Olle Lindvall - Biography#

Olle Lindvall received his Ph.D. in 1974 and M.D. in 1978 and became Professor and Senior Consultant in clinical neurology at Lund University Hospital, Sweden, in 1992. Since starting as a clinician in the 1970ies, his research has focused on developing new approaches to repair the brain. He was leading the cell transplantation program for Parkinson’s patients at Lund University between 1983 and 2012. This program pioneered cell replacement strategies and was the first to show, as reported in a series of high-impact articles, proof-of-principle, i.e., that transplanted neurons can survive, grow, restore transmitter release, become functionally integrated, and give rise to clinically measurable improvements in the diseased, adult human brain. He is now member of the team performing the first transplantations of stem cell-derived dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s patients. In parallel, his laboratory made the highly cited discovery that the adult brain tries to repair itself after experimental stroke by producing new neurons from its own neural stem cells. He has also, in collaboration with former PhD student, Professor Zaal Kokaia, demonstrated that cortical neurons reprogrammed from human skin cells and transplanted into the stroke-injured rat brain become integrated and regulate motor behavior.

Lindvall served as Vice-Dean of the Lund Medical Faculty 1997-1999, member of the Board of the Swedish Research Council (medical division) 2001 - 2006, and clinical coordinator in EU-sponsored project EuroStemCell 2003 - 2007. Lindvall was 2004-2011 member of the Board of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), and 2005 - 2011 member of the Board of Reviewing Editors for the journal SCIENCE. He was co-chair of the ISCCR Task Force on the Clinical Translation of Stem Cells 2007-2008. He has received numerous Prizes and Awards. Lindvall is since 2008 elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and was Chairman, Class for Medical Sciences, 2010-2015.