Magnus Johansson
Title: Professor School/office: School of Medical SciencesEmail: magnus.johansson@oru.se
Phone: +46 19 302443
Room: X1101

About Magnus Johansson
Research
Magnus Johansson’s research have a broad focus on the Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) (and other viruses) including functional understanding of molecular interactions between viruses and the host cell e.g. affects on the cellular immune responses, construction of replicon models for vaccine development, construction of infectious clones for studies of the reverse genetics, expression of TBEV antigens in plants for vaccine development and the understanding of the molecular epidemiology and distribution of TBEV in Scandinavia.
Short Career Narrative
Magnus Johansson defended his thesis in 1998 at Stockholm University where he studied genetic and metabolic regulation of nitrogen metabolism in bacteria with specific focus on signal transduction, expression and covalent modification of the PII protein.
In 1999 he was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship at JCU (Queensland, Australia) co-financed by the Wenner-Gren foundation and the Swedish medical research council (MFR). At JCU, he studied Dengue virus, a mosquito-borne flavivirus causing sever hemorrhagic fever in large parts of the world, with focus on cell-biological roles of NS5, the viral the RNA dependent RNA polymerase.
Magnus Johansson started as principal investigator in 2001 initially at Stockholm University. In 2002, he was awarded a position as assistant professor by the Swedish research council for studies on the biodiversity of the Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). He moved his group to Södertörn University where he was appointed as Docent (associate professor) in 2007. In 2008 he completed the MAL program (Morgondagens Akademiska ledarskap) a leadership education within the SUUN-network. Magnus Johansson has been the main supervisor of three successfully defended PhD thesis.
In 2012 he moved his research group to Örebro University as he was appointed Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science towards Biochemistry at the School of Medicine.
Research projects
Active projects
- Developvaccines@oru
- Functional studies of protein-protein interactions between flavivirus and the host cell
- Molecular epidemiology of the Tick borne encephalitis virus
- Surveillance of viral tick-borne zoonosis using novel strategies
- Preclinical development of simple vaccines from dna launched suicidal flaviviruses
- Development of mucosally administered vaccines
- Development of edible vaccines against Tick-Borne encephalitis (TBE)
Completed projects
Research teams
Publications
Articles in journals
- Omazic, A. , Wallenhammar, A. , Lahti, E. , Asghar, N. , Hanberger, A. , Hjertqvist, M. , Johansson, M. & Albihn, A. (2023). Dairy milk from cow and goat as a sentinel for tick-borne encephalitis virus surveillance. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, 95.
- Tran, P. T. H. , Höglund, U. , Larsson, O. , Appelberg, S. , Mirazimi, A. , Johansson, M. & Melik, W. (2022). Enhanced Seroconversion to West Nile Virus Proteins in Mice by West Nile Kunjin Replicon Virus-like Particles Expressing Glycoproteins from Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus. Pathogens, 11 (2).
- Burm, R. , Maravelia, P. , Ahlen, G. , Ciesek, S. , Caro Perez, N. , Pasetto, A. , Urban, S. , Van Houtte, F. & et al. (2022). Novel prime-boost immune-based therapy inhibiting both hepatitis B and D virus infections.. Gut.
- Tran, P. T. H. , Chiramel, A. I. , Johansson, M. & Melik, W. (2022). Roles of ESCRT Proteins ALIX and CHMP4A and Their Interplay with Interferon-Stimulated Gene 15 during Tick-Borne Flavivirus Infection. Journal of Virology, 96 (3).
- Asghar, N. , Melik, W. , Paulsen, K. M. , Pedersen, B. N. , Bø-Granquist, E. G. , Vikse, R. , Stuen, S. , Andersson, S. & et al. (2022). Transient Expression of Flavivirus Structural Proteins in Nicotiana benthamiana . Vaccines, 10 (10).
- Maravelia, P. , Frelin, L. , Ni, Y. , Pérez, N. C. , Ahlén, G. , Jagya, N. , Verch, G. , Verhoye, L. & et al. (2021). Blocking entry of hepatitis B and D viruses to hepatocytes as a novel immunotherapy for treating chronic infections. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 223 (1), 128-138.
