Project description:

My research focuses on finding ways to regenerate Thymic function to enhance immune recovery in patients after stem cell transplantation, radiation or cytoreductive therapy.

Our group has previously shown how endogenous thymic regeneration is dependent on a critical meshwork of immune players and stromal cells. Thymic regeneration is  dependent on complex chains of events including IL-22 and BMP4 dependent involvement of Innate lymphoid cells and Thymic epithelial cells.

By using single cell and spatial transcriptomic analysis of injured Thymus, linking it to endogenous thymic injury mouse models and in vitro human thymic cultures we aim to decipher the responsible regenerative pathways and find translational therapeutic targets to regenerate thymic function. In addition, we use genome wide CRISPR screening of human Thymic epithelial cells to build novel strategies to develop implantable Thymic organoids. The ultimate aim of the project being to ameliorate treatment related mortality and morbidity in the young, aged or severely immunocompromised patient.

Grants/Awards/Highlights:

2022 SSMF, Swedish medical foundation, postdoctoral grant.
2021 The Sweden-America Foundation, postdoctoral grant.
2020 Primary Immune deficiency Organization award, honorary award.
2019 Lars Hiertas minnes foundation award, research funding.
2019, Scandinavian Society of immunology, Travel grant, SSI.
2018, Scandinavian Society of immunology, Travel grant, SSI.
2018, European Society of immunology, European congress of immunology, Travel grant.
2018, The National University Hospital of Iceland, Research grant
2017, The National University Hospital of Iceland, Research grant.
2016, Distinctive Young Researcher of The National University Hospital of Iceland, Honorary grant.
2015, Scandinavian Society of immunology Travel grant, ECI.
2015, Research grant The National University Hospital of Iceland.
2014, EMBO- European molecular biology organization , Short time Fellowship.
2014, Research grant The National University Hospital of Iceland.
2013, Research grant The National University Hospital of Iceland.
2012, Award for best B.Sc. in Medical Biology, Medical department, University of Iceland.

Education:

• Residency in Pediatrics, pediatric oncology and postdoctoral fellow, Sahlgrenska academy, Gothenburg, Sweden, 2019-2022.
• PhD in Immunology, University of Iceland, (2012-2019).
• Residency in Clinical Immunology and Pediatrics, University of Iceland, (2017-2018)
• Medical degree, University of Iceland, (2012-2016).
• Bachelors in Medical Biology, University of Iceland, (2009-2012)