Immunotherapy – Robert Harris' research group

We aim to apply novel therapies derived from experimental studies into the human clinical setting.

Part of the Department of Clinical Neuroscience

News highlights

Professor Robert Harris made honorary doctorate
Anca Dana Buzoianu and Robert Harris. Photo: N/A.

Professor Robert Harris made honorary doctorate

Professor Robert A. Harris is made honorary doctorate at the Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMF) Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The honour is given in recognition of Bob Harris’ exceptional contributions to the development of the university, especially in the context of the European University Alliance NeurotechEU project

Dissertation Keying Zhu, May 17 2023
Keying Zhu dissertation Photo: Nilla Karlsson

Dissertation Keying Zhu, May 17 2023

Keying Zhu defended his thesis on May 17 2023.
Title: Deciphering and fine-tuning myeloid cells in CNS demyelinating conditions

Publications

Selected publications

Competitive repopulation of an empty microglial niche yields functionally distinct subsets of microglia-like cells.
Lund H, Pieber M, Parsa R, Han J, Grommisch D, Ewing E, et al
Nat Commun 2018 11;9(1):4845

Fatal demyelinating disease is induced by monocyte-derived macrophages in the absence of TGF-β signaling.
Lund H, Pieber M, Parsa R, Grommisch D, Ewing E, Kular L, et al
Nat. Immunol. 2018 05;19(5):1-7

TGFβ regulates persistent neuroinflammation by controlling Th1 polarization and ROS production via monocyte-derived dendritic cells.
Parsa R, Lund H, Tosevski I, Zhang X, Malipiero U, Beckervordersandforth J, et al
Glia 2016 11;64(11):1925-37

BAFF-secreting neutrophils drive plasma cell responses during emergency granulopoiesis.
Parsa R, Lund H, Georgoudaki A, Zhang X, Ortlieb Guerreiro-Cacais A, Grommisch D, et al
J. Exp. Med. 2016 07;213(8):1537-53

Adoptive transfer of immunomodulatory M2 macrophages prevents type 1 diabetes in NOD mice.
Parsa R, Andresen P, Gillett A, Mia S, Zhang X, Mayans S, et al
Diabetes 2012 Nov;61(11):2881-92

Funding

 

Swedish Medical Research Council (VR)

Alltid Litt Sterkere

Neurofonden

Thierry Latran Foundation

Stiftelse Olle Engkvist

Åhlen stiftelse

Ulla Carin Lindquist Foundation 

CancerFonden

Karolinska Institutet KID

 

Staff and contact

Group leader

All members of the group

Team leader

A team leader operates as an additional leadership support to our research group leader and conducts its own research.
 

Sebastian Lewandovski

Profile image

Sebastian Lewandowski

Teamleader - Neurovascular injury and neurodegeration

Team members (Sebastian Lewandowski's team)

PhD theses

 

PhD students with Bob as Main Supervisor


 

Keying Zhu 2023-05-17
Deciphering and fine-tuning of myeloid cells in CNS demyelinating conditions
 

Jinming Han 2021-02-19
Repopulation of a microglia-depleted central nervous system : molecular characterization during homeostasis and disease 
After leaving the lab began as a Post-doctoral fellow, Capital Hospital, Bejing, China
 

Melanie Pieber 2019-04-26
Myeloid cells in experimental neuropathologies
After leaving the lab began as a Post-doctoral fellow at UCB, Vancouver, Canada

 

Harald Lund 2018-06-01    
Regulation of microglia and monocyte function by the cytokine TGF-beta
After leaving the lab began as a Post-doctoral fellow at UCLA, USA

 

Eyglo Gudmundsdottir 2017-11-30 
The effects of parenting a child diagnosed with cancer : distress, resilience and vital exhaustion. Living with death in your face

 

Chao Sun 2017-04-28 
Studies of b-AP15 : a novel inhibitor of proteasome deubiquitinase activity  

 

Andreas Warnecke 2016-06-14
Post-translational modifications of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein in CNS autoimmunity
After leaving the lab began at a Biotechnology company in Stockholm

