Kjell Fuxe

Kjell Fuxe

Professor Emeritus/Emerita
Telephone: +46852487078
Visiting address: Solnavägen 9 - kvarter A3, 17165 Solna
Postal address: C4 Neurovetenskap, C4 Forskning, 171 77 Stockholm
Part of:

About me

  • I have been working on understanding the communication and integration of neuronal-glial networks of the brain. This research provided evidence for the existence of central monoamine neurons, volume transmission and its different forms, and receptor-receptor interactions in heteroreceptor complexes in the CNS. I applied this knowledge to develop novel strategies for treatment of Schizophrenia, depression, cocaine addiction and Parkinson's disease.

    This research introduced for example, several dopamine receptor agonists for treatment of Parkinson's disease and lead to important work in molecular neuropsychopharmacology. Integration of synaptic and volume transmission signals can take place through synaptic and extrasynaptic heteroreceptor complexes, becoming a new major mechanism for neuromodulation of synapses. The reorganization of homo- and heteroreceptor complexes in the postsynaptic membrane with novel adaptor proteins may form the molecular basis for learning and memory. The novel heteroreceptor complexes discovered represents new targets for treatment of mental and neurological diseases.

    ACADEMIC HONOURS:

    2019 Minisymposium (Fuxe, Svenningsson, Vukojevic and Borroto-Escuela) at the Nobel Forum, KI Neuroscience Networks. Sweden

    2018 Chapter in 10th volume of "The History of Neuroscience by Autobiography”

    2013 Foreign member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences, Mexico City, Mexico

    2007 Doctor Honoris Cause, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain

    1986-2005 Member of the Nobel Assembly, Stockholm, Sweden

    2005 Minisymposium on receptor-receptor interactions and volume transmission in honour of Kjell Fuxe at Karolinska Institutet. Sweden

    2005 Lecture at the Melvin Yahr Memorial Symposium in the 16th International Congress on Parkinsons’s Disease and Related disorders in Berlin, Germany

    2005 Honorary lecture at the Annual Italian Neuroscience Meeting in Ischia, Italy

    2002 Doctor Honoris Cause, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

    2000 Menek Goldstein Memorial Lecture, New York, USA

    1999 Charles Medal, Prague, Czech

    1998 Doctor Honoris Cause at the University of Barcelona, Spain

    1993 Cass Memorial Lecture, University of Dundee, UK

    1993 Honorary Doctorate at the Albert Einstein International Academy Foundation, USA

    1992 Doctor Honoris Cause of Université Claude Bernard, Lyon, France

    1992 The Albert Einstein International Academy Foundation Cross of Merit, USA

    1991 The Albert Einstein Academy Foundation Alfred Nobel Medal for Peace, USA

    1990 The Albert Einstein Academy Bronze Medal Award, Missouri, USA

    1988 Honorary Doctorate, Marquis Guiseppe Scicluna International University, USA

    1980- Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science, Stockholm Sweden.

    1977 Gold Medal for research on prolactin, First Int Prolactin Symposium, Nice, France


    AWARDS AND PRIZES:

    2018 CINP pioneer award with receipt of Arvid Carlsson medal, June 16, Vienna, Austria

    2018 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who

    2012 Camillo Golgi Medal Award, Golgi Foundation, Brescia, Italy

    2012 “Sigillo d’Ateneo” University of Urbino, Italy

    2009 Grant Award from Fundacio La Marato de TV3 , Barcelona, Spain

    2007 The university of Modena medal, Modena, Italy

    2007 Rapid Response Innovation Award at the Michael J. Fox Foundation, USA

    2006 The Palay Award in structural Neuroscience, Cajal Club, USA

    2003 ECNP Neuropsychopharmacology Award 2003, by ECNP committee, Prague, Czech

    1998 Humboldt Prize Award, Germany

    1993 The Fishberg Professorship Award at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, USA

    1992 IPSEN Prize by the IPSEN foundation, Paris, France

    1990 The Adele and Robert Blank Lectureship Award, NYU Medical Center, USA

    1985 The New York Academy of Sciences Award in Biological and Medical Sciences

    1980 International Madonina Prize of the Biological Sciences, Milan, Italy

    1979 Hilda and Alfred Erikssons Prize of the Swedish Royal Academy, Sweden

    1979 Erik H. Fernströms Reward at Karolinska Institute, Sweden

    1975 Kaiser Award, Med Faculty, University of Honolulu, Hawaii, USA


    EDUCATION:

