Jesper Säfholm

I am currently employed as a Research Specialist in the research environment of the Unit of Integrative Metabolomics. My group consists of supervising two master students, one postdoc and two affilliated scientists. My lab is currently located at Centre for Molecular Medicine (CMM).

I initiated my PhD-studies within  the field of airway pharmacology and physiology in 2008 and graduated 2013. This was followed by post graduate work 2014-2018 on mechanisms in asthmatic airway inflammation and I subsequently acquired an assistant professorship for continuation of translational airway pharmacology studies of lipid mediators, airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation using /in vivo, ex vivo/ and /in vitro/ methods in both animal and human tissue. I am currently a supervisor of three PhD-students in the lab and have successfully supervised Master students during
their graduation projects. Between 1999 and 2012 I worked at Astra Zeneca within the departements Safety Assessment, Neuroscience and Molecular Toxicology as a research technician.

*Awards*
* In 2020 I was given the IMM Junior Faculty Strategic Award by The
Institute of Environmental Medicine, IMM, Karolinska Institutet.
* In 2017 I was awarded the Veritas Pharma Inc. Dom Spina Prize by the
British Pharmacological Society.
*Commissions of trust*
* 2018-2019 I was the organiser of a bi-monthly seminar series within
physiology and pharmacology at Karolinska Instiutet.
* 2014-2017 I was board member of Centre for Allergy Research PhD and
Postdoc Association at Karolinska Instiutet.
* 2009-2013 I was member of the Educational Board at the Institute of
Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Instiutet.
* High School Education (Chemistry), Europaskolan, Strängnäs, 1998-2001
* Master of Science in Biology (MSc), Uppsala Universitet, Uppsala,
2003-2007
* Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Institute of Environmental Medicine and
Experimental Asthma and Allergy Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm
2008-2013

Asthma is a major public health concern affecting between 5 and 10% of the
population. The exacerbations of asthma occur on a background of chronic
inflammation where inflammatory cells, such as eosinophils and mast cells,
and their respective mediators, including lipid mediators, orchestrate
different patterns of inflammation and bronchoconstriction. The purpose of my
research programme is to define the role of different lipid mediators for
airway function in relation to the pathobiology of asthma.

I teach the sections anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, toxicology and pathophysiology of the pulmonary system as well as animal models in pulmonary diseases at two International Master's  Programme (Master's Programme in Toxicology and Master's Programme in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology) at Karolinska Institutet. I also lecture in allergy, airway diseases and inflammation.

I also teaching visiting researchers, internship students, master students, doctoral students and post-doctoral students in scientific methodology, design of quantitative research, methods for systematic literature review, clinical immunology and allergy, diagnosis and management of asthma and other respiratory diseases, and prevention strategies of allergy and asthma.