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Ashok Kumawat

Position: Senior Lecturer School/office: School of Medical Sciences

Email: YXNob2sua3VtYXdhdDtvcnUuc2U=

Phone: +46 19 302185

Room: X2104

Research subject

Biomedicine

About Ashok Kumawat

Ashok Kumar Kumawat is a senior lecturer in biomedicine at the School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Sweden. His academic and research areas of interest are in immunology and inflammation.

Dr Ashok obtained his BSc degree in Chemistry, Botany and Zoology majors in 2002 from Rajasthan University, Jaipur, India. Then he pursued his Master’s degree in Microbiology in 2004 from Bangalore University, Bangalore, India. He worked for 3 years in the life science industry and then he started his research career as “Research Scholar” in 2007 at Örebro University, Sweden.

Dr Ashok defended his PhD thesis entitled “Adaptive immune responses in microscopic colitis” conducted in Professor Elizabeth Hultgren Hörnqvist’s group at the School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, in the year 2013. His PhD thesis was the first to describe a detailed descriptive mapping of local adaptive immune responses in the intestinal mucosa of microscopic colitis (MC) patients, which were (and are still) incomplete, but necessary to understand the pathophysiology in MC.

In 2014, Olle Engqvist byggmästare foundation awarded a two-year postdoc fellowship to Dr Ashok to carry out postdoc work in Professor Allan Mowat’s lab at the University of Glasgow. During this time, he focused on characterising the role of αvβ5 integrin in intestinal macrophage function in mice. His work revealed for the first time that intestinal macrophages express high levels of integrin αvβ5, and it is induced as monocytes differentiate into a mature intestinal macrophage population. Integrin αvβ5 also promotes phagocytosis and activates tissue remodelling pathways in the intestinal macrophages that are important in the maintenance of local homeostasis.

In 2016, he joined Professor Allan Sirsjö’s research group at the School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, as a senior researcher. His research focused on targeting the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-17 (IL-17) to suppress vascular inflammation in experimental models of atherosclerosis, using small engineered protein molecules known as Affibody molecules. In 2019, he was awarded a tenure-track position as Associate Senior Lecturer in Biomedicine, with specialisation in immunology, and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2023. Since 2020, he has led the Immunoprofiling of Inflammation (iPi) research group within the Cardiovascular Research Centre (CVRC) research environment at Örebro University. In 2021, he was selected for a prestigious two-year mentorship programme for early-career investigators organised by the Society for Mucosal Immunology (SMI).

Research Overview

His research focuses on profiling immune cell phenotypes and functional responses in human vascular and intestinal inflammation. He is investigating how the interference of molecules associated with innate and adaptive immunity can resolve inflammation in atherosclerosis.
He is also exploring interactions between gut microbiota, gut microbial derived dietary metabolite Trimethyl amine N-oxide (TMAO) and immune responses and how these responses are linked to pathogenesis, disease profile and quality of life in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Teaching and Administrative assignments

Dr Ashok is Deputy Course Coordinator for semester 9 of the Medical Programme at Örebro University (MC609A). He is an experienced problem-based learning (PBL) tutor and thesis supervisor within the Medical Programme. He is also involved in teaching advanced-level courses in immunology, cell biology, and laboratory techniques in the international Master’s Programme in Experimental Medicine, as well as in the Medical Programme at the School of Medical Sciences.
He also serves as a seminar leader for the PhD course General Scientific Methods in Medical Sciences(70ME061) and contributes to the guidance and assessment of Bachelor’s and Master’s thesis projects within the Medical Programme.
He has supervised two postdoctoral fellows, co-supervised two PhD students, mentored one PhD student, and supervised 12 Bachelor’s and Master’s thesis students. He is currently the main supervisor for two PhD students and continues to supervise Bachelor’s and Master’s students in their thesis projects.

Other assignments

He is the safety representative at the School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University.

He is a member of the organizing committee for Nobel Day Festivities, held annually at the Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University.

