Prof. Avan Aihie Sayer
Health, Academic Medicine
Biological and related sciences, Health
NeurologyNeuroscienceTranslational Medicine
The main goal of my research is to unravel pathophysiological mechanisms and therapeutic targets for basal ganglia disorders and other related brain diseases. To pursue this goal, my research group utilise several methodologies (physiology, biochemistry, histopathology, molecular biology, brain imaging, and behavioural neuroscience). We apply these methodologies to animal models of disease that we continuously develop and optimize. We pay great attention to verify the relevance of our experimental findings to the human diseases by using different types of biomarkers. I am particularly recognised for my work in the area of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID), for which we have developed experimental models and key pathophysiological notions that are widely accepted today. On a more general level, I am intrigued by the brain’s capacity for plasticity and repair and interested in harnessing and boosting it for therapeutic purposes. To achieve this goal, I would like to develop innovative treatments combining pharmacological and rehabilitative principles.
Member of AcademiaNet – Expert Database for Outstanding Female Academics, 2017
Member of the Royal Academy for Natural Sciences, Medicine and Technology in Lund (Kungliga Fysiografiska Sällskapet i Lund), 2014
Medal of Honors for Parkinson’s Research (Swedish Parkinson’s Foundation), 2006
Erik K. Fernström Award for Young and Particularly Promising Investigators (Fernström Foundation, Sweden), 2003
Research Scholarship for Distinguished Neurology Residents, Fidia Pharmaceuticals (Italy), 1987
English, Italian, Swedish
Alcacer C, Andreoli L, Sebastianutto I, Jakobsson J, Fieblinger T, and Cenci MA. Chemogenetic stimulation of striatal projection neurons modulates responses to Parkinson´s disease therapy. J Clin Investigation 2017; 127:720-734.
Francardo V, Bez F, Wieloch T, Nissbrandt H, Ruscher K, and Cenci MA. Pharmacological stimulation of sigma-1 receptors has neurorestorative effects in experimental parkinsonism. Brain 2014; 137:1998-2014.
Fieblinger T, Graves SM, Sebel LE, Alcacer C, Plotkin JL, Gertler TS, Chan CS, Heiman M, Greengard P, Cenci MA, Surmeier DJ. Cell type-specific plasticity of striatal projection neurons in parkinsonism and L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia. Nature Commun. 2014; 5(5316).
Fieblinger T, Sebastianutto I, Alcacer C, Bimpisidis Z, Maslava N, Sandberg S, Engblom D, and Cenci MA. Mechanisms of dopamine D1 receptor-mediated ERK1/2 activation in the parkinsonian striatum and their modulation by metabotropic glutamate receptor type 5. J Neurosci. 2014; 34:4728-40.
Ohlin KE, Francardo V, Lindgren HS, Sillivan SE, O'Sullivan SS, Luksik AS, Vassoler FM, Lees AJ, Konradi C, and Cenci MA. Vascular endothelial growth factor is upregulated by L-dopa in the parkinsonian brain: implications for the development of dyskinesia. Brain 2011;134:2339-57.
Rylander D, Parent M, O'Sullivan SS, Dovero S, Lees AJ, Bezard E, Descarries L, and Cenci MA. Maladaptive plasticity of serotonin axon terminals in levodopa-induced dyskinesia. Ann Neurol. 2010; 68:619-28.
Rylander D, Iderberg H, Li Q, Dekundy A, Zhang J, Li H, Baishen R, Danysz W, Bezard E, Cenci MA. A mGluR5 antagonist under clinical development improves L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in parkinsonian rats and monkeys. Neurobiol Dis 2010;39(3):352-361.
Fasano S, Bezard E, D'Antoni A, Francardo V, Indrigo M, Qin L, Dovero S, Cerovic M, Cenci MA*, and Brambilla R* (2010) Inhibition of Ras-guanine nucleotide-releasing factor 1 (Ras-GRF1) signaling in the striatum reverts motor symptoms associated with L-dopa-induced dyskinesia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 107:21824-9. *shared senior authorship.
Westin JE, Vercammen L, Strome EM, Konradi C, Cenci MA. Spatiotemporal pattern of striatal ERK1/2 phosphorylation in a rat model of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia and the role of dopamine D1 receptors. Biol Psychiatry 2007; 62:800-810.
Cenci MA, Whishaw IQ, Schallert T. Animal models of neurological deficits: how relevant is the rat? Nat Rev Neurosci 2002;3(7):574-579.
European Research Council (Review Panel ERC-COG-LS5)
International Basal Ganglia Society (IBAGS)
International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society (MDS)
International Association for Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders (IAPDR)
European Research Council, Member of ERC-COG-LS5 review panel, since 2017
Swedish National Microscopy Infrastructure, Steering Board, since 2016
BraiGain Sweden (an academic-industrial network), Founding member & board,since 2016
Swedish Research Council, Chair of Scientific Review (Area: Neurology & Neuroscience), since 2015
Swedish Brain Foundation, Scientific Committee, since 2015
M. J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson´s Research, Scientific Advisory Board, since 2010
Swedish National Network for Parkinson Research (SWEPAR-Net), Founding member, since 2009
World Parkinson Congress, Steering Committee, 2014 – 2017
International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society Awards Committee, Chair,
2013 – 2017
International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), Paneuropean Committee, 2012 – 2017
Married, Mother of two children
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