Our research
Cancer immunotherapy
In collaboration with academic and industry partners through a Vinnova-funded program, our group contributes to developing next-generation NK cell therapies targeting diverse cancers. These include highly differentiated, metabolically optimized, genetically engineered, or externally stimulated NK cells, with a focus on safety, accessibility, and efficacy.
Viral immunity and vaccine studies
We study immune responses to viral infections, particularly flaviviruses (TBEV, JEV, YFV), hantaviruses (Puumula, Andes), and SARS-CoV-2, including vaccine responses. During the pandemic, we established a large COVID-19 biobank to support both immediate and long-term immunological studies. Early findings from our group helped elucidate immune responses to SARS-CoV-2. We contributed to the KI/K COVID-19 Immune Atlas, offering a detailed overview of immune responses in COVID-19.
We have led and contributed to clinical trials in cancer immunotherapy and vaccination studies.
Interview about the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Following the announcement, Professor Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren was interviewed by free lance journalist Jan-Olov Johansson about the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Speaking at the World Stem Cell Summit 2018
Video from Day 3 of the World Stem Cell Summit 2018 with the title: Reversing Cancer with Immunotherapies and Exosomes where Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren, MD, PhD (Karolinska Institutet) was one of the invited speakers.
Selected collaborators, Karolinska Institutet
Evren Alici, NK cell-based immunotherapies, clinical trials, NK cell-tumor cell engagers, oncolytic viruses, small molecule NK cell modulators
Jakob Michaelsson, Tissue specific immunity, mRNA profiling of innate immune cells
Nicole Marquardt, Tissue specific immunity, flow-cytometry based profiling of innate immune cells
Kalle Malmberg, Development of NK cell-based immunotherapies for treatment of human cancer, clinical trials
Jonas Klingström, Immunity and Immunopathogenesis of human hantavirus infections
Sara Gredmark-Russ, Immunity and immunopathogenesis of human flavivirus and SARS-CoV-2 infection
Karin Loré, Immunity towards flavivirus and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines
Niklas Björkström, Immunity to and immunopathogenesis of human hepatitis and SARS-CoV-2 viruses
Soo Aleman, Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 viruses and vaccines
Kristoffer Strålin, Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 viruses
Marcus Buggert, T cell immunity to SARS-CoV-2 viruses and vaccines
Johan Sandberg, Innate T cell immunity to SARS-CoV viruses and vaccines