Vad är det för van Andels institute för ställe?
– Det är ett forskningsinstitut som startades 1998 i Grand Rapids, Michigan, och som till en början fokuserade på cellsignalering och cancer. Grundaren, affärsmannen Jay van Andel, avled 2004 i sviterna av Parkinsons sjukdom ett halvår efter att hustrun gått bort i Alzheimers sjukdom. Då bestämde man sig för att bygga till en avdelning som fokuserar på degenerativa sjukdomar i hjärnan, och det är den jag ska leda.
Hur kommer det sig att du börjar där?
– En rekryteringsfirma kontaktade mig i september förra året och visade intresse. Jag fick föreläsa vid van Andel institutet och deras systerkluster i Phoenix i våras och sedan sattes en lång kontraktsförhandling igång.
Vad kommer ni att fokusera på?
– Vi ska försöka hitta biomarkörer som visar vilka personer som kommer att utveckla Parkinson. Sedan kommer vi att försöka utveckla läkemedel som kan bromsa sjukdomsförloppet. Slutligen kommer vi att ha ett fokus på regenerativa terapier, till exempel cell- och genterapi.
Vad är den största utmaningen inom Parkinsonforskningen?
– Att det inte finns något läkemedel som bromsar sjukdomen. Problemet med Parkinson är att sjukdomen obönhörligen fortskrider och patienten förlorar sin självständighet.
Hur känns det att lämna Sverige och flytta till USA?
– Omvälvande. Jag har bott i Lund i 31 år och min fru i 18 år. I och med att vi har två söner, tre och fem år gamla, ett tredje barn på väg och en hund var det mycket som skulle vara på plats innan vi tackade ja. Min fru som är docent i experimentell psykiatri kommer även hon att leda en grupp på institutet, fast på ett våningsplan som drivs av Michigan state university.










































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