 

Roham Parsa   2015-06-12
Innate regulation of the adaptive immune system during autoimmunity
After leaving the lab began as a Post-doctoral fellow at Rockefeller, USA

 

Sohel Mia 2014-04-11
Myeloid cells in autoimmune diseases
After leaving the lab began as a Post-doctoral fellow at KI


Åsa Andersson 2006-01-27
Macrophages : As central inflammatory mediators and as targets for therapeutic interventions   

After leaving the lab began as a Post-doctoral fellow at UCLA, USA


Maja Wållberg 2005-05-04
Modulation of immune responses in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis   
After leaving the lab began as a Post-doctoral fellow at Cambridge University, UK

 

Judit Wefer 2004-09-17
Studies of cellular pathogenesis in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
After leaving the lab was Employed by Grants Office, KI

 

Khairul-Bariah Abdul-Majid  2002-01-11
Pathogenesis of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in DBA/1 mice 
After leaving the lab began as a Post-doctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University, USA
 

PhD students with Bob as co-supervisor

 

Caroline DeVisscher 2021-06-03
Characterization and long-term follow-up of Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS)              
After completion of PhD continued as a practicing clinician
 

Oscar Diaz Perez 2021-05-28 - Post-doctoral fellow, USA
Impact of genetic and environmental factors in intestinal inflammation
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow USA

 

Elena Di Martino 2020-10-02
Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy : inflammation and therapies           
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow USA
 

Eliane Piket 2020-06-12
Immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis : big roles for small RNAs

After completion of PhD joined ImmunoIVD AB as an application specialist
 

Natalia Sherina 2019-12-13
On the origin of ACPA : exploring the role of P. gingivalis in the development of rheumatoid arthritis
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow at KI
 

Marie N’diaye 2018-03-16
Immunological mechanisms regulating neuroinflammation : a role for C-type lectin receptors and vitamin D
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow at KI

 

Sabrina Ruhrmann 2017-05-19
Involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in disease inheritance and pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) with a focus on genomic imprinting and DNA methylation in CD4+ T cells
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow at KI
 

Nataliya Tarasova 2016-06-17
Establishing a proteomics-based monocyte assay to assess differential innate immune responses
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow at KI

 

Anna Maria Marino 2012-12-07
Experimental combination therapy of brain cancer cell models
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow at KI

 

Melanie Thessen Hedreul 2012-06-15
Genetic and Immunological Regulation of Neuroinflammation
After completion of PhD continued as a research scientist at Celgene

 

Elizabeth Jedell 2010-12-17
Polycystic ovary syndrome: Studies of affective symptoms in association with sex steroids and evaluation of electroacupuncture and physical exercise

 

Alan Gillett 2010-11-19
Genetic and Immunological Mechanisms Regulating Neuroinflammation
After completion of PhD joined Merck Group, Canada

 

Amennai Beyeen 2010-11-12
Definition of genetic and pathogenic mechanisms regulating neuroinflammation

After completion of PhD joined Novartis, Sweden

 

Jan Ottervald 2009-11-27
Proteomics in neurological disease
After completion of PhD continued as a research scientist at Astra Zeneca

 

Anna Ökvist 2009-06-08
Synaptic plasticity in drug abuse disorders : Studies of the human post-mortem brain
After completion of PhD began as a research scientist at KaroBio

 

Ruxandra Covacu 2008-01-24
Adult neural stem cells in neuroinflammation
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow at KI


Monica Marta 2007-09-25
Gene regulation and immune mechanisms in multiple sclerosis experimental models
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow at Kings College London, UK


Samer Sourial 2005-10-07
Functional studies on the interaction of immunoglobulins with HIV-2 envelope
After completion of PhD began as a Medical student at KI
 

John Andersson (Docent) 2003-06-04
Experimental chagas disease
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow at NIH, USA
 

Maha Hamadien 2002-08-29
Parasite signalling and host responses in experimental and human African trypanosomiasis
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow at UCLA, USA
 

