Lara Kular

Lara Kular

Senior Research Specialist
Visiting address: L8:05, CMM Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset Solna, 17176 Stockholm
Postal address: K8 Klinisk neurovetenskap, K8 Neuro Jagodic Kular, 171 77 Stockholm
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About me

  • I am Team Leader in Maja Jagodic's group of the Karolinska Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis (KNIMS) network.

    Grants: the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet), The Swedish Brain Foundation (Hjärnfonden), the Swedish Association for Persons with Neurological Disabilities (Neuroförbundet), the Swedish MS Foundation (MS Forskningsfonden), The Norlins Foundation, Magnus Bergvalls Foundation, Petrus och Augusta Hedlunds  Foundation, Åke Wiberg Foundation, Margaretha af Ugglas Foundation, Karolinska Institutet Research Foundation.


    Short bio: I have a PhD in Human Physiology and Physiopathology (highest honours), Pierre et Marie Curie University (UPMC – Sorbonne Universités), Sept 2011, Paris,  France. Before that, I obtained a Research Master in Physiology and Physiopathology (/cum laude/), Rennes 1 
    University, June 2007, Rennes, France and an Engineering Degree in Life Science, ENSAR, July 2007, France.

Research

  • I aim to exploit the /potential of epigenetics to better understand and treat neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders, with a focus on Multiple Sclerosis disease. I have a particular interest in unraveling the molecular mechanisms along the lung-brain axis that underlie the impact of smoking in disease development and severity. By integrating state-of-art methodological and causal approaches in molecular, cellular and experimental neuroscience into a clinical framework, I hope to fully translate novel knowledge into clinical applications, with the prospect to potentially /revolutionize translational research and personalized medicine. My expertise relies on robust theoretical and practical knowledge in in-vivo studies of models of neuropathology as well as diverse molecular and cellular skills in epigenetics and neuroscience that I acquired during my career. In a word, my scientific ambition is driven by a rooted passion for epigenetics and ever-growing motivation to unravel its potential in clinical neuroscience. My research is embedded in a highly collaborative and dynamic research center: Karolinska Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis (KNIMS) network. 

Articles

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Grants

  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2022 - 31 December 2025
    Multiple Sclerosis (MS), inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, is a leading cause of unpredictable lifelong disability in young adults, with a yet unexplained rise in incidence. Despite the known association between smoking and MS, the underlying mechanisms are still elusive and specific clinical applications are lacking. We propose that epigenetic mechanisms mediate the processes underpinning the impact of smoking in MS. We aim to develop innovative analytical and cutting-edge experimental strategies, taking advantage of the stable and reversible nature of epigenetic marks to:Aim 1. Identify novel molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of smoking in MS by generating omics data in pathogenic immune cells of the lung-brain axis and in relation to the major HLA MS risk factor and brain degeneration using case-control cohorts.Aim 2. Functionally investigate smoking-associated changes using epigenome-editing in advanced (e.g. iPSC-derived) cellular models and in MS-like animal model.Aim 3. Establish smoking-associated epigenetic marks that can serve as sensitive and specific biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis.With this project, we will translate findings from unique clinical material into advanced functional systems and address biomarker potential. We believe this unprecedented approach will provide in-depth mechanistic insights into the impact of smoking, considerably advancing the field of MS and potentially other diseases with similar etiologies.

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