Morten Ruhwald

Curriculum:

Title:
Postdoctoral researcher, Doctor of Medicine (MD), PhD

Disciplines:
Immunology, Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases

Research areas:
Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, drug induced immuno-suppression

Background:
PhD Copenhagen University 2009, Medical training at the University of Copenhagen (MD 2003) and the Universita degli Studi in Perugia Italy, followed by three years of clinical work (intern and 1^st year resident) in Slagelse Hospital and Copenhagen University Hospitals.

Research:
Main research focus is tuberculosis immunology, immuno-diagnosis of infection with M.tuberculosis using alternative biomarkers to IFN-γ, and on host/bacterial interaction during TB chemotherapy and in the immuno-compromised host.

Morten started his research career as a medical student and research assistant on various research projects including murine studies of tumour-immunology and peptide-based tumour-vaccination therapy, in the group of Professor Mogens Claëssons at the Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen. Since 2005, Morten has been part of Pernille Ravns group at Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre and Herlev.

Funding:
The Lundbeck-Foundation, Capital Region of Copenhagen, The Danish Lung Association, The Foundation of 17.12.1981, Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre Research Foundation, The Danish Rheumatism Society, The Aase and Ejnar Danielsens Foundation, The Augustinus Foundation, and The Danish Society of Infectious Diseases.

Articles:
1. Ruhwald M, Ravn P: Biomarkers of latent TB infection. Exp.Rev.Resp.Med. 2009 in press. REVIEW

2. Soborg B, Ruhwald M, Hetland ML, Jacobsen S, Andersen AB, Milman N, Thomsen VO, Jensen DV, Koch A, Wohlfahrt J, Ravn P. Comparison of Screening Procedures for M.tuberculosis Infection among Patients with Inflammatory Diseases 2009, in press

3. Ruhwald M, Bjerregaard-Andersen M, Rabna P, Eugen-Olsen J, Ravn P: IP-10, MCP-1, MCP-2, MCP-3, and IL-1RA hold promise as biomarkers for infection with M.Tuberculosis in a whole blood based T-cell assay. BMC.Res.Notes 2009; 2: 19

4. Jepsen M, Krause TG, Moryl D, Seersholm N, Ruhwald M, Soborg B, Brock I, Ravn P: Comparison of QuantiFERON and Tuberculin Skin Test for tuberculosis infection. Ugeskr Læger 2009;171: in press

5. Ruhwald M, Bodmer T, Maier C, Jepsen M, Andersen MB, Eugen-Olsen J, Ravn P, on behalf of TBNET: Evaluating the potential of IP-10 and MCP-2 as biomarkers for the diagnosis of TB. European Respiratory Journal 2008; 09031936

6. Ruhwald M, Petersen J, Kofoed K, Nakaoka H, Cuevas LE, Lawson L, Squire SB, Eugen-Olsen J, Ravn P: Improving T-cell assays for the diagnosis of latent TB infection: potential of a diagnostic test based on IP-10. PLoS.ONE. 2008; 3: e2858

7. Petrucci R, Abu AN, Gurgel RQ, Sherchand JB, Doria L, Lama C, Ravn P, Ruhwald M, Yassin M, Harper G, Cuevas LE: Interferon gamma, interferon-gamma-induced-protein 10, and tuberculin responses of children at high risk of tuberculosis infection. Pediatr.Infect.Dis.J. 2008; 27: 1073-7

8. Ruhwald M, Bjerregaard-Andersen M, Rabna P, Kofoed K, Eugen-Olsen J, Ravn P: IP-10/CXCL10 release is induced by incubation of whole blood from tuberculosis patients with ESAT-6, CFP10 and TB7.7. Microbes.Infect. 2007; 9: 806-12

9. Ruhwald M, Ravn P: Immune reconstitution syndrome in tuberculosis and HIV-co-infected patients: Th1 explosion or cytokine storm? AIDS 2007; 21: 882-4

10. Djoba Siawaya JF, Ruhwald M, Eugen-Olsen J, Walzl G: Correlates for disease progression and prognosis during concurrent HIV/TB infection. International Journal of Infectious Diseases 2007; 11: 289-99 REVIEW

11. Brock I, Ruhwald M*, Lundgren B, Westh H, Mathiesen LR, Ravn P: Latent tuberculosis in HIV positive, diagnosed by the M. tuberculosis specific interferon-gamma test. Respir.Res. 2006; 7: 56 (*shared 1st authorship)

12. Ruhwald M: [A case of poisoning with jimsonweed and alcohol, taken with suicidal intent]. Ugeskr.Laeger 2005; 167: 2064-5

13. Ruhwald M: [Jimsonweed poisoning and the anticholinergic syndrome]. Ugeskr.Laeger 2005; 167: 2041-3 REVIEW

14. Andersen ML, Ruhwald M, Nissen MH, Buus S, Claesson MH: Self-peptides with intermediate capacity to bind and stabilize MHC class I molecules may be immunogenic. Scand.J Immunol. 2003; 57: 21-7

15. Andersen ML, Ruhwald M, Thorn M, Pedersen AE, Mathiassen S, Buus S, Claesson MH: Tumor-associated antigens identified by mRNA expression profiling as tumor rejection epitopes. J Immune.Based.Ther.Vaccines. 2003; 1: 1

16. Mathiassen S, Lauemoller SL, Ruhwald M, Claesson MH, Buus S: Tumor-associated antigens identified by mRNA expression profiling induce protective anti-tumor immunity. Eur J Immunol. 2001; 31: 1239-46

17. Ruhwald M, Pedersen AE, Claesson MH: MHC class I cross-talk with CD2 and CD28 induces specific intracellular signalling and leads to growth retardation and apoptosis via a p56(lck)-dependent mechanism. Exp.Clin.Immunogenet. 1999; 16: 199-211

18. Pedersen AE, Skov S, Bregenholt S, Ruhwald M, Claesson MH: Signal transduction by the major histocompatibility complex class I molecule. APMIS 1999; 107: 887-95 REVIEW

19. Ruhwald M, Claesson MH: [Melatonin, jet lag and the immune system]. Ugeskr.Laeger 1998; 160: 5204-5 REVIEW