Ivan Nalvarte
About me
Associate professor (Docent, Senior researcher).
I am a principal investigator and group leader at the Division of Neurogeriatrics at Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.Lab webpage - under construction!
Research
My background is in neuroendocrinology and my research focuses on the effects of sex hormone signaling on healthy brain aging. A major research topic of mine is how aberrant sex hormone signaling during endocrine sensitive life stages can modulate risk of depressive and neurodegenerative conditions. To this end, I am part of a network of specialists that employ multidisciplinary approaches, combining human epidemiological data with innovative experimental modeling and large-scale data integration to spearhead this research area.
Teaching
2019-2023: Course leader: Biomedicine Master program thesis work and
examination, Karolinska Institutet
2018- : Target Organ Toxicology, Nuclear receptor signalling and EDCs, Karolinska Institutet
2016- : Tutor in “Sex hormones and ESC differentiation”, Post-graduate
course in Human Embryonic Stem Cells, 2212, Karolinska Institutet
2015-: Co-organizer and Responsible for the course Functional Genomics,
Biomedicine Bachelor programme, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
2014-2017: Applied Science Communication (ACB2), Biomedicine Master
programme, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
2013- : Applied Science Communication (ACB4), Biomedicine Master programme,
Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
2014- : Tutor in “Proteomic techniques and applications”, Biomedicine
Bachelor programme, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
03/2012: Tutor in WiMo 2012 Wissenschaftsmonat für Medizinstudierende,
theory, University of Basel, basel, Switzerland
09-10/2011: Tutor in Introduction to Biology, theory. University of Basel,
Basel, Switzerland
2008-2009: Tutor in “Proteomic techniques and applications”, Molecular
Nutrition undergraduate programme, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
2008-2009: Responsible for the Theoretical and practical teaching in
proteomics for researchers. Department of Biosciences and Nutrition,
Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
2007-2009: Molecular biology. Theory and practice. Co-responsible for the
course. Biomedicine undergraduate programme, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm,
Sweden
2002-2006: Teaching assistance at undergraduate courses in Molecular
immunology, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and General Chemistry at
Södertörns högskola and Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Articles
- Journal article: ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH. 2025;285(Pt 2):122435Lu SSM; Ekbaeck E; Sommar JN; Anderson S; Olstrup H; Harlid S; Gustafsson S; Mattisson K; Stockfelt L; Rein T; Nalvarte I; Rueegg J; Oudin A
- Article: BIOLOGY OF SEX DIFFERENCES. 2025;16(1):29Demetriou A; Lindqvist B; Ali HG; Shamekh MM; Varshney M; Inzunza J; Maioli S; Nilsson P; Nalvarte I
- Journal article: STEM CELL RESEARCH. 2025;82:103628Petruškevičiūtė A; Šimuliūnaitė U; Polanco CM; Rojas B; Kuras S; Valatkaitė-Rakštienė B; Norvilas R; Vijaya AK; Muñoz P; Neniškytė U; Jakubauskas A; Burokas A; Nalvarte I; Inzunza J; Naumovas D; Stoškus M; Griškevičius L; Baltriukienė D; Arias J
- Article: STEM CELL RESEARCH. 2025;82:103628Petruskeviciute A; Simuliunaite U; Polanco CM; Rojas B; Kuras S; Valatkaite-Rakstiene B; Norvilas R; Vijaya AK; Munoz P; Neniskyte U; Jakubauskas A; Burokas A; Nalvarte I; Inzunza J; Naumovas D; Stoskus M; Griskevicius L; Baltriukiene D; Arias J
