Current position:

• Professor in Host-Parasite Interaction at Karolinska Institutet (KI)

Professional preparation

• 1979 University degree in biology from the University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
• 1985-1989 PhD position supported from the Swedish MRC (VR) at the Department of Virology of KI. Supervisors Professors Eva Maria Fenyö and Erling Norrby
• 1988 Guest researcher at the Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota.
• 1988 PhD thesis defence; title: HIV infection of the brain.
• 1991 Docentur (Associate Professor) in Virology at the Karolinska Institutet
• 1991 Guest researcher at Department of Viral Pathogenesis, NIH, Bethesda.

Professional appointments:

• 1990-1997 research associated at KI (FoAss 4+2 years) financed by Swedish MRC (VR)
• 1998-2003 position at Professor level at KI (Forskartjänst) financed by the MRC (VR)
• 2004- Professor in the field Host-Parasite Interactions at the Karolinska Institutet

Collaborations:

• Crystal Mackall and Terry Fry Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda. IL-7 during HIV infection.
• Eva Rajnavolgyi from the Department of Immunology, University of Lorand Eatvös, Budapest, Hungary. We collaborated on the role of NGF in B cell functions. We are in the process of starting a collaboration on IL-7 and apoptosis during HIV-1 infection.
• Gabriella Scarlatti Unit of Immunobiology of HIV, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy. Dr Scarlatti is an expert in the field of CXCR4. Together we work on chemokine receptors in the context of HIV infection of the brain.
• Hannah Akuffo Dep. of Parasitology, MTC, Karolinska Institutet and Sarec/SIDA, Stockholm. Apoptosis in leishmaniasis.
• Olle Björk Unit of Pediatric Oncology, Astrid Lindgren Hospital, Karolinska Hospital. We work on a project aimed at understanding why children with B cell leukemia treated with chemiotherapy lose antibodies to vaccination antigens.
• Phung Cam and Thanh Ha The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam. This international collaborational offers us the possibility of operating in prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV and create new research links.
• Qiang-Pan Hammarström Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge.
• Stefano Fais and Angelo De Milito Istituto Superiore di Sanita', Rome, Italy. We work together Fas up-regulation during HIV-1 infection.
• Sven Grützmeier, Ander Karlsson and Bo Heideman The Gay Men's Health Clinic, South Hospital, Stockholm and Ann Atlas. Department of Medicine at Solna, Infectious Disease Unit. Clinical collaborator on several studies These doctors scientists are colloborating with us on issues of immunological relevance for AIDS.

Five publications for the last 5 years:

1. Impaired Phenotype and Function of T Follicular Helper Cells in HIV-1-Infected Children Receiving ART Bekele Y, Amu S, Bobosha K, Lantto R, Nilsson A, Endale B, et al Medicine 2015;94(27):e1125-
2. Increased extrafollicular expression of the B-cell stimulatory molecule CD70 in HIV-1-infected individuals Lantto R, Nasi A, Sammicheli S, Amu S, Fievez V, Moutschen M, et al AIDS (London, England) 2015;29(14):1757-66
3. B-cell responses after intranasal vaccination with the novel attenuated Bordetella pertussis vaccine strain BPZE1 in a randomized phase I clinical trial Jahnmatz M, Amu S, Ljungman M, Wehlin L, Chiodi F, Mielcarek N, et al Vaccine 2014;32(27):3350-6
4. Combined efforts in immunology and vaccinology will lead to effective vaccines against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria Chiodi F, Kaufmann Sh Journal of internal medicine 2014;275(5):442-3
5. Frequency and phenotype of B cell subpopulations in young and aged HIV-1 infected patients receiving ART Amu S, Lavy-shahaf G, Cagigi A, Hejdeman B, Nozza S, Lopalco L, et al Retrovirology 2014;11():76-