Michael Theisen

Research area

Michael Theisen is a senior researcher at the Department of Congenital diseases, with a joint appointment as a professor at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen. He has more than 30 years of experience in translating scientific discoveries into clinically tested agents, including 20+ years of biopharmaceutical discovery, lead optimization, and product development experience in malaria vaccine research and development. Beyond scientific discovery and research, he has been responsible for advancing three programs into clinical trials (including Phase 2 trials) in Europe and Africa, along with establishing consortiums and funding partnerships.

Education

• Dr.med., University of Copenhagