The foundations for the centre were laid back in 1975 with the Medical Unit for Cell Therapy and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation. The centre now has high ambitions to forge stronger, closer ties with public sector actors and pharmaceutical companies.

“Knut Steffensen has exactly the right background and experience to lead the Karolinska ATMP Centre,” says Matti Sällberg, Dean of Karolinska Institutet South and the centre’s acting Director. “He has solid experience of basic research at molecular level and practical knowledge of the very latest ATMP drugs from the industry. This gives him a unique overall picture of what’s required for taking discoveries in basic research all the way to new cell and gene therapy-based drugs. I extend a warm welcome to Knut to these new and exciting challenges at the Karolinska ATMP Centre,” says Matti.

Knut Steffensen

Knut Steffensen holds a PhD in molecular medicine and was previously the Nordic Medical Lead in Cell Therapy at Kite-Gilead. He has many years’ experiences of the pharmaceutical industry and has been a docent at Karolinska Institutet.

“I’m very much looking forward to working with the units at KI and the hospital that are at the forefront of the ATMP field,” says Knut​ Steffensen. “With my experience of the pharmaceutical industry and KI, I hope that we’ll continue to create conditions for the research and development of advance therapy medicines. Ultimately, the motivation is that subsequent implementation by doctors will bring great patient benefit.”