- Article: CELLS. 2024;13(21):1811Jiang Y; Palomares AR; Munoz P; Nalvarte I; Acharya G; Inzunza J; Varshney M; Rodriguez-Wallberg KA
- Article: F AND S SCIENCE. 2024;5(4):306-317Tohonen V; Antonson P; Boggavarapu NR; Ali H; Motaholi LA; Gustafsson J-A; Varshney M; Rodriguez-Wallberg KA; Katayama S; Nalvarte I; Inzunza J
- Article: SCIENCE ADVANCES. 2024;10(4):eadj1354Latorre-Leal M; Rodriguez-Rodriguez P; Franchini L; Nikolidakis O; Daniilidou M; Delac L; Varshney MK; Arroyo-Garcia LE; Eroli F; Winblad B; Blennow K; Zetterberg H; Kivipelto M; Pacciarini M; Wang Y; Griffiths WJ; Bjoerkhem I; Matton A; Nalvarte I; Merino-Serrais P; Cedazo-Minguez A; Maioli S
- Journal article: FERTILITY AND STERILITY. 2023;120(4):e194Jiang Y; Varshney M; Palomares AR; Inzunza J; Acharya G; Nalvarte I; Rodriguez-Wallberg KA
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES. 2023;24(15):12461Song X; Wu W; Dai Y; Warner M; Nalvarte I; Antonson P; Varshney M; Gustafsson J-A
- Journal article: RECEPTORS. 2023;2(1):116-126Nalvarte I; Antonson P
- Article: CELL DEATH & DISEASE. 2023;14(2):129Raccosta L; Marinozzi M; Costantini S; Maggioni D; Ferreira LM; Corna G; Zordan P; Sorice A; Farinello D; Bianchessi S; Riba M; Lazarevic D; Provero P; Mack M; Bondanza A; Nalvarte I; Gustafsson J-A; Ranzani V; De Sanctis F; Ugel S; Baron S; Lobaccaro J-MA; Pontini L; Pacciarini M; Traversari C; Pagani M; Bronte V; Sitia G; Antonson P; Brendolan A; Budillon A; Russo V
- Article: MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY. 2021;26(11):6380-6393Li X; Zhong H; Wang Z; Xiao R; Antonson P; Liu T; Wu C; Zou J; Wang L; Nalvarte I; Xu H; Warner M; Gustafsson J-A; Fan X
- Article: FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY. 2021;12:721813Brundin PMA; Landgren B-M; Fjallstrom P; Shamekh MMM; Gustafsson J-A; Johansson AFF; Nalvarte I
- Article: STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE. 2021;10(7):987-995Arias J; Yu J; Varshney M; Inzunza J; Nalvarte I
- Article: NEUROTOXICITY RESEARCH. 2021;39(2):182-190Valdes R; Armijo A; Munoz P; Hultenby K; Hagg A; Inzunza J; Nalvarte I; Varshney M; Mannervik B; Segura-Aguilar J
- Article: STEM CELL RESEARCH. 2021;51:102193Inzunza J; Arias-Fuenzalida J; Segura-Aguilar J; Nalvarte I; Varshney M
- Article: NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY. 2021;111(1-2):27-44Varshney MK; Yu NY-L; Katayama S; Li X; Liu T; Wu W-F; Tohonen V; Krjutskov K; Kere J; Fan X; Inzunza J; Gustafsson J-A; Nalvarte I
- Article: HELIYON. 2020;6(11):e05535Brundin PMA; Landgren B-M; Fjallstrom P; Johansson AF; Nalvarte I
- Article: BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS. 2020;529(2):231-237Antonson P; Apolinario LM; Shamekh MM; Humire P; Poutanen M; Ohlsson C; Nalvarte I; Gustafsson J-A
- Article: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 2020;117(9):4902-4909Warner M; Wu W-F; Montanholi L; Nalvarte I; Antonson P; Gustafsson J-A
- Article: BRAIN RESEARCH BULLETIN. 2019;150:75-85Cai Y; Wang L; Nalvarte I; Xiao R; Li X; Fan X
- Article: MOLECULAR PHARMACOLOGY. 2018;94(4):1220-1231Lupu D; Varshney MK; Mucs D; Inzunza J; Norinder U; Loghin F; Nalvarte I; Ruegg J
- Article: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 2017;114(48):E10428-E10437Varshney MK; Inzunza J; Lupu D; Ganapathy V; Antonson P; Ruegg J; Nalvarte I; Gustafsson J-A
