Consolidator grant supports long-term research on brain infections
Federico Iovino has been awarded a five-year consolidator grant from Karolinska Institutet to support research on bacterial infections that affect the brain. The funding will enable long-term planning in studies of conditions such as meningitis and encephalitis.
For researchers at Karolinska Institutet, securing long-term funding is an important step in developing and maintaining an independent research group. While starting a laboratory is challenging, consolidating a research programme over time can be even more demanding.
In his research group, Federico Iovino studies bacterial infections of the brain that can lead to serious diseases, including meningitis and encephalitis. The work focuses on fundamental questions about how neurons are damaged during infection and how the immune system responds when bacteria invade the brain.
“This grant allows long-term planning, which is fundamental in order to perform the transition from fundamental science to novel therapies,” says Associate Professor Federico Iovino, principal investigator and research group leader at the Department of Neuroscience.
The overall aim of the research is to generate knowledge that can contribute to new therapeutic approaches. Strategies involve preventing lasting neuronal damage, boosting immune response for pathogen removal, and enhancing bacterial clearance in the brain. Focus is placed on bacteria resistant to antibiotics and multiple drugs.
The grant provides 1.2 million SEK per year for five years, corresponding to a total of 6 million SEK, and will support the continued development of the research group’s work.