Appreciated knowledge exchange at CIM

How can we create human tissue, such as skin, suitable for infectious disease research? 20 participants were able to test this, using special techniques during a week-long workshop on tissue models, held at the Center for Infectious Medicine.

- The use of organotypic models, which functions just like the human tissue system and contains immune cells, is relatively unique. So far, only few groups in the world have this technology, explains Associate Professor Mattias Svensson, who organized the workshop at CIM.

During the week, lectures were alternated with practical exercises for the participants, who came from the University of Pittsburgh, University of Turku, Lund University, CIM and AstraZeneca.

- The workshop was one of the best courses I have attended, says Sara Rolandsson, PhD student at The Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University.

- The combination of lectures, demonstrations and hands-on practices was very successful. In between the demonstrations and hands-on practices there was also time to interact with the other attendants.

The week-long workshop was made possible by a grant from STINT, The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education, as well as part-funding from the Infection Biology program at KI, and the workshop is the start of a brand new collaboration between CIM and the University of Pittsburgh.

- This fall, I and Professor Todd Reinhart at the University of Pittsburgh will submit a joint application to the National Institutes of Health, NIH, for a major research project in infectious diseases, says Mattias Svensson.