THE MIMS CLINICAL RESEARCH FELLOWS PROGRAMME
In order to strengthen the clinical research and more closely incorporate preclinical and clinical research, MIMS decided in 2009 to initiate a program for Clinical Fellows. It has the intention to connect existing, mostly preclinical research projects closer to the clinic and offer resources corresponding to half-time research positions for two years (as a clinical assistant) for young clinicians. The positions are therefore intended for those doctors who are employed in healthcare and will enable research on half-time”. Thereby MIMS hopes to strengthen clinical research in infectious diseases and to recruit physicians who can contribute to a fruitful translational interaction between clinicians and MIMS research programs.
The first advertisement for the MIMS Clinical Research Fellows Program was at the end of 2009. Over time, this initiative has led to the employment of four clinicians: Anders Johansson, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Johan Normark, Department of Molecular Biology, Åsa Gylfe, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Alicia Edin, Department of Clinical Microbiology, all at University Hospital of Umeå.
Photo credit: Mostphotos.
From 2013, the Program for Clinical Research Fellows (CRF) was now reaching out on a national basis. Six clinicians are now representing all medical faculties at Swedish Universities. The advisory committee includes Kristian Riesbeck, Lund, Birgitta Henriques-Normark, Stockholm, Ann-Marie Svennerholm, Göteborg, Lennart Svensson, Linköping, and Björn Olsén, Uppsala. The deputy chairman of MIMS, Maria Fällman, is coordinating the advisory committee. The five CRF from 2013-2015 were Fredrik Kahn, Lund University, Peter Bergman, Karolinska institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Arvid Edén, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Josef Järhult, Uppsala University and Uppsala University Hospital, Sofia Nyström, Molecular Virology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University Hospital.
In October 2017 a new call for MIMS Clinical Research Fellows was published. The third CRF recruitment includes now also the financial support for a postdoc who is involved in a joined project of the new recruited Clinical Research Fellow and a MIMS PI.
The current Clinical Research Fellows are Lisa Påhlman, Lund University Hospital, and Piotr Nowak, Karolinska University Hospital. Lisa Påhlman shares a postdoc with Åke Forsberg, and Piotr Nowak shares a postdoc with Felipe Cava. The projects started in fall 2018.
