Rasmus Mortensen Email & Phone Number

Scientific and administrative leader of Tuberculosis Vaccine Research Section • Designing novel stategies for post-exposure vaccination• Pre-clinical development of vaccines• Optimizing protective immunity in the upper airway mucosa

Investigating the potential of COX-2 inhibitors (such as Ibuprofen) as candidates for immunotherapy against tuberculosis. Responsible for pre-clinical evaluation as well as implementing new findings into a clinical trial in humans (at Oslo University Hospital).

Copenhagen Area, Denmark

Development of a group A streptococcal vaccine: - Designed human studies, incl. obtaining permission from regulatory authorities and establishing contact with external partners at hospitals - Sample handling and development of a biobank - Immunological assays, data analysis and data management - Communicating project results at meetings, international conferences and in scientific publications.

Copenhagen Area, Denmark

I took part in starting a new group with the purpose of developing a vaccine against group A streptococci. I was responsible for initiating the antigen discovery program as well as optimizing an animal disease model for evaluating experimental vaccines. My responsibilities included decisions on selection of new vaccine candidates, characterization of vaccine-induced immune response and evaluating vaccine efficacy. Skills I acquired:- Bioinformatics and genome-wide screening techniques- Experiment planning and project management- Immunological analyses

I studied a family of proteins from Mycobacterium tuberculosis for their potential use in future vaccine formulations. More specifically, the project addressed the effects of prophylactic vaccination with antigens from a novel virulence-related secretion system. I characterized the cytokine expression pattern of vaccine induced CD4 T cells and demonstrated significant protective efficacy of some of these antigens in an animal disease model.

- Helping students with issues related to their study program through personal conversations. - Organizing events to bring scientific education into focus. - Member of the study board. Collaboration with academic specialists and other staff was a natural part of this work.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

I had responsibility for my own research project about uncharacterized plant viruses. It led to the discovery of polymorphisms in several coat protein DNA-sequences that are used for PCR diagnostics.

Formulation, supervision and evaluation of project courses in natural sciences. I was also teaching a first year course and private turbo courses during summer holidays.

Ph.D., Infectious Disease Immunology

M.Sc, Nanobiotechnology