Saad Muhallab 2002-06-14
T cell production of cytokines, neurotrophins and MHC regulation in autoimmune neuroinflammation
After completion of PhD began as a clinician at Linköping Hospital, Sweden


Ahmed Sharafeldin 2001-12-14
Immunological studies in the brain and signaling pathways in experimental African trypanosomiasis
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow at KI

 

Dan Sunnemark 1998-05-20
Immunopathogenesis of experimental Chagas' disease
After completion of PhD began as a research scientist at Astra Zeneca

 

Azael Saldana (Docent) 1997-11-19
Immunobiochemical significance of Trypanosoma rangeli in the study of Trypanosoma cruzi
After completion of PhD began as a Post-doctoral fellow at Panama University and later became Professor

 

Photo gallery

laughter_Bob Harris
Bob Harris teaches
Bob Harris teaches
Bob Harris co-supervisors
Bob Harris co-supervisors
Neuro-immunology-group-retreat
Neuro-immunology-group-retreat
Xinmei Hagelin
Xinmei Hagelin
Kelly-acting-as-chairperson-at-the-KI-NIH-symposium
Kelly-acting-as-chairperson-at-the-KI-NIH-symposium
NIH-symposium-coordinators
NIH-symposium-coordinators
Melanie_poster
Melanie_poster
Melanie-travel-award EMDS
Melanie-travel-award EMDS
Harald CNS day
Harald CNS day
Harald presenting SWIMM
Harald presenting SWIMM
Harald disp partee
Harald dissertation party
Harald nailing
Harald nailing

Videos & Media

 

Video links:

Fighting Brain Tumors and Alzheimers 
https://youtu.be/MKKhGbUa6-c
 

#followup with Robert Harris - some intreresting news
https://youtu.be/JFxMMrDsOYY
 

Introducing Neurotech2040
https://youtu.be/VR35CRd3Tb0
 

Nationella Dekanmötet i Lund 2019
https://youtu.be/RZbu44CbWCA
 

7th Trials Methodology Symposium 2021, Prof. Robert Harris
https://youtu.be/GrXr7tAnWI0

 

Media:

Nature Careers podcast: 10th February 2023.
Showing the love as a science leader: the emotional side of empowering and inspiring others https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00417-2


Professor Bob Harris – with an award and a sword
https://news.ki.se/professor-bob-harris-with-an-award-and-a-sword

 

Robert Harris (Director of post graduation studies at Karolinska Institute and President of ORPHEUS) visited the Escola de Medicina
https://twitter.com/icvs_uminho/status/1045672561080750082

 

https://he-il.facebook.com/dsa.karolinska/photos/5209863485714396/

 

Reflections and visions for modernization: why doctoral education needs TECH
https://www.qqi.ie/sites/default/files/2022-10/10.20-11.05%2019%20Oct%20-%20%20Bob%20Harris%20-%20Breakout%20-%20Doctoral%20Education%20-%20Hogan%20Suite.pdf

FAQ

Some frequently asked questions
 

Do you have a PhD position available?

I have had good success in securing faculty (KID) funding for several PhD students, and these positions are advertised at KI Jobb. Social skills, ability to work collaboratively and a genuine interest in our work are all prerequisites for being accepted. A 4-year PhD training should not be something you do because you have nothing better to do – you should have a vocation for science and in particular the science we do. I am happy to receive enquiries from people fulfilling these requirements.

 

Do you have a Masters project position available?

I usually have one Masters project student per term working together with one of my PhD students. You are welcome to contact me and to express an interest in working within one of the projects described in the lab profile. Social skills, ability to work collaboratively and a genuine interest in our work are all prerequisites for being accepted.

 

Do you have a postdoc position available?

Funding for postdocs is often the hardest type of funding to secure. If you are interested in working in my lab you are welcome to contact me and submit a CV and a statement describing your specific research interests. If funding is available in the lab then great. If not you will be expected to provide your own funding or strategy for securing financing.

 

Do you accept volunteers?

I do not accept volunteers. If you are making a valuable contribution to my lab you will get paid for your efforts.