Active projects

Research groups

Publications

Articles in journals

Zegeye, M. M. , Veettil, J. T. , Paramel, G. V. , Kurt, S. , Salihovic, S. , Ljungberg, L. U. , Kumawat, A. K. & Sirsjö, A. (2026). IL-6 triggers lysosomal degradation of LDL-R and enhances LDL-C uptake in vascular endothelial cells via macropinocytosis. Molecular Medicine, 32 (1). [BibTeX]
Kapetanaki, S. , Salihovic, S. , Kumawat, A. K. , Massy, Z. A. , Persson, K. , Barany, P. , Stenvinkel, P. , Evans, M. & et al. (2025). Correlations Between Trimethylamine-N-Oxide, Megalin, Lysine and Markers of Tubular Damage in Chronic Kidney Disease. Toxins, 17 (12). [BibTeX]
Reitsema, R. D. , Kurt, S. , Rangel, I. , Hjelmqvist, H. , Dreifaldt, M. , Sirsjö, A. & Kumawat, A. K. (2025). Patients with peripheral artery disease demonstrate altered expression of soluble and membrane-bound immune checkpoints. Frontiers in Immunology, 16. [BibTeX]
Reitsema, R. D. , Kumawat, A. K. , Hesselink, B. , van Baarle, D. & van Sleen, Y. (2024). Effects of ageing and frailty on circulating monocyte and dendritic cell subsets. npj aging, 10 (1). [BibTeX]
Hayderi, A. , Kumawat, A. K. , Shavva, V. S. , Dreifaldt, M. , Sigvant, B. , Petri, M. , Kragsterman, B. , Olofsson, P. S. & et al. (2024). RSAD2 is abundant in atherosclerotic plaques and promotes interferon-induced CXCR3-chemokines in human smooth muscle cells. Scientific Reports, 14 (1). [BibTeX]
Kapetanaki, S. , Kumawat, A. K. , Paramel Varghese, G. , Persson, K. & Demirel, I. (2024). TMAO enhances TNF-α mediated fibrosis and release of inflammatory mediators from renal fibroblasts. Scientific Reports, 14 (1). [BibTeX]
Hayderi, A. , Zegeye, M. M. , Meydan, S. , Sirsjö, A. , Kumawat, A. K. & Ljungberg, L. (2024). TNF Induces Laminin-332-Encoding Genes in Endothelial Cells and Laminin-332 Promotes an Atherogenic Endothelial Phenotype. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25 (16). [BibTeX]
Thazhathveettil, J. , Kumawat, A. K. , Demirel, I. , Sirsjö, A. & Paramel Varghese, G. (2024). Vascular smooth muscle cells in response to cholesterol crystals modulates inflammatory cytokines release and promotes neutrophil extracellular trap formation. Molecular Medicine, 30 (1). [BibTeX]
Zegeye, M. M. , Matic, L. , Lengquist, M. , Hayderi, A. , Grenegård, M. , Hedin, U. , Sirsjö, A. , Ljungberg, L. U. & et al. (2023). Interleukin-6 trans-signaling induced laminin switch contributes to reduced trans-endothelial migration of granulocytic cells. Atherosclerosis, 371, 41-53. [BibTeX]
Zegeye, M. M. , Nakka, S. S. , Andersson, J. S. O. , Söderberg, S. , Ljungberg, L. , Kumawat, A. K. & Sirsjö, A. (2023). Soluble LDL-receptor is induced by TNF-α and inhibits hepatocytic clearance of LDL-cholesterol. Journal of Molecular Medicine, 101 (12), 1615-1626. [BibTeX]
Wu, R. , Kumawat, A. K. & Demirel, I. (2023). Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO) Mediates Increased Inflammation and Colonization of Bladder Epithelial Cells during a Uropathogenic E. coli Infection In Vitro. Pathogens, 12 (4). [BibTeX]
Kumawat, A. K. , Zegeye, M. M. , Paramel Varghese, G. , Baumgartner, R. , Gisterå, A. , Amegavie, O. , Hellberg, S. , Jin, H. & et al. (2022). Inhibition of IL17A Using an Affibody Molecule Attenuates Inflammation in ApoE-Deficient Mice. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 9. [BibTeX]
Kapetanaki, S. , Kumawat, A. K. , Persson, K. & Demirel, I. (2022). TMAO Suppresses Megalin Expression and Albumin Uptake in Human Proximal Tubular Cells Via PI3K and ERK Signaling. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23 (16). [BibTeX]
Kumawat, A. K. , Paramel Varghese, G. , Jayaprakash, K. & Demirel, I. (2021). Human Renal Fibroblasts, but Not Renal Epithelial Cells, Induce IL-1β Release during a Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Infection In Vitro. Cells, 10 (12). [BibTeX]
Kapetanaki, S. , Kumawat, A. K. , Persson, K. & Demirel, I. (2021). The Fibrotic Effects of TMAO on Human Renal Fibroblasts Is Mediated by NLRP3, Caspase-1 and the PERK/Akt/mTOR Pathway. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22 (21). [BibTeX]
