SmartCella has a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), chaired by Professor Anna Martling, who also serves on the Board of Directors of SmartCella Holding AB. The SAB’s purpose is to provide scientific and clinical insights into SmartCella’s strategic direction and research programs while also anticipating future developments from both scientific and clinical perspectives.
SmartCella’s SAB brings together leading scientists, researchers, and medical specialists to discuss key topics, including innovation, efficiency, healthcare economics, sustainability, and, most importantly, improved patient outcomes across the entire healthcare system. These discussions are global in scope, grounded in scientific and clinical aspects, and take a critical, analytical approach to evaluating innovative technologies and therapies and their potential in the future of health and healthcare. At the core of the SAB’s agenda is always the well-being of patients, closely aligning with SmartCella’s overarching mission – to develop cures and transform the lives of patients in need.
The SAB consists of a core group of members with global scientific profiles and invites additional specialists based on specific thematic medical issues addressed in the agenda. The inaugural SAB roundtable, held in March 2025, focused on the need for efficient and safe delivery solutions for advanced therapies within regeneration, immunomodulation and oncology highlighting the Extroducer’s role as an innovative delivery platform.
Looking ahead, the SAB will explore other therapeutic areas, applications, and indications – delving deeper into which organs and conditions could benefit from the Extroducer’s use, as well as areas for advancing therapy development.
Members
Chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Board and Member of the SmartCella Board of Directors.
Professor Anna Martling is a globally recognized Swedish scientist and surgeon specializing in oncology. She is a Professor of Surgery and the former Dean at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. Her research focuses on developing new therapeutic strategies, biomarkers, and understanding the molecular mechanisms of colorectal cancer.
Anna has also served as the Coordinating Chair of The Task Force for Implementing Precision Medicine into Healthcare at Karolinska Institutet. She holds an MD and PhD in Surgery from Karolinska Institutet, with her thesis specializing in rectal cancer. Her contributions to medical science have earned her multiple prestigious awards, including the Swedish Surgical Society’s Great Research Prize (2013) and Cancer Researcher of the Year (2021) from the Swedish Cancer Society.
Professor of Surgery, Medicine, and Surgical Oncology, University of Alberta
Dr. James Shapiro is a British-Canadian surgeon globally recognized for developing the Edmonton Protocol, a groundbreaking islet transplant procedure for type 1 diabetes. He is a Professor of Surgery, Medicine, and Surgical Oncology at the University of Alberta and directs both the Clinical Islet Transplant Program and the Living Donor Liver Transplant Program with Alberta Health Services.
James revolutionized islet transplantation by optimizing engraftment, using multiple donors, and implementing a novel steroid-free antirejection strategy. In 1999, he led the first successful clinical trial, with all seven patients achieving insulin independence for over a year. His landmark 2000 study led to the protocol’s global adoption, with over 2,000 patients worldwide receiving transplants based on his research.
Beyond islet transplantation, he has spearheaded international clinical trials, led the first-in-human stem cell transplant trials in 2014, and developed the Deviceless Technique for skin-based islet transplants. His research spans 30+ programs and 15 clinical trials, including an immune reset trial aimed at repairing the pancreas in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes patients.
Senior Professor of Experimental Oncology, Karolinska Institutet and Senior Consultant, Karolinska University Hospital
Professor Rolf Kiessling is a distinguished Swedish oncologist and immunologist renowned for his pioneering work in cancer immunotherapy. He is a Senior professor at Karolinska Institutet, where his research focuses on harnessing the immune system to develop innovative treatments for cancer and a Senior Consultant at Theme Cancer, Karolinska University hospital where he is developing and conducting cell therapy trials for advanced cancers.
He is particularly recognized for his groundbreaking studies on natural killer (NK) cells and their role in tumor immunity, providing critical insights into how these cells identify and eliminate malignant cells. His work has led to the development of new therapeutic strategies in oncology.
Throughout his career, Rolf has received numerous awards and honors, including prestigious grants and fellowships. His contributions continue to shape the field of immunotherapy and inspire researchers and clinicians worldwide.
Senior Vice President, Global Head of Research & Early Development, AstraZeneca
Dr. Regina Fritsche-Danielson is a globally recognized scientist and Senior Vice President & Global Head of Research and Early Development for Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolic Diseases at AstraZeneca. She is also a Member of the SmartCella Board of Directors.
Regina holds a PhD in Cardiovascular Physiology/Pharmacology from the University of Gothenburg. After her postdoctoral work, she was awarded a prestigious grant from the Swedish Natural Research Foundation (NFR) and led research teams at multiple international institutions, including the University of Gothenburg, University of Ottawa, University of Queensland, and University of Nevada.
Since joining AstraZeneca in 2001, she has contributed to the development of multiple candidate drugs, many of which have progressed into late-stage clinical trials. Her expertise lies in translational science, bridging the gap between laboratory research and clinical applications by identifying and validating new therapeutic targets.
Dean of KI Campus South & Professor of Biomedical Analysis, Karolinska Institutet
Professor Matti Sällberg is a distinguished Swedish researcher specializing in vaccines, chronic viral hepatitis, cancer, and severe viral infections. Since 2024, he has served as Dean of the KI Campus South at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. Previously, he was Head of the Department of Laboratory Medicine. He was one of the driving forces behind the establishment the ANA Futura research facility at KI Campus South in 2019 now housing almost 300 researchers, clinicians and teachers, and the establishment of Karolinska ATMP Center, initiated in January 2024.
His research focuses on developing gene and cell-based therapies (GTMPs and ATMPs) to advance treatment options for viral diseases and cancer. Over his career, he has played a significant role in translational research, in particular taking three in-house developed novel genetic vaccines all the way to clinical testing.
Professor of Clinical Neuroimaging, Karolinska Institutet & Head of R&D for Medical Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital
Professor Staffan Holmin is the inventor of the Extroducer delivery platform technology, co-founder of SmartCella and a globally recognized expert in clinical neuroimaging and endovascular techniques. He is a Professor in Clinical Neuroimaging at Karolinska Institutet, senior consultant in Neuroradiology and head of R&D at Medical Diagnostics at the Karolinska University Hospital.
Staffan leads a research group in neuroradiology and vascular radiology, working on clinical and experimental programs in stroke management and endovascular technique development for the central nervous system and other organ systems. He has been responsible for coordination of the imaging research facilities leading to the Center for Imaging Research (CIR) at Karolinska Institutet and Hospital.
His contributions to medical science have earned him prestigious honors, including the Seldinger Honorary Lecture at the European Congress of Radiology (2016), the Hans Wigzell Foundation Science Prize (2020), and the Karolinska Institutet Prize for Innovation and Utilization (2022).