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Panel 10 – medicine | Laboratory
The infection/inflammation area has focus on the complement system,
development of complement inhibitors, structure-function relationship
of coagulation factor V, activated protein C, protein S, role of a novel
apolipoprotein ApoM, regulation of blood coagulation and endothelial
cell functions by the anticoagulant protein C and Gas6-Axl pathways,
and Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis affinity for
soluble human IgD.
It is emphasized that there is no strict division between these two research
areas: cancer and infection/inflammation since several scientists involved
in infection/inflammation are also performing cancer research and
scientist that are primarily working with cancer have published important
papers in the area of inflammation. Furthermore, several scientists in the
two fields have collaborated and published papers in both research areas.
Finally, one research project relates to inflammation-induced cancer.
3.6 Criticism and evaluation of future plans
The research groups of the Department of Laboratory Medicine, Malmö
are small with one principal investigator surrounded by 1-3 post docs and
1–3 PhD students giving a total of 3–7 researchers in each group. On an
international level these groups do not have the critical mass for competitive,
high performance and cutting edge research. The research profile of some
groups is thin with narrow focus and purpose. The methodological approaches
are characterized by traditional methods, small-scale analysis and
limited equipment. There is no capacity for the single group to implement
and develop new demanding technologies of large scale. Many of the PIs
do not have a medical background, which at its worst can restrain efficient
clinical contacts that are a prerequisite for fruitful translational research.
The two main areas of research: cancer and infection/inflammation are
not related apart from one project in the department studying the role of
virus infections in the etiology of cancer. Another important project on
the role of inflammation in malignant tumours for cancer cell growth
and metastasis is not studied in the department. Presumably, the two
research areas were initiated by successful and productive researchers in
either field and have since remained the main focus.
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