Lars Frelin

I am an Associate Professor (Docent) in Virology at Karolinska Institutet and a member of the "Vaccines and Immunotherapies Against Viruses and Cancer" research group. I earned my Ph.D. in 2004 at Karolinska Institutet and completed my postdoctoral training at the Vaccine Research Institute of San Diego and The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA.

I am an experienced vaccine researcher, academic leader, and educator with strong expertise in virology and vaccinology. As a vaccine researcher, I have more than 20 years of experience in developing innovative therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines against viral diseases, including hepatitis B, C, and D, SARS-CoV-2, and Crimean-Congo virus. I have a proven track record of advancing vaccine candidates from concept to phase 1 clinical trials. I have established a comprehensive network within vaccine research, both nationally and internationally.

During my career, I have received several distinctions, including the honorary award from the Swedish Hepatitis C Association for initiating the research project “Vertical and Horizontal Health Communication: Case Hepatitis C” (2013), together with Gustaf Ahlén, Mauri Kaipainen, and Sofia Lundmark, and the Jonas Söderqvist Prize for basic research in virology and immunology (2007).

As an academic leader and educator, I have extensive experience in teaching, program- and course syllabus development, quality assurance, and strategic educational planning. I currently serve as Departmental Director of Education (GUA) and have previously held roles such as Programme Director for multiple study programs.

My research focuses on the development of innovative vaccines against viral diseases. For more than 20 years, I have worked on vaccines targeting viral hepatitis (primarily hepatitis B, D, and C), and in recent years, I have also focused on vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, as well as Crimean-Congo virus, which can lead to hemorrhagic fever.

The core of my work is advanced antigen design to create novel therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines for diseases where effective vaccines or treatments are currently lacking. Development is carried out in close collaboration with infectious disease specialists to identify clinical needs and the type of immune activation that may provide protection against infection.

Vaccine candidates are systematically evaluated across a range of model systems—from cell culture to various preclinical models—assessing their ability to induce humoral and cellular immune responses, efficacy and protection against infection, potential side effects, and ease of production.

Several vaccines have progressed from concept to clinical phase 1 trials, including candidates against hepatitis C, SARS-CoV-2, and Crimean-Congo virus. Currently in the pipeline are a therapeutic vaccine for hepatitis B and a prophylactic vaccine for hepatitis D.

Experienced academic leader and educator with extensive expertise in virology, and vaccinology. Currently serving as Departmental Director of Education (GUA) at the Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, with overarching responsibility and decision-making authority for education at undergraduate and advanced levels.

Former Programme Director for the Study Programme in Biomedical Laboratory Science, Master’s Program in Diagnostic Cytology, and Master’s Program in Biomedical Laboratory Science. Skilled in program- and course syllabus development, quality assurance, and strategic educational planning.

Proven track record in teaching across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, and frequently engaged as an expert reviewer for higher education programs within the EU. Successfully supervised seven PhD students to completion (two as principal supervisor) and numerous bachelor and master’s students through their thesis projects.