Two CMM researchers receive grants for basic research from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation
The Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation has announced the recipients of the 2024 basic research project grants. Of the total of 30 projects sharing SEK 835 million, seven are run by researchers at Karolinska Institutet two of which are awarded to CMM researchers, Camilla Engblom and Eduardo Villablanca.
This text is based on an article from Karolinska Institutet.
“The Foundation’s evaluation process is focused on identifying projects that are at the forefront of international research and that can contribute to new knowledge,” says Peter Wallenberg Jr, Chair of Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, in a press release.
A total of 30 projects, in medicine, natural sciences and technology, have been evaluated after an international peer review process to have such high scientific potential that they have the possibility of leading to future scientific breakthroughs.
Each project has been evaluated by at least four or five international experts in the respective field.
Since 2011, when Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation established the project grant form, until 2024, 303 projects with a total budget of SEK 8.3 billion have been granted.
Project: “Spatially resolving tumor and immune clonal niches in human breast cancer”
Grant: SEK 26 000 000 over five years
Principal investigator: Dr. Camilla Engblom
Camilla Engblom is a CMM Team Leader and assistant professor of immunology at the Department of Medicine, Solna. Her project will involve characterizing breast tumours focusing on their micro-environment and developing new methods of analysis.
The researchers are hoping to understand in detail how cells interact in the tumour micro-environment with a particular focus on antibody-forming B cells.
One objective is to identify biomarkers able to predict which tumours will respond to immunotherapy using AI and 3D tumour models; they also hope to find new molecular therapeutic targets.
Project: “A Spatially Functional Atlas of the Healing Intestinal Barrier: Implications for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases”
Grant: SEK 26 000 000 over five years
Principal investigator: Docent Eduardo Villablanca
Photo: Magnus Bergström, Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelser
Eduardo Villablanca is docent of immunology at the Department of Medicine, Solna. He will be continuing his work using a variety of techniques to ascertain how the intestinal mucosa can be made to heal after an inflammatory bowel disease.
Part of his project involves creating an atlas of the interaction between different kinds of cell and between cells and bacteria in the gut microbiome.
The researchers will also be using material from patients with inflammatory bowel disease in order to find candidate molecules that could lead to improved therapies.