Holster, S. , Rode, J. , Bohr, J. , Kumawat, A. K. , Veress, G. , Hultgren Hörnquist, E. , Brummer, R. J. & König, J. (2020). Faecal microbiota transfer in patients with microscopic colitis: a pilot study in collagenous colitis. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 55 (12), 1454-1466. [BibTeX]
Zegeye, M. M. , Lindkvist, M. , Fälker, K. , Kumawat, A. K. , Paramel Varghese, G. , Grenegård, M. , Sirsjö, A. & Ljungberg, L. U. (2018). Activation of the JAK/STAT3 and PI3K/AKT pathways are crucial for IL-6 trans-signaling-mediated pro-inflammatory response in human vascular endothelial cells. Cell Communication and Signaling, 16 (1). [BibTeX]
Kumawat, A. K. , Yu, C. , Mann, E. A. , Schridde, A. , Finnemann, S. C. & Mowat, A. M. (2018). Expression and characterization of αvβ5 integrin on intestinal macrophages. European Journal of Immunology, 48 (7), 1181-1187. [BibTeX]
Gunaltay, S. , Kumawat, A. K. , Nyhlin, N. , Bohr, J. , Tysk, C. , Hultgren, O. & Hultgren-Hörnquist, E. (2015). Enhanced levels of chemokines and their receptors in the colon of microscopic colitis patients indicate mixed immune cell recruitment. Mediators of Inflammation. [BibTeX]
Daferera, N. , Kumawat, A. K. , Hultgren-Hörnquist, E. , Ignatova, S. , Ström, M. & Münch, A. (2015). Fecal stream diversion and mucosal cytokine levels in collagenous colitis: A case report. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 21 (19), 6065-6071. [BibTeX]
Sundin, J. , Rangel, I. , Kumawat, A. K. , Hultgren-Hörnquist, E. & Brummer, R. J. (2014). Aberrant mucosal lymphocyte number and subsets in the colon of post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome patients. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 49 (9), 1068-1075. [BibTeX]
Kumawat, A. K. , Nyhlin, N. , Wickbom, A. , Tysk, C. , Bohr, J. , Hultgren, O. & Hultgren-Hörnquist, E. (2014). An In Vitro Model to Evaluate the Impact of the Soluble Factors from the Colonic Mucosa of Collagenous Colitis Patients on T Cells: Enhanced Production of IL-17A and IL-10 from Peripheral CD4(+) T Cells. Mediators of Inflammation. [BibTeX]
Günaltay, S. , Nyhlin, N. , Kumawat, A. K. , Tysk, C. , Bohr, J. , Hultgren, O. & Hultgren-Hörnquist, E. (2014). Differential expression of interleukin-1/Toll-like receptor signaling regulators in microscopic and ulcerative colitis. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 20 (34), 12249-12259. [BibTeX]
Göranzon, C. , Kumawat, A. K. , Hultgren-Hörnqvist, E. , Tysk, C. , Eriksson, S. , Bohr, J. & Nyhlin, N. (2013). Immunohistochemical characterization of lymphocytes in microscopic colitis. Journal of Crohn's and Colitis, 7 (10), e434-e442. [BibTeX]
Götlind, Y. Y. , Fritsch Fredin, M. , Kumawat, A. K. , Strid, H. , Willén, R. , Rangel, I. , Bland, P. W. & Hultgren Hörnquist, E. (2013). Interplay between Th1 and Th17 effector T cell pathways in the pathogenesis of spontaneous colitis and colon cancer in the Gai2-deficient mouse. International Immunology, 25 (1), 35-44. [BibTeX]
Kumawat, A. K. , Strid, H. , Tysk, C. , Bohr, J. & Hultgren-Hörnquist, E. (2013). Microscopic colitis patients demonstrate a mixed Th17/Tc17 and Th1/Tc1 mucosal cytokine profile. Molecular Immunology, 55 (3-4), 355-364. [BibTeX]
Kumawat, A. K. , Strid, H. , Elgbratt, K. , Tysk, C. , Bohr, J. & Hultgren Hörnquist, E. (2013). Microscopic colitis patients have increased frequencies of Ki67⁺proliferating and CD45RO⁺ active/memory CD8⁺ and CD4⁺8⁺mucosal T cells. Journal of Crohn's & Colitis, 7 (9), 694-705. [BibTeX]
Kumawat, A. K. , Elgbratt, K. , Tysk, C. , Bohr, J. & Hultgren-Hörnquist, E. (2013). Reduced T cell receptor excision circle levels in the colonic mucosa of microscopic colitis patients indicate local proliferation rather than homing of peripheral lymphocytes to the inflamed mucosa. BioMed Research International. [BibTeX]
Elmabsout, A. A. , Kumawat, A. K. , Saenz-Méndez, P. , Krivospitskaya, O. , Sävenstrand, H. , Olofsson, P. S. , Eriksson, L. A. , Strid, Å. & et al. (2012). Cloning and functional studies of a splice variant of CYP26B1 expressed in vascular cells. PLOS ONE, 7 (5). [BibTeX]