- Tran, P. , Asghar, N. , Johansson, M. & Melik, W. (2021). Roles of the Endogenous Lunapark Protein during Flavivirus Replication. Viruses, 13 (7).
- Tran, P. T. H. , Asghar, N. , Höglund, U. , Larsson, O. , Haag, L. , Mirazimi, A. , Johansson, M. & Melik, W. (2020). Development of a Multivalent Kunjin Virus Reporter Virus-Like Particle System Inducing Seroconversion for Ebola and West Nile Virus Proteins in Mice. Microorganisms, 8 (12).
- Wallenhammar, A. , Lindqvist, R. , Asghar, N. , Gunaltay, S. , Fredlund, H. , Davidsson, Å. , Andersson, S. , Överby, A. K. & et al. (2020). Revealing new tick-borne encephalitis virus foci by screening antibodies in sheep milk. Parasites & Vectors, 13 (1).
- Lindqvist, R. , Rosendal, E. , Weber, E. , Asghar, N. , Schreier, S. , Lenman, A. , Johansson, M. , Dobler, G. & et al. (2020). The envelope protein of tick-borne encephalitis virus influences neuron entry, pathogenicity, and vaccine protection. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 17 (1).
- Johansson, M. , Frelin, L. , Maravelia, P. , Asghar, N. , Melik, W. , Caro-Perez, N. , Pasetto, A. , Ahlen, G. & et al. (2019). Immunogenicity of a New Flaviviral-Based DNA Launched Suicidal Replicon for Protective Vaccination Against Hepatitis C. Molecular Therapy, 27 (4), 139-139.
- Asghar, N. , Pettersson, J. H. , Dinnetz, P. , Andreassen, Å. & Johansson, M. (2017). Deep sequencing analysis of tick-borne encephalitis virus from questing ticks at natural foci reveals similarities between quasispecies pools of the virus. Journal of General Virology, 98 (3), 413-421.
- Asghar, N. , Petersson, M. , Johansson, M. & Dinnetz, P. (2016). Local landscape effects on population dynamics of Ixodes ricinus. Geospatial health, 11 (3), 283-289.
- Bertrand, Y. J. K. , Johansson, M. & Norberg, P. (2016). Revisiting Recombination Signal in the Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus: A Simulation Approach. PLOS ONE, 11 (10).
- Asghar, N. , Lee, Y. , Nilsson, E. , Lindqvist, R. , Melik, W. , Kröger, A. , Överby, A. K. & Johansson, M. (2016). The role of the poly(A) tract in the replication and virulence of tick-borne encephalitis virus. Scientific Reports, 6.
- Asghar, N. , Lindblom, P. , Melik, W. , Lindqvist, R. , Haglund, M. , Forsberg, P. , Överby, A. K. , Andreassen, Å. & et al. (2014). Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Sequenced Directly from Questing and Blood-Feeding Ticks Reveals Quasispecies Variance. PLOS ONE, 9 (7).
- Rytkonen, P. , Bonow, M. , Johansson, M. & Persson, Y. (2013). Goat cheese production in Sweden: a pioneering experience in the re-emergence of local food. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica - Section B, 63 (Suppl. 1), 38-46.
- Hamsten, C. , Starkhammar, M. , Tran, T. A. , Johansson, M. , Bengtsson, U. , Ahlén, G. , Sällberg, M. , Grönlund, H. & et al. (2013). Identification of galactose-α-1,3-galactose in the gastrointestinal tract of the tick Ixodes ricinus; possible relationship with red meat allergy. Allergy. European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 68 (4), 549-552.
- Wigerius, M. , Asghar, N. , Melik, W. & Johansson, M. (2013). Scribble controls NGF-mediated neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. European Journal of Cell Biology, 92 (6-7), 213-221.
- Bertrand, Y. , Töpel, M. , Elväng, A. , Melik, W. & Johansson, M. (2012). First dating of a recombination event in mammalian tick-borne flaviviruses. PLOS ONE, 7 (2).
- Melik, W. , Ellencrona, K. , Wigerius, M. , Hedström, C. , Elväng, A. & Johansson, M. (2012). Two PDZ binding motifs within NS5 have roles in Tick-borne encephalitis virus replication. Virus Research, 169 (1), 54-62.
