Dr. Mikael Persson

I am responsible for Discovery Safety from target selection to candidate delivery, across modalities such as small molecules, antisense oligonucleotides, regenerative medicines, and modified RNA based therapies. I lead and manage a team of true drug hunting partners who design project specific safety strategies to predict, quantitatively assess, and mitigate target and chemistry related risks, and deliver holistically optimized clinical candidates.

I work as an exploratory toxicologist and lead the work of 2-3 laboratory technicians in the area of molecular and predictive toxicology. My main work consists of being in charge of the in vitro toxicology assay panels, as well as moving the department into the area of imaging and high content screening. I take an active part in drug discovery projects, and act as toxicology coordinator. As such, I perform early target safety evaluations and secure that the correct toxicological tests are performed.

I am currently working as a temporary lab leader and responsible for the high content imaging/screening facilities at the Neuroscience Discovery Department at Abbott Ludwigshafen. My work includes developing, validating, and running HCS assays for different projects. I lead and supervise the daily work of 1-2 technicians and 1 student in activities connected to HCS and FLIPR assays.

I am currently the project leader for an siRNA library high content screening for targets involved in neuroregeneration as well as substantially involved in other projects at the Neuroscience Discovery Department at Abbott GmbH and Co. KG in Ludwigshafen, Germany. Since June 2009, I am fully responsible for the high content imaging facilities at the company, being in charge of developing and running high content imaging assays for different project needs.

During my postdoc time, I continued my neurobiological and biochemical research, publishing several results in peer-reviewed scientific journals. As a postdoc, I also worked with studies started by other researchers and PhD students, analyzing and solving problems within their projects.

I did my PhD training in medicine at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physilogy at the Sahlgrenska Academy. I focused on neurobiology and biochemistry and my thesis contained five papers of which four was published in peer-reviewed journals at the time of the dissertation. I finished my PhD training in less than four years and was the youngest doctor to be promoted during 2007.

I did my PhD training in medicine at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physilogy at the Sahlgrenska Academy. I focused on neurobiology and biochemistry and my thesis contained five papers of which four was published in peer-reviewed journals at the time of the dissertation.

My Master's degree is from Stockholm University but I also studied at the Karolinska Institute and at Södertörn University College. My eductaion mainly focused on biochemistry and neurochemistry at Stockholm University and at neuroscience and neuropsychology at the Karolinska Institute.