- Article: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 2017;114(19):E3816-E3822Wu W-F; Maneix L; Insunza J; Nalvarte I; Antonson P; Kere J; Yu NY-L; Tohonen V; Katayama S; Einarsdottir E; Krjutskov K; Dai Y-B; Huang B; Su W; Warner M; Gustafsson J-A
- Article: ONCOTARGET. 2016;7(35):56170-56182Frei A; MacDonald G; Lund I; Gustafsson J-A; Hynes NE; Nalvarte I
- Journal article: ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS. 2016;4(1):e1184775Kitraki E; Nalvarte I; Alavian-Ghavanini A; Rüegg J
- Article: REPRODUCTION. 2016;151(3):253-259Nalvarte I; Tohonen V; Lindeberg M; Varshney M; Gustafsson J-A; Inzunza J
- Article: MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR ENDOCRINOLOGY. 2015;417(C):191-199Kitraki E; Nalvarte I; Alavian-Ghavanini A; Rueegg J
- Article: BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS. 2015;466(4):650-655Antonson P; Nalvarte I; Varshney M; Xu L; Windahl SH; Humire P; Ohlsson C; Gustafsson J-A; Dahlman-Wright K
- Article: BIOSCIENCE REPORTS. 2015;35(6):e00269Nalvarte I; Damdimopoulos AE; Ruegg J; Spyrou G
- Article: SCIENCE SIGNALING. 2014;7(329):ra56MacDonald G; Nalvarte I; Smirnova T; Vecchi M; Aceto N; Dolemeyer A; Frei A; Lienhard S; Wyckoff J; Hess D; Seebacher J; Keusch JJ; Gut H; Salaun D; Mazzarol G; Disalvatore D; Bentires-Alj M; Di Fiore PP; Badache A; Hynes NE
- Article: EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE. 2013;5(9):1335-1350Gattelli A; Nalvarte I; Boulay A; Roloff TC; Schreiber M; Carragher N; Macleod KK; Schlederer M; Lienhard S; Kenner L; Torres-Arzayus MI; Hynes NE
- Article: MOLECULAR ENDOCRINOLOGY. 2012;26(4):619-629Tammimies K; Tapia-Paez I; Rueegg J; Rosin G; Kere J; Gustafsson J-A; Nalvarte I
- Article: MOLECULAR & CELLULAR PROTEOMICS. 2010;9(7):1411-1422Nalvarte I; Schwend T; Gustafsson J-A
- Journal article: MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY. 2009;14(2):117Sugiyama N; Andersson S; Lathe R; Fan X; Alonso-Magdalena P; Schwend T; Nalvarte I; Warner M; Gustafsson J-Å
- Article: MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY. 2009;14(2):223-117Sugiyama N; Andersson S; Lathe R; Fan X; Alonso-Magdalena P; Schwend T; Nalvarte I; Warner M; Gustafsson J-A
- Article: BIOLOGY OF THE CELL. 2007;99(12):677-687Sroka J; Antosik A; Czyz J; Nalvarte I; Ollsson JM; Spyrou G; Madeja Z
- Article: BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY. 2005;69(12):1765-1772Madeja Z; Sroka J; Nyström C; Björkhem-Bergman L; Nordman T; Damdimopoulos A; Nalvarte I; Eriksson LC; Spyrou G; Olsson JM; Björnstedt M
- Article: JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY. 2004;279(52):54510-54517Nalvarte I; Damdimopoulos AE; Nystöm C; Nordman T; Miranda-Vizuete A; Olsson JM; Eriksson L; Björnstedt M; Arnér ESJ; Spyrou G
- Article: FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE. 2004;36(10):1270-1278Nalvarte I; Damdimopoulos AE; Spyrou G
- Article: JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY. 2003;278(4):2141-2146Xia L; Nordman T; Olsson JM; Damdimopoulos A; Björkhem-Bergman L; Nalvarte I; Eriksson LC; Arnér ESJ; Spyrou G; Björnstedt M
- Show more
All other publications
- Preprint: MEDRXIV. 2025Naumovas D; Rojas-Araya B; Polanco CM; Andrade V; Čekauskienė R; Valatkaitė-Rakštienė B; Laurinaitytė I; Jakubauskas A; Stoškus M; Griškevičius L; Nalvarte I; Inzunza J; Baltriukienė D; Arias J
- Preprint: BIORXIV. 2025Wang Y; Lorentz J; Mohammadi E; Yilmaz DE; Sgouras T; Guo Y; Pizzirusso G; Demetriou A; Nalvarte I; Schultzberg M; Li X
