Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren (Photo Ulf Sirborn)

Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren

Professor/överläkare

Om mig

MD and PhD Karolinska Institute (KI), 1982-1992. Post doc M.I.T., Boston, USA, 1992-1994. Docent, 1994. Group leader Dept Microbiology and Tumor Biology, KI, 1994-2000. Professor Dept Medicine, Huddinge, KI, since 2001. Founder and Director Center for Infectious Medicine, Dept of Medicine, Huddinge, KI, since 2001. 

Förtroendeuppdrag

Chairman Medical Students Association, KI, 1985. Scientific Secretary Swedish Cancer Society, 1998-2003. Member KI Board of Research, 2005-2011, Member and Chairman KI/Region Stockholm Research Strategic Committee 2007-2015, Member Region Stockholm Research, Education and Innovation group 2012-2013. Member KI Board, 2011-2013. Vice chairman, Dept Medicine, Huddinge, KI, 2008-2013. Dean of Research, KI, 2013-2016. Affiliated Professor, Nova Southeastern University, Ft Lauderdale, FL, USA, 2017-2019. Director Vinnova Competence Center NextGenNK, since 2020. Co-founder and Board Member in Vycellix Inc, Vycellix Sweden AB, and XNK Therapeutics AB. Member of several SABs of international Biotech companies. Member Nobel Assembly, KI since 2008, member Sjöberg Prize committee, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, since 2022, and member Novo Nordisk Prize committee since 2023. Elected Member of Academia Europeae, 2023. 

Forskningsbeskrivning

Our group is interested in human immunology, in particular immune reactions against cancer cells and virus infected cells. A particular interest has focused around early immune responses mediated by NK cells. The latter emerges from the early discoveries regarding the molecular specificity of NK cells, including their ability to mediate "missing-self" recognition. Interest has also included studies of the induction of adaptive immune responses and the function of such in course of host responses to human cancer and viral infections.

With regards to cancer immunology, a large interest has focused around tumor immunity and in particular immunotherapy. Significant efforts are devoted towards the development of both autologous and allogenic NK cell-based immunotherapies for human hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. In this regard, several clinical trials are currently undergoing being developed in large collaborative networks including both academic partners, health care and industry.

With regards to infection immunology, a large interest has focused around various groups of viruses including hemorrhagic fever inducing hantaviruses and flaviviruses. Significant efforts have more recently been devoted to studies of host immune responses towards SARS-CoV-2 infections, and immunity induced by anti-SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. In the latter context, clinical trials are currently undergoing in large collaborative networks involving several clinical groups addressing these vaccine's effects in patient groups with primary immunodeficiency viruses.