Collections (editor)

Alm, F. , Fernberg, U. , Johansson, I. , Kumawat, A. K. , Marques, T. M. & Söderman, A. Larsson, C. (ed.) (2023). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts, 2023 (1ed.). Örebro: Örebro universitet. [BibTeX]
Athlin, S. , Dahlberg, K. , Eklund, D. , Fernberg, U. , Johansson, I. , Kumawat, A. K. & Marques, T. M. Larsson, C. (ed.) (2022). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts 2022. Örebro: Örebro Universitet. [BibTeX]

Conference papers

Thazhathveettil, J. , Kumawat, A. , Demirel, I. , Sirsjö, A. & Paramel, G. (2023). Cholesterol crystals uptake in vascular smooth muscle cells modulates local immune responses. In: Atherosclerosis. Paper presented at 91st Annual Meeting of the European-Atherosclerosis-Society (EAS 2023), Mannheim, Germany, May 21-24, 2023. (pp. S9-S9). Elsevier. [BibTeX]
Kurt, S. , Pirronello, F. , Reitsema, R. , Demirel, I. , Rangel, I. , Sirsjö, A. , Dreifaldt, M. & Kumawat, A. (2023). Increased proportion of circulating neutrophils with impaired phagocytosis capacity in patients with peripheral arterial disease. In: Atherosclerosis. Paper presented at 91st Annual Meeting of the European-Atherosclerosis-Society (EAS 2023), Mannheim, Germany, May 21-24, 2023. (pp. S22-S22). Elsevier. [BibTeX]
Pirronello, F. , Kurt, S. , Reitsema, R. , Rangel, I. , Dreifaldt, M. , Sirsjö, A. & Kumawat, A. (2023). Phenotypic and functional characterization of T cell immune responses in peripheral arterial disease. In: Atherosclerosis. Paper presented at 91st Annual Meeting of the European-Atherosclerosis-Society (EAS 2023), Mannheim, Germany, May 21-24, 2023. (pp. S25-S25). Elsevier. [BibTeX]
Zegeye, M. , Ljungberg, L. , Nakka, S. , Andersson, J. , Söderberg, S. , Kumawat, A. & Sirsjö, A. (2023). Soluble LDL-receptor is induced by TNF-Α and inhibits hepatocytic clearance of LDL-cholesterol. In: Atherosclerosis. Paper presented at 91st Annual Meeting of the European-Atherosclerosis-Society (EAS 2023), Mannheim, Germany, May 21-24, 2023. (pp. S61-S61). Elsevier. [BibTeX]
Hayderi, A. , Ljungberg, L. , Kumawat, A. K. & Sirsjö, A. (2021). Function of viperin in human aortic SMCS and its relevance for atherosclerosis. In: Atherosclerosis. Elsevier. [BibTeX]
Zegeye, M. M. , Kumawat, A. K. , Matic, L. , Lengquist, M. , Hyderi, A. , Hedin, U. , Sirsjö, A. & Ljungberg, L. (2021). IL-6 trans-signaling regulates vascular endothelial laminin profile and inflammatory responses: Possible mechanism for immune cell recruitment during atherosclerosis?. In: Atherosclerosis. Elsevier. [BibTeX]