- Editorial comment: FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY. 2024;15:1472908Le Menuet D; Charalampopoulos IN; Cunningham RL; Kalafatakis K; Nalvarte I
- Preprint: BIORXIV. 2024;BIORXIVDemetriou A; Lindqvist B; Ali HG; Shamekh MM; Maioli S; Inzunza J; Varshney M; Nilsson P; Nalvarte I
- Review: ENDOCRINOLOGY. 2023;164(6):bqad063Birgersson M; Indukuri R; Antonson P; Nalvarte I; Archer A; Williams C
- Review: NEURAL REGENERATION RESEARCH. 2022;17(9):1861-1866Segura-Aguilar J; Mannervik B; Inzunza J; Varshney M; Nalvarte I; Munoz P
- Review: ANTIOXIDANTS. 2022;11(2):296Segura-Aguilar J; Munoz P; Inzunza J; Varshney M; Nalvarte I; Mannervik B
- Review: ESSAYS IN BIOCHEMISTRY. 2021;65(6):913-925Maioli S; Leander K; Nilsson P; Nalvarte I
- Corrigendum: HELIYON. 2021;7(3):e06568Brundin PMA; Landgren B-M; Fjallstrom P; Johansson AF; Nalvarte I
- Review: HORMONES AND AGING. 2021;116:313-326Nalvarte I; Varshney M; Inzunza J; Gustafsson J-A
- Editorial comment: BRAIN SCIENCES. 2020;10(2):E103-103Nalvarte I
- Meeting abstract: TOXICOLOGY LETTERS. 2018;295:S109-S110Lupu D; Varshney M; Nalvarte I; Insunza J; Loghin F; Ruegg J
- Book chapter: EPIGENETICS AND ASSISTED REPRODUCTION. 2018;p. 99-114Nalvarte I; Rüegg J; Guerrero-Bosagna C
- Review: BRAIN SCIENCES. 2017;7(3):E24-24Varshney M; Nalvarte I
- Corrigendum: SCIENCE SIGNALING. 2014;7(333)MacDonald G; Nalvarte I; Smirnova T; Vecchi M; Aceto N; Doelemeyer A; Frei A; Lienhard S; Wyckoff J; Hess D; Seebacher J; Keusch JJ; Gut H; Salaun D; Mazzarol G; Disalvatore D; Bentires-Alj M; Di Fiore PP; Badache A; Hynes NE
- Meeting abstract: CANCER RESEARCH. 2012;72:pd01-06-pd01-06Hynes NE; Gattelli A; Nalvarte I; Roloff T
- Book chapter: HORMONE-DISRUPTIVE CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS IN FOOD. 2011;p. 44-69Damdimopoulou P; Weis S; Nalvarte I; Rüegg J
- Meeting abstract: TOXICOLOGY LETTERS. 2006;164:S299Nalvarte I; Spyrou G
- Doctoral thesis: 2006Nalvarte I
- Conference publication: FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE. 2004;36:S73Nalvarte I; Damdimopoulos AE; Spyrou G
- Conference publication: FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE. 2004;36:S14Nalvarte I; Damdimopoulos A; Cunnea P; Psarra AM; Bjornstedt M; Olsson JM; Spyrou G
- Conference publication: FREE RADICAL RESEARCH. 2003;37:44Nalvarte I; Damdimopoulos A; Cunnea P; Psarra AM; Bjornstedt M; Olsson JM; Spyrou G
- Published conference paper: BIOFACTORS. 2003;18(1-4):45-50Nordman T; Xia L; Björkhem-Bergman L; Damdimopoulos A; Nalvarte I; Arnér ESJ; Spyrou G; Eriksson LC; Björnstedt M; Olsson JM
- Show more
Grants
- Swedish Research Council1 December 2024 - 30 November 2027Experimental research on Alzheimer´s disease (AD) relies heavily on mouse models, but these models poorly mimic human AD, leading to over 99% AD drugs failures in human trials. Consequently, there is an urgent need for more human-relevant experimental models of AD. However, the use of alternative human cell models is constrained due to the complex 3D multi-cellular nature of AD pathology, including an inflammatory component. In addition, their superiority over animal models remains uncertain, combined with insufficient validation regarding their relevance to human disease. To overcome this, we propose to benchmark a human forebrain organoid model of AD carrying amyloidogenic APPNL-G-Fmutations in co-culture with isogenic microglia immune cells. These organoids produce neurotoxic amyloid beta (Aβ), a hallmark of AD, and unlike AppNL-G-F mice they also produce