About the Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research

• Flow Cytometry-Based Analysis Three flow cytometers are available for analysis: a BD Lyric with three lasers and the ability to combine up to 12 fluorochromes, a BD Verse with three lasers and the ability to detect up to 8 fluorochromes, and a Beckman Cytoflex with 4 lasers and the ability to detect up to 12 fluorochromes.
• Flow Cytometry-Based Cell Sorting Our BD FACS Fusion offers the ability to isolate live cells at both the population and single-cell levels for further analysis.
• Single Cell Sequencing A BD Rhapsody single cell system is available for single cell sequencing.
• Confocal Microscopy We have three confocal microscopes: an older Carl Zeiss LSM 700 Laser Scanning Microscope, a Leica SP8, and a Nikon Spinning Disc.
• ZEISS Axioscan 7 Slide Scanner This microscope allows automated imaging of entire tissue sections. The system has the capacity to detect brightfield, fluorescence, and polarization.
• Micro-CT (Bruker Skyscan 1176) This instrument is a 3D X-ray device for analyzing bone density and joint erosions primarily in mice and rats. It also has the capability to analyze other tissues ex vivo. The resolution is down to 9µm, and the instrument can scan larger objects (e.g., an entire mouse).
• qPCR The department has two instruments for the quantitative determination of RNA levels in cell populations or single cells.
• Histology The department has a modern infrastructure for histology, including all the instruments needed for the preparation and sectioning of histological samples. This includes the ability to section paraffin-embedded tissue, frozen tissue, and sectioning with a vibratome.
• Sahlgrenska Academy’s Research Infrastructure Core Facilities Sahlgrenska Academy’s Core Facilities offer services such as RNA sequencing, imaging, and proteomics.

The Clinical Rheumatology Research Center (Kliniskt reumatologiskt forskningscenter, KRF) is the unit at the Rheumatology Clinic at Sahlgrenska University Hospital that conducts clinical research in the field of rheumatology and inflammatory diseases.

KRF facilitates and stimulates clinical research by providing infrastructure for clinical studies. KRF offers equipment for research visits, examination rooms, office spaces for researchers, and research archives. There is an employed research coordinator who coordinates studies, assists with study agreements, and provides administrative support to researchers, such as with permit applications. Research nurses administer studies, conduct research visits, and collect and handle samples. At KRF, there is also a research-responsible senior consultant and a research physician specifically connected to company-initiated drug trials at a Clinical Trial Unit (CTU).

Horizon Europe (2025–2029):
Together with research groups from several European universities and companies, we have secured a grant of 7.8 million euros to investigate the possibility of delivering RNA-based drugs to the central nervous system (CNS) via extracellular vesicles (EVs) or lipid nanoparticles (LNPs).  The blood-brain barrier Our project (NAP4DIVE) aims to improve the traditionally expensive and inefficient drug development by establishing advanced, non-animal alternatives to test and predict nanoparticle-based drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier.

AstraZeneca/Industrial PhD Student (2014–ongoing):
Since 2014, we have had a close collaboration with the "Advanced Drug Delivery" and "Discovery Sciences" departments at AstraZeneca in Gothenburg to explore the use of EVs for the delivery of mRNA-based drugs to specific cell types and tissues. This collaboration has resulted in several grants and publications, and recently also in the acceptance of an industrial PhD student, funded by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) and AstraZeneca, for the period 2024–2028.

Industrial Research Centre FormulaEx (2017–2025):
FormulaEx is an industrial research centre for functional RNA delivery, funded with 100 million SEK by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF). The three academic partners—Chalmers University of Technology, Karolinska Institutet, and the University of Gothenburg—conduct research in close collaboration with AstraZeneca, Vironova, Camurus, and Nanolyze. The centre contributes fundamental knowledge required to design safe and efficient nanoscale drug delivery systems for next-generation nucleotide drugs.

Cecilia Engdahl (Researcher and Associate Professor, VR Establishment Grant, 2019):

“It is a broad department, which means there are experts in various fields and always someone you can turn to with questions. There is also a well-functioning infrastructure with both a developed machinery park and colleagues with knowledge in areas such as molecular biology, flow cytometry, image stream, etc. The department is a place where you enjoy working with colleagues who support each other, share knowledge, and find answers to questions. It is an excellent place to conduct academic research,” says Cecilia Engdahl.

Cristina Maglio (Researcher and resident physician, clinical research position, Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, 2018):
– At the Department, basic science researchers from all over the world and clinicians with interest in research work together in a stimulating and inspiring environment. One of the major strengths of the Department is indeed the continuous and productive collaboration with clinicians in the fields of rheumatology and immunology working at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital, one of the biggest hospitals in Scandinavia. Thanks to this tight collaboration, and to the infrastructures provided by the Department, researchers have the possibility to perform clinical trials as well as in vitro and in vivo studies. Weekly meetings, seminars and talks led by respected researchers in the field also contribute in making the Department, an inspiring place where to do research, says Cristina Maglio.