Prof. Anna Blom

Education:

• 1988 – 1993
  Jagiellonian University; Kraków, Poland (specialisation: biochemistry/molecular biology)
  
  

• 1993
  M.Sc. in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology: Jagiellonian University; Kraków, Poland
  
  

• 1997
  Dr. Med. Sci. (PhD), Dept. of Medical and Physiological Chemistry, University of Uppsala, Sweden
  
  

Professional record:

• 1993 – 1998
  PhD student, Dept. of Med. and Physiol. Chem., University of Uppsala, Sweden
  
  

• 1998 – 2000
  Postdoctoral fellow at Dept. of Clinical Chemistry, The Wallenberg laboratory, Lund University (position supported by National Network for Inflammation Research)
  
  

• 2000 – 2003
  Junior researcher position granted by Swedish Research Council (Natural Sciences)
  
  

• 2001
  Docent (associate professor) in Experimental Clinical Chemistry
  
  

• 2003 – 2009
  Senior researcher/lecturer position granted by Swedish Research Council (Medicine)
  
  

• Since 2005
  Part time employee at Malmö University Hospital, Clinical Chemistry (20% position)
  
  

• Since 2006
  Professor of medical protein chemistry at Lund University
  
  

• Blom A. M., Kask L. and B. Dahlbäck (2001) Structural requirements for the complement regulatory activities of C4b-binding protein., J. Biol. Chem., 276, 27136-27144. In depth characterisation of structure-function relationships for this major complement inhibitor.

• Mark L., Lee W. H., Villoutreix B. O., Proctor D., Blackbourn, D., Spiller B. O. and Blom A. M. (2004) KSHV complement control protein mimics human molecular mechanisms for inhibition of the complement system., J. Biol. Chem., 279, 45093-101. Discovery of a novel complement inhibitor in important pathogenic virus.

• Trouw L., Nilsson S., Goncalvez I., Landberg G. and Blom A. M. (2005) C4b-binding protein binds to necrotic cells and DNA, which limits DNA release and inhibits complement activation., J. Exp. Med., 201, 1937-1948. First report on role of complement inhibitor C4BP in handling of necrotic cells and DNA.

• Blom A.M., Nandakumar K.S. and Holmdahl R. (2009) C4b-binding protein (C4BP) inhibits development of experimental arthritis in mice., Annals Rheum. Dis., 68, 136-42. Proof of concept that partial inhibition of complement can ameliorate arthritis in vivo. Blom and Nandakumar equal contribution

• Potempa M., Potempa J., Kantyka T., Nguyen K., Wawrzonek K., Manandhar S., Popadiak K., Riesbeck K., Eick S. and Blom A. M. (2009) Interpain, cysteine proteinase from Prevotella intermedia inhibits complement by degrading complement factor C3., PLOS Pathogens, 5, e1000316. Discovery of important complement evasion strategy for poorly studied bacterial pathogen.

• Happonen K., Saxne T., Aspberg A., Mörgelin M., Heinegård D. and Blom A. M. (2010) Regulation of complement by COMP allows for a novel molecular diagnostic principle in rheumatoid arthritis., Arthritis & Rheumatism, 62, 3574-83. One possible explanation for observed complement activation in arthritic joints.

• Leffler J., Martin M., Gullstrand B., Tydén H., Lood C., Truedsson L., Bengtsson A. A. and Blom A. M. (2012) Neutrophil extracellular traps in systemic lupus erythematosus patients that are not degraded activate complement exacerbating the disease., J. Immunol., 188, 3522-31. A novel concept for etiology of SLE.

• Holmquist E., Okroj M., Nodin B., Jirström K. and Blom A. M. (2013) Sushi Domain-Containing Protein 4 (SUSD4) inhibits complement by disrupting the formation of the classical C3 convertase., FASEB J., 27, 2355-66. Describes the first function (complement inhibitor) for this protein.

• van de Ven J. P. H., Nilsson S. C., Tan P. L., Buitendijk G. H., Ristau T., Mohlin F., Nabuurs S. B., Schoenmaker-Koller F., Smailhodzic D., Campochiaro P. A., Zack D. J., Duvvari M. R., Bakker B., Paun C.C., Boon C. J., Uitterlinden A.G., Liakopoulos S., Klevering B. J., Fauser S., Daha M. R., Katsanis N., Klaver C. C. W., Blom A. M., Hoyng C. B. and den Hollander A. I. (2013) A functional variant in the CFI gene confers high risk of age-related macular degeneration., Nature Genetics, 45, 813-7. Collaborative translational study of mutations in complement inhibitor FI in blindness paving way for therapy. Van de Ven and Nilsson (my group) shared first authors while Blom, Hoyng and den Hollander jointly directed the work as senior authors (equal contribution)

• Krus U., King B.C., Nagaraj V., Gandasi, N. R., Sjölander J., Buda P., Garcia-Vaz E., Gomez M. F., Ottosson-Laakso E., Storm P., Fex M., Vikman P., Zhang E., Barg. S., Blom A. M., and Renström E. (2014) The complement inhibitor CD59 regulates insulin secretion by modulating exocytotic events., Cell Metabol., 19, 883-90. Discovery of new function for important complement inhibitor in pancreatic beta cells with relevance for diabetes. Blom and Renström equal contribution

• Role of complement in development of rheumatic joint diseases

• Clearance of apototic/necrotic cells and their debris by complement with relation to development of autoimmune diseases

• Deficiencies of complement inhibitors – genetics and functional analyses of mutated proteins

• Strategies developed by microbial pathogens to avoid killing by complement

• Complement system in cancer

• Structure function relationships of complement inhibitors C4b-binding protein and factor I

• Links between complement system and physiology and pathology of pancreatic beta cells

• Mechanisms of regulation of complement system, identification of new complement inhibitors

• The American Association of Immunologists (belongs to The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology – FASEB), since 2000

• International Complement Society from 2000, board 2006 – 2012

• American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, since 2003

• Swedish Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Society from 2003, board 2003 – 2010

• New York Academy of Sciences 2007 – 2010

• European Complement Network, since 2000 (board from 2007, secretary of society from 2012)

• Elected member of Royal Physiographic Society in Lund, since 2008

• Frequent reviewer for Austrian Science Fund, The Welcome Trust, The National Kidney Research Fund (UK), Medical Research Council (UK), Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, Dutch Arthritis Association, ALF committee Lund University (clinical research), Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, various positions at Uppsala University, Karolinska Institute, Gothenburg University, Umeå University; Swedish Research Council (chairman of a subject group), Royal Physiographic Society in Lund

Soft Skills

• Growth mindset, self-awareness, resilience, persistence, presentation skills, leadership skills, management skills, networking skills

You can only see the contact information of the academics in the database if you are a registered user of AcademiaNet.
Please register here