredrik-lanner
[4] https://news.ki.se/karolinska-institutet-st-erik-eye-hospital-and-novo-nordisk-collaborate-to-find-a-cure-for-age
[5] https://staff.ki.se/people/filloc
[6] https://staff.ki.se/people/dabren
[7] Yesenia Ortega-Melin
[8] https://staff.ki.se/people/flapla
[9] https://staff.ki.se/people/jbernd
[10] https://people.aalto.fi/mooud.amirkavei
[11] https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en& - amp
- user=nbhcujYAAAAJ
[12] https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Z1zBMUkAAAAJ& - amp
- hl=en
[13] https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sandra-Petrus-Reurer
[14] https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Parviz-Mammadzada
[15] https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Noemi-Pesce
Articles
- Article: BRITISH JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY. 2024;108(4):578-587
- Article: FASEB JOURNAL. 2024;38(5):e23533
- Article: MOLECULAR NUTRITION & FOOD RESEARCH. 2024;68(3):e2200623
- Article: HELIYON. 2024;10(1):e23831
- Journal article: ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA. 2024;102(S279)
- Journal article: NAT CARDIOVASC RES. 2023;2(12):1120-1124
- Article: EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH. 2023;237:109674
- Journal article: JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING. 2023;17(1):58
- Article: BMC CANCER. 2023;23(1):277
- Article: MOLECULAR THERAPY. 2023;31(3):825-846
- Article: JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY. 2022;78(4):915-932
- Article: STEM CELL REPORTS. 2022;17(6):1458-1475
- Article: CELLS. 2022;11(11):1778
- Article: CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL. 2022;429:132523
- Article: JOURNAL OF CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE. 2021;25(22):10480-10493
- Article: FOODS. 2021;10(9):1993
- Article: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. 2021;11(1):11856
- Article: EXPERIMENTAL EYE RESEARCH. 2021;206:108518
- Article: CELLS. 2021;10(1):177
- Article: TRANSLATIONAL VISION SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY. 2021;10(1):22
- Article: MOLECULAR VISION. 2021;27:161-178
- Article: JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE-JMM. 2020;98(11):1629-1638
- Article: ANTIOXIDANTS. 2020;9(9):E885-885
- Article: LIFE SCIENCES. 2020;257:118072
- Article: STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE. 2020;9(8):936-953
- Article: ELIFE. 2020;9:e54056
- Article: STEM CELL REPORTS. 2020;14(4):648-662
- Article: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 2020;11(1):1609
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES. 2020;21(6):E2063-2063
- Article: BRITISH JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY. 2020;104(1):26-32
- Article: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE. 2019;8(12):E2217-2217
- Article: JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE-JMM. 2019;97(9):1273-1283
- Article: ARTERIOSCLEROSIS THROMBOSIS AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY. 2019;39(7):1402-1418
- Article: JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE-MATERIALS IN MEDICINE. 2018;29(11):170
- Journal article: JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS. 2018;(133)
- Article: JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS. 2018;(133)
- Article: NUTRIENTS. 2017;9(10):E1079-1079
- Article: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. 2017;7:42546
- Article: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2017;58(2):1314-1322
- Article: PLOS ONE. 2017;12(6):e0180235
- Article: ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA. 2016;94(8):805-814
- Article: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2016;57(6):2600-2611
- Article: STEM CELL REPORTS. 2016;6(1):9-17
- Article: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2015;56(11):6591-6604
- Article: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2015;56(4):2423-2430
- Article: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION. 2014;44(10):989-999
- Article: JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY. 2008;283(43):29375-29384
- Article: FASEB JOURNAL. 2005;19(8):1365-1367
- Show more
All other publications
- Review: CANADIAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY-JOURNAL CANADIEN D OPHTALMOLOGIE. 2024;:S0008-4182(23)00385-X
- Review: ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA. 2021;99(8):e1255-e1262
- Review: LIFE SCIENCES. 2021;276:119373
- Preprint: BIORXIV. 2021
- Review: JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY. 2020;236(5):3275-3303
- Review: NUTRIENTS. 2020;12(9):E2871-2871
- Review: CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES. 2020;77(5):819-833
- Review: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES. 2018;19(12):E3846-3846
- Thesis / dissertation: 2009
- Thesis / dissertation: 2005
Employments
- Affiliated to Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 2023-2026
Degrees and Education
- Degree Of Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 2009
- Licentiate Degree, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 2005