Michael Jeltsch
Associate Professor in Pharmaceutical Protein Drug Research
University of Helsinki
Research line: Gene
Role in project: Lymphatic research, protein design
My lab works in the field of vascular biology with a focus on the molecular regulation of lymphangiogenesis. We aim to identify new drugs targets and to develop innovative biological drugs, and are especially interested in the role of proteolytic activation of the lymphatic growth factors VEGF-C and VEGF-D. As lymphatics penetrate almost all human organs, our diseases of interest range from lymphedema, cancer, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma to myocardial infarction. For the Flagship, we are designing new multifunctional therapeutic proteins for the therapy of heart diseases, but similar approaches are applicable wherever vascular growth is beneficial. Research technologies: synthetic biology, antibody technologies, in-vitro evolution of proteins, protein production and purification.