hyperphosphorylated Tau protein, a second hallmark of AD. We will use a transcriptomic approach to ask: 1) are these organoids in any way superior to correspondingAppNL-G-F mice? 2): how well do they overlap with human AD pathology? And 3) are they functional in response to the amyloid-lowering drug Aducanumab? Answering these questions would give the first benchmarked and disease-validated AD organoid model and will be an important step towards promoting organoids’ wider use in AD research, thereby reducing the heavy reliance on mice while enhancing human relevance.
- Using epigenomics to identify Alzheimer’s disease risk in gender dysphoriaAlzheimer's Association1 January 2024 - 31 December 2026
- A new model to study Alzheimer’s disease in human mini-brainsForska Utan Djurförsök1 January 2024 - 31 December 2025
- Swedish Research Council1 January 2024 - 31 December 2026APOE variant 4 is the most common genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and it is well known that women carrying APOE4 run a 4-fold higher risk of AD than male carriers. Nevertheless, the cause of this sex difference is still enigmatic. In this project, we address the hypothesis that the drop of female sex hormone estrogen and metabolic changes at menopause impact on APOE4 regulation and downstream factors, and that this contributes to sex differences in AD. Our preliminary results support this hypothesis by suggesting that the estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) to be an important link between menopause and APOE levels. Selective ERβ activation protects against AD pathology in an AD mouse model and can regulate APOE levels in a sex-specific manner. Making use of a multidisciplinary collaboration between experts in neuroendocrinology, AD, epidemiology, biostatistics, and genetics, we will:address the relationship between age at menopause, hormone replacement therapy, APOE4 and other genetic variants, and AD diagnosis in human cohorts,validate such relationships in an AD mouse model where menopause is simulated, andin a data-driven approach identify causative molecular networks underlying these relationships using human APOE4 brain organoid models.The outcome of this project will provide new mechanistic insights into the sex differences in AD and how such knowledge can be used for preventive clinical measures, especially for APOE4-positive women.
- European Commission1 January 2023 - 31 December 2027
- Ultra-sensitive multiplex detection of inflammatory and pathological markers in diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, kidney disease and Covid19Ingabritt och Arne Lundbergs forskningstiftelse1 January 2023 - 31 December 2024
- Estrogen receptor beta in Alzheimer’s diseaseKID Funding1 March 2022 - 28 February 2026
- Karolinska Institutet StiftelserKarolinska Institutet Stiftelser1 January 2021 - 31 December 2024
- National Institute on Aging30 September 2020 - 31 May 2024
- Organoids as preclinical model of ParkinsonSwedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education1 July 2019 - 30 June 2022
- Swedish Research Council1 January 2018 - 31 December 2021
Employments
- Principal Researcher, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 2024-
Degrees and Education
- Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2018
- Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, 2006
- Bachelor Of Medical Science, Karolinska Institutet, 1998
Visiting research fellowships
- Postdoc, Friedrich Miescher Institute, Postdoc, 2010-2013