We are interested in the development of the brain in health and disease, in particular brain regions involved in social, emotional/affective and cognitive processes. We are specifically interested in molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of stem cell and progenitor characteristics and differentiation into functional neurons and other cell types. To investigate these topics, we use advanced molecular techniques, including genome-wide analyses of chromatin, and the most relevant cell types, involving translational collaborations with clinicians.

Our activities can be divided into three main, overlapping branches:

1) Transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of stem cell state and fate to generate functional systems for repair of a damaged nervous system, for example after surgery, and increased understanding of psychiatric disease.

2) Transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of tumor cell and cancer-derived stem cell state and fate, especially in glioma and medulloblastoma.

3) Biomedical engineering and studies of microenvironment (see, e.g., Biomaterials, 2007; 2009; 2012) to provide novel approaches for stem and cancer cell biology and clinical applications in regenerative medicine.

We participate actively in several networks of neuroscience, cancer, bioengineering, stem cells, and regenerative medicine. In addition, we are dedicated fans of basic science and are involved in many outreach activities.

Please see also: http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=21984&a=55256&l=en

5 Selected Publications

Füllgrabe J., Lynch-Day MA., Heldring N., Li W., Struijk RB., Ma Q., Hermanson O., Rosenfeld MG., Klionsky DJ., Joseph B. (2013) The histone H4 lysine 16 acetyltransferase hMOF regulates the outcome of autophagy. Nature, 500 (7463): 468-71.

Jungebluth P., Alici E., Baiguera S., Le Blanc K., Blomberg P., Bozóky B., Crowley C., Einarsson O., Grinnemo KH., Gudbjartsson T., Le Guyader S., Henriksson G., Hermanson O., Juto JE., Leidner B., Lilja T., Liska J., Luedde T., Lundin V., Moll G., Nilsson B., Roderburg C., Strömblad S., Sutlu T., Teixeira AI., Watz E., Seifalian A., Macchiarini P. (2011) Tracheobron­chial transplantation with a stem-cell-seeded bioartificial nano-composite: a proof-of-concept study. Lancet, 378 (9808): 1997-2004.

Andersson T., Södersten E., Duckworth JK., Cascante A., Fritz N., Sacchetti P., Cervenka I., Bryja V., Hermanson O. (2009)  CXXC5 is a novel BMP4-regulated modulator of Wnt signaling in neural stem cells. J. Biol. Chem., 284 (6): 3672-81.
 
Hermanson O. (2008) Stem cells have different needs for REST. PLoS Biol., 6: e271.

Jepsen K., Solum D., Zhou T., McEvilly RJ., Kim HJ., Glass CK., Hermanson O., Rosenfeld MG. (2007) SMRT-mediated repression of an H3K27 demethylase in progression from neural stem cell to neuron. Nature, 450 (7168): 415-9.