- Elväng, A. , Melik, W. , Bertrand, Y. , Lönn, M. & Johansson, M. (2011). Sequencing of a tick-borne encephalitis virus from Ixodes ricinus reveals a thermosensitive RNA switch significant for virus propagation in ectothermic arthropods. Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 11 (6), 649-658.
- Wigerius, M. , Melik, W. , Elväng, A. & Johansson, M. (2010). Rac1 and Scribble are targets for the arrest of neurite outgrowth by TBE virus NS5. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, 44 (3), 260-271.
- Ellencrona, K. , Syed, A. & Johansson, M. (2009). Flavivirus NS5 associates with host-cell proteins zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and regulating synaptic membrane exocytosis-2 (RIMS2) via an internal PDZ binding mechanism. Biological chemistry (Print), 390 (4), 319-323.
- Werme, K. , Wigerius, M. & Johansson, M. (2008). Tick-borne encephalitis virus NS5 associates with membrane protein scribble and impairs interferon-stimulated JAK-STAT signalling.. Cellular Microbiology, 10 (3), 696-712.
- Melik, W. , Nilsson, A. S. & Johansson, M. (2007). Detection strategies of tick-borne encephalitis virus in Swedish Ixodes ricinus reveal evolutionary characteristics of emerging tick-borne flaviviruses. Archives of Virology, 152 (5), 1027-1034.
- Brooks, A. J. , Johansson, M. , John, A. V. , Xu, Y. , Jans, D. A. & Vasudevan, S. G. (2002). The interdomain region of dengue NS5 protein that binds to the viral helicase NS3 contains independently functional importin beta 1 and importin alpha/beta-recognized nuclear localization signals. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 277 (39), 36399-36407.
- Johansson, M. , Brooks, A. J. , Jans, D. A. & Vasudevan, S. G. (2001). A small region of the dengue virus-encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, NS5, confers interaction with both the nuclear transport receptor importin-beta and the viral helicase, NS3. Journal of General Virology, 82 (Pt 4), 735-745.
- Vasudevan, S. G. , Johansson, M. , Brooks, A. J. , Llewellyn, L. E. & Jans, D. A. (2001). Characterisation of inter- and intra-molecular interactions of the dengue virus RNA dependent RNA polymerase as potential drug targets. Il Farmaco, 56 (1-2), 33-36.
- Cheng, J. , Johansson, M. & Nordlund, S. (1999). Expression of P(II) and glutamine synthetase is regulated by P(II), the ntrBC products, and processing of the glnBA mRNA in Rhodospirillum rubrum. Journal of Bacteriology, 181 (20), 6530-6534.
- Johansson, M. & Nordlund, S. (1999). Purification of P(II) and P(II)-UMP and in vitro studies of regulation of glutamine synthetase in Rhodospirillum rubrum. Journal of Bacteriology, 181 (20), 6524-6529.
- Johansson, M. & Nordlund, S. (1997). Uridylylation of the P(II) protein in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum. Journal of Bacteriology, 179 (13), 4190-4194.
- Lindblad, A. , Jansson, J. , Brostedt, E. , Johansson, M. , Hellman, U. & Nordlund, S. (1996). Identification and sequence of a nifJ-like gene in Rhodospirillum rubrum: partial characterization of a mutant unaffected in nitrogen fixation. Molecular Microbiology, 20 (3), 559-568.
- Johansson, M. & Nordlund, S. (1996). Transcription of the glnB and glnA genes in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum. Microbiology, 142 ( Pt 5), 1265-1272.
Books
- Venizelos, N. , Sirsjö, A. , Ericsson, E. , Johansson, M. , Hjelmqvist, H. , Jendle, J. , Eriksson, M. , Karlsson, M. & et al. Venizelos, N. (ed.) , Sirsjö, A. (ed.) , Ericsson, E. (ed.) , Johansson, M. (ed.) , Hjelmqvist, H. (ed.) , Jendle, J. (ed.) , Eriksson, M. (ed.) , Karlsson, M. (ed.) & Möller, M. (ed.) (2018). Örebro University’s Nobel Day Festivities: Book of abstracts, 2018. Örebro: Örebro universitet.
