GRANTS. IngaBritt and Arne Lundberg’s Research Foundation has chosen to provide a total of SEK 18 million to researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy to purchase new equipment. One of the researchers granted funding is Ulrika Islander, who is receiving SEK 3 million to buy a highly advanced confocal microscope.
Ulrika Islander is a researcher at the Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, who investigates immunological mechanisms involved in the protective effects of estrogen in rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation-induced osteoporosis. Ultimately, she hopes that her research will contribute to the development of new treatments for both rheumatoid arthritis and associated osteoporosis.
“One of my most important issues right now is to investigate how estrogen affects stromal cells in lymph nodes and bone marrow and to determine how this affects the interactions between immune cells and stromal cells,” says Islander.
The primary function of stromal cells is the production of collagen and other connective tissue components that makes up the structure of lymph nodes and bone marrow. However more recently, research has shown that these cells also can affect and control the responses of immune cells.
Filming cells
The microscope Ulrika Islander can now buy is extremely sensitive and is also adapted for “live cell imaging,” which means that it will be possible to film and follow the movements and interactions of immune cells on the network of stromal cells over a period of time.
“This will give us a clear picture of how these tissue structures and cell interactions are affected by estrogen during inflammatory processes. Consequently, I can visualize the network of stromal cells in lymph nodes and bone marrow and also study in detail how the immune cells use the stromal cells and interact with them to become activated and move in lymph nodes and bone marrow.”
This year 64 applications were submitted. Of those, seven applications from researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy were successful as well as an additional five applications from elsewhere. So, the grant rate was about 19 percent. Altogether, the foundation awarded SEK 36.5 million.
The complete list
Gunnar C. Hansson
Institute of Biomedicine
SEK 2,500,000
Ulrika Islander
Institute of Medicine
SEK 3,000,000
Anna-Carin Olin
Institute of Medicine
SEK 3,000,000
Michael Olausson
Institute of Clinical Sciences
SEK 1,500,000
Henrik Malchau
Institute of Clinical Sciences
SEK 4,000,000
Lars Kölby
Institute of Clinical Sciences
SEK 2,000,000
Göran Larson
Core Facilities
SEK 2,000,000
TEXT: ELIN LINDSTRÖM CLAESSEN
PHOTO: JESPER LUDVIGSEN
