PROJECT
SUPERVISORS

All supervisors

Project Supervisor

Anki Malmborg Hager

Background

I am the CEO of Lead Biologics International AB and serve as a board director for SenzaGen AB, NanoEcho AB, and Pharma Holding AS. I earned an MSc in Chemical Engineering from Lund University, followed by a PhD in Immunotechnology, where my research centered on molecular recognition in antibody engineering. After completing my doctoral studies, I pursued postdoctoral training at the University of California at Davis (UC Davis), before returning to Lund University as an Associate Professor.

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Driven by a long-standing interest in translating scientific innovation into commercial impact, I moved into the start-up sector, where I have now worked for more than 25 years. With a Pharma-MBA from Falconbury, I bring extensive experience in founding, leading, and scaling biotech companies. Before my current roles, I served as CEO of SenzaGen AB, PainDrainer AB, Cantargia AB, XImmune AB, and Diaprost AB, and worked as Investment Director at LU Bioscience AB and Vice President of Business Development at Alligator Bioscience AB.

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Research

Our research integrates stem cell biology, genetics, immunology, and cancer biology, with the overarching goal of developing innovative immunotherapies for leukemia and other malignancies. We focus particularly on acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a disease with poor survival outcomes.

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To tackle this challenge, we employ CRISPR-based functional genomic screens to uncover mechanisms that allow cancer cells to evade immune recognition and elimination. Building on these findings, we develop therapeutic antibodies targeting novel molecules and engineer CAR-macrophages as a new treatment modality. Through this integrated approach, our aim is to reveal fundamental vulnerabilities in AML, generate new insights into immune evasion, and ultimately translate these discoveries into novel therapies for patients.

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Publications

Ghosh S, Rodriguez-Zabala M, Telliam Dushime G, Reinbach K, Ramakrishnan R, Sitnicka E, Järås M (2025). H2-K1 protects murine MLL-AF9 leukemia stem cells from natural killer cell-mediated immune surveillance. Haematologica, 110(6):1389-1394.
https://doi.org/10.3324/haematol.2024.286468

Hansen N, Peña-Martínez P, Skoog P, Reinbach K, Hansen FC, Larsson Faria S, Grönberg C, Abdilleh K, Magnusson S, von Wachenfeldt K, Rydberg Millrud C, Liberg D, Järås M (2024). Blocking IL1RAP on cancer associated fibroblasts in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma suppresses IL-1 induced neutrophil recruitment. Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer, 12(12): e009523.
https://doi.org/10.1136/jitc-2024-009523

Rodriguez Zabala M, Ramakrishnan R, Reinbach K, Ghosh S, Oburoglu L, Falqués T, Bellamkonda K, Ehinger M, Peña-Martínez P, Puente-Moncada N, Liljebjörn H, Cammenga J, Pronk CJ, Lazarevic V, Fioretos T, Hagström-Andersson A, Woods N-B, Järås M (2023). Combined GLUT1 and OXPHOS inhibition eliminates acute myeloid leukemia cells by restraining their metabolic activity. Blood Advances, 7(18): 5382–5395.
https://doi.org/10.1182/bloodadvances.2023010670

Peña-Martínez P, Ramakrishnan R, Högberg C, Jansson C, Gisselsson Nord D, Järås M (2022). IL4 promotes phagocytosis of murine leukemia cells counteracted by CD47 upregulation. Haematologica, 107(4): 816–824.
https://doi.org/10.3324/haematol.2020.272500

Ramakrishnan R, Peña-Martínez P, Agarwal P, Högberg C, Chapellier M, Shah M, Nilsson B, Ebert BL, Bhatia R, Järås M (2020). In vivo CRISPR screening identifies an essential role for CXCR4 in MLL-AF9 driven acute myeloid leukemia independently of CXCL12. Cell Reports, 31(8): 107684.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107684