Conference papers
- Tran, P. T. H. , Asghar, N. , Karlsson, R. , Karlsson, A. , Johansson, M. & Melik, W. (2019). Identification and characterization of host proteins inducing the endoplasmic reticulum invagination during Flavivirus infection. In: Positive-Strand RNA Viuses. Paper presented at Positive-Strand RNA Viuses, KILLARNEY, Co.Kerry, Ireland, June 9-13,2019. (pp. 280-280).
- Asghar, N. , Maravelia, P. , Caro-Perez, N. , Tran, P. T. H. , Melik, W. , Pasetto, A. , Ahlen, G. , Frelin, L. & et al. (2019). Immunogenicity of DNA launched suicidal flavivirus replicons for protective vaccination against hepatitis viruses. Paper presented at 16th Smögen Summer Symposium on Virology, Smögen, Sweden, August 22-24, 2019.
- Asghar, N. , Maravelia, P. , Caro-Perez, N. , Tran, H. , Melik, W. , Pasetto, A. , Ahlen, G. , Frelin, L. & et al. (2019). Immunogenicity of DNA launched suicidal flavivirus replicons for protective vaccination against hepatitis viruses. Paper presented at Positive-Strand RNA Viruses (E2), Killarney, Co. Kerry Ireland, June 9-13, 2019.
- Wallenhammar, A. , Asghar, N. , Gunaltay, S. , Lindqvist, R. , Fredlund, H. , Davidsson, Å. , Andersson, S. , Överby Wernstedt, A. & et al. (2019). Revealing new tick-borne encephalitis foci by screening antibodies in sheep milk. In: 16th Smögen Symposium on Virology, August 22-24, 2019. Paper presented at 16th Smögen Symposium on Virology, Smögen, Sweden, August 22-24, 2019.
- Tran, P. T. H. , Asghar, N. , Karlsson, R. , Karlsson, A. , Johansson, M. & Melik, W. (2019). Screening of host proteins interacting with Kunjin, Langat, Zika replication complex. In: Positive-Strand Rna Viuses. Paper presented at Positive-Strand RNA Viuses, KILLARNEY, Co.Kerry, Ireland, June 9-13,2019.
- Tran, P. T. H. , Asghar, N. , Karlsson, A. , Karlsson, R. , Johansson, M. & Melik, W. (2019). Screening of host proteins interacting with Kunjin, Langat, Zikareplication complex. In: 16th Smögen Summer Symposium on Virology. Paper presented at 16th Smögen Summer Symposium on Virology, Smögen, Sweden, August 22-24, 2019.
- Wallenhammar, A. , Asghar, N. , Gunaltay, S. , Andersson, S. , Davidsson, Å. , Överby Wernstedt, A. & Johansson, M. (2018). Developing a novel strategy to determine new Tick-borne encephalitis foci. In: 15th Smögen Summer Symposium on Virology, Smögen, Sweden, August 23-25, 2018.. Paper presented at 15th Smögen Summer Symposium on Virology, August 23-25, 2018.
- Asghar, N. , Gunaltay, S. , Tran, P. T. H. , Melik, W. , Höglund, U. , Johansson, C. , Frelin, L. , Sällberg, M. & et al. (2018). DNA launched suicidal flaviviruses as therapeutic vaccine candidates. Paper presented at 15th Smögen Summer Symposium on Virology, Smögen, Sweden, August 23-25, 2018.
- Johansson, M. (2017). Development of an edible Tick-borne encephalitis vaccine. Paper presented at SNÄFF (Svenska nätverket för fästing forskare) 2017, Varberg, Sweden, 3-5 maj 2017.
- Asghar, N. , Wessam, M. , Lindblom, P. , Lindgren, P. , Andreassen, Å. & Johansson, M. (2013). Genomic Sequencing of Tick-borne Encephalitis Virus frin Questing and Blood-Feeding Ixodes ricinus. Paper presented at Positive strand RNA viruses, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, April 28 - May 3 2013.
Manuscripts
- Tran, P. , Karlsson, R. , Karlsson, A. , Asghar, N. , Melik, W. & Johansson, M. Proteomic screening identifies TRIM21 and TRIM14 as antiviral proteins against Langat virus and Zika virus.