Strid, H. , Kumawat, A. , Tysk, C. , Hultgren Hörnquist, E. & Bohr, J. (2012). Genuttrycket för Renin och IL-6 i kolonmucosan är förändrad vid kollagen kolit. Paper presented at Svenska Gastrodagarna, Malmö, 8-11 Maj, 2012. [BibTeX]
Sundin, J. , Kumawat, A. K. , Rangel, I. , Brummer, R. & Hultgren Hörnquist, E. (2012). Karakterisering av T-lymfocyter från tarmmukosan hos patienter med postinfektiös IBS. Paper presented at Svenska Gastrodagarna, Malmö 8-11 Maj 2012. [BibTeX]
Kumawat, A. K. , Strid, H. , Tysk, C. , Bohr, J. & Hultgren-Hörnquist, E. (2012). Patienter med mikroskopisk kolit har blandad Th1/Th17 samt CTL-associerad cytokinprofil. Paper presented at Svenska Gastrodagarna, Malmö, 8-11 Maj, 2012. [BibTeX]
Kumawat, A. K. , Strid, H. , Elgbratt, K. , Nyhlin, N. , Tysk, C. , Bohr, J. & Hultgren Hörnquist, E. (2011). Collagenous colitis patients demonstrate a Th1/CTL-associated gene expression profile with increased frequencies of Ki67⁺ proliferating and CD45RO⁺ activated/ memory CD8⁺ and CD4⁺8⁺ mucosal T cells. Paper presented at International Congress of Mucosal Immunology, Paris, July 5-9, 2011. [BibTeX]
Göranzon, C. , Hultgren Hörnquist, E. , Kumawat, A. K. , Halfvarson, J. , Tysk, C. , Eriksson, S. , Bohr, J. & Nyhlin, N. (2010). Immunohistochemical characterization of lymphocytes in microscopic colitis. Paper presented at 18th United European Gastroenterology Week, Barcelona, Oct, 2010. [BibTeX]

Doctoral theses, comprehensive summaries

Kumawat, A. K. (2013). Adaptive immune response in the intestinal mucosa of microscopic colitis patients. (Doctoral dissertation). (Comprehensive summary) Örebro: Örebro universitet. [BibTeX]

Manuscripts

Kapetanaki, S. , Salihovic, S. , Kumawat, A. K. , Persson, K. , Barany, P. , Stenvinkel, P. , Evans, M. & Demirel, I. Correlations between Trimethylamine-N-oxide, megalin, lysine and markers of tubular damage in chronic kidney disease. [BibTeX]
Holster, S. , Rode, J. , Bohr, J. , Kumawat, A. K. , Hultgren Hörnquist, E. , Brummer, R. J. & König, J. Faecal microbiota transfer in patients with microscopic colitis : A proof-of-concept study in collagenous colitis. [BibTeX]
Zegeye, M. M. , Kumawat, A. K. , Matic, L. , Lengquist, M. , Hayderi, A. , Hedin, U. , Sirsjö, A. & Ljungberg, L. U. IL-6 trans-signaling regulates vascular endothelial laminin profile and inflammatory responses : possible mechanism for immune cell recruitment during atherosclerosis?. [BibTeX]
Hayderi, A. , Dunér, P. , Kumawat, A. K. , Överby, A. K. , Sirsjö, A. & Ljungberg, L. U. Impact of RSAD2 deficiency on atherosclerosisdevelopment in ApoE-/- mice. [BibTeX]