Laszlo Szekely

Infection with Sars-Cov2 induces distinct histopathological changes in the human body. The main applicant of the project carries out the largest number of autopsies on Covid-19 victims and on post-Covid sufferers in the Stockholm area. All autopsies are meticulously photo-documented and histological, virological, serological and molecular samples are collected for further analysis. The collected human tissue material is invaluable to establish the patho-mechanism of Covid-19 and post-Covid syndrome. Our preliminary data firmly established the pathomechanism behind the Covid-19 ARDS induced death, as well as uncovered permanent histological and proteomics changes in the lungs and body fluids of post-Covid individuals. We have demonstrated the persistence of pulmonary vascular structures that remain in the lungs after recovery from Covid-19. These vascular structures are results of exuberant neo-angiogenesis and lead to right to left shunt of venous blood causing permanent decrease of oxygen saturation. We have also shown that tissue damage factors that are highly increased in the pleural effusion of Covid-19 victims can persist in the body fluids of post-Covid patients. We investigate the effect of the Covid-19 associated flaring of squamous metaplasia, a risk factor for lung cancer development as well as the occurence of tau plaques in the CNS, marker of Alzheimers disease. We also collaborate with leading research groups to provide tissue samples for various projects.

Cancer is caused by changes in the cell's genome and its development depends on whether the cancer cells end up or are already in an environment that allows malignant growth. The tissue environment that is most optimal for cancer growth is similar to the environment in a healing wound, so cancer is often described as a wound that never heals. Despite their genetic changes, cancer cells can lose their capacity for uncontrolled growth and change their behavior if they end up in an environment that forces them to behave normally. We study interactions between cancer cells and normal cells that lead to growth arrest and altered behavior of the cancer cells. We have developed a new histological staining method (OFB) and have built a multi-color microscope (HexaScope) that automatically captures images and evaluates large-scale and detailed tumor tissue. With this new technology, we analyze tissue samples from patients and from animal models as well as digital mammography and tissue images from large databases. To study molecular mechanisms, we use a mixture of normal cells and tumor cells in two and three-dimensional cell cultures. Our goal is to map the effects of existing drugs and to identify new drugs that imitate or reinforce mechanisms that normal cells use to control tumor growth. In order to enable individualized treatment of patients, we also want to build a diagnostic system that can likewise analyze fresh tumor material directly from patients. The method should mimic our latest development SolidSense assay that automatically measures the effects of cytostatics on live tumor biopsies, but instead of measuring the amount of cell death, the new system would analyze markers for growth arrest. See also http://laszlo.mtc.ki.se/CF

Cancer is caused by changes in the cell's genome and its development depends on whether the cancer cells end up or are already in an environment that allows malignant growth. The tissue environment that is most optimal for cancer growth is similar to the environment in a healing wound, so cancer is often described as a wound that never heals. Despite their genetic changes, cancer cells can lose their capacity for uncontrolled growth and change their behavior if they end up in an environment that forces them to behave normally. We study interactions between cancer cells and normal cells that lead to growth arrest and altered behavior of the cancer cells. We have developed a new histological staining method (OFB) and have built a multi-color microscope (HexaScope) that automatically captures images and evaluates large-scale and detailed tumor tissue. With this new technology, we analyze tissue samples from patients and from animal models as well as digital mammography and tissue images from large databases. To study molecular mechanisms, we use a mixture of normal cells and tumor cells in two and three-dimensional cell cultures. Our goal is to map the effects of existing drugs and to identify new drugs that imitate or reinforce mechanisms that normal cells use to control tumor growth. In order to enable individualized treatment of patients, we also want to build a diagnostic system that can likewise analyze fresh tumor material directly from patients. The method should mimic our latest development SolidSense assay that automatically measures the effects of cytostatics on live tumor biopsies, but instead of measuring the amount of cell death, the new system would analyze markers for growth arrest. See also http://laszlo.mtc.ki.se/CF