    1965 PhD, Histology, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

    1971 MD, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

Research

  • The concept of allosteric receptor-receptor interactions in G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) homo- and heteroreceptor complexes, in which they physically interact, provides a new dimension to molecular integration in the brain. The receptor-receptor interactions dynamically change recognition, pharmacology, signaling and trafficking of the participating receptors and thus their function. We introduced a novel hypothesis that vulnerability of distinct GPCR heteroreceptor complexes can be a major cause for brain disorders involving dramatic dysfunction through marked changes in their densities and allosteric receptor-receptor interactions.

    SUMMARY OF RECENT WORK IN THE LAB:

    I- Concepts introduced by our group on GPCR heteroreceptor complexes and their integrative receptor-receptor interactions in the CNS for understanding brain integration and providing novel treatments of brain disease. (PMID: 28270751)

    II- Understanding integrative molecular mechanisms involving especially adenosine (A2AR)- dopamine (D2R) heteroreceptor complexes and their receptor-receptor interactions but also MOR-D2likeR heteroreceptor complexes. It will help elucidate cocaine and morphine addiction and open up novel treatment options of these types of addiction. (PMID: 30384981)

    III- Understanding integrative molecular mechanisms involving especially FGFR1-5-HT1A heteroreceptor complexes and their receptor-receptor interactions. Also the 5-HT1A isoreceptor complexes and other 5-HT1A and oxytocin heteroreceptor complexes. This research may help us understand depression and provide novel, antidepressant drugs, especially of treatment resistant depression. (PMID: 26687454)

    IV- Understanding integrative molecular mechanisms involving especially A2AR-D2R heteroreceptor complexes and their receptor-receptor interactions in ventral striatum in relation to Schizophrenia. The role of distinc immune receptors and their potential physical interactions with NMDAR and D2R are also proposed to play a significant role in Schizophrenia. This research has led to the A2AR hypothesis of schizophrenia with A2AR-D2R complexes having a significant role. Targeting these complexes may lead to development of novel antipsychotic drugs. (PMID: 32349279)

    V- Understanding integrative molecular mechanisms involving especially A2AR-D2R heteroreceptor complexes and their receptor-receptor interactions in dorsal striatum is of high relevance to see what goes wrong in sensory-motor integration in Parkinson’s disease. This research has led to the hypothesis that disturbances in A2AR-D2R, A2AR-mGluR5 and A2AR-D2R-mGluR5 complexes have a significant role in Parkinsonn’s disease by enhancing the brake in motor activation. It is produced through overactivity in the dorsal striato-pallidal GABA pathway induced by inhibition of the inhibitory D2R function in the receptor complexes present in this pathway. Targeting these complexes may lead to development of novel antiparkinsonian drugs. (PMID: 30637481)

    The future looks highly interesting moving further into molecular integration and communication in health and disease and understanding the molecular basis of learning and memory.

Teaching

  • 1968-1979 Prosektor – Histology, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

    1979-2005 Professor – Histology, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden


    SUPERVISION OF GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS

    1971-2004 Main supervisor of 22 PhD Theses at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    1971-2018 Supervisor of 43 post doctoral fellows at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden


    POSITIONS OF TRUST

    2017 Member of the Baillet Latour Scientific Committee for Medical Research. Belgium

    2012 Ambassador for the 28th CINP World Congress Neuropsychopharmacology

    2009 Chairman for independent awards committee for the outstanding contributions to the fields of basic and clinical acupuncture and meridian studies, South Korea

    2008 Presentation of the IPSEN Award on Neuronal Plasticity at FENS, Geneva, Switzerland.

    1986-2005 Member of the Nobel Assembly, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

    1992-1995 Member of the Scientific Board and Kuratorium of the Max del Brück Center Germany

    1983-1995 Member of the Medical Advisory Board of the American Parkinson Disease Association.

    1993 Member of the Foundation IPSEN Jury on Neuronal Plasticity, Paris, France

Articles

All other publications

Grants

Employments

  • Professor Emeritus/Emerita, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 2023-2026

Degrees and Education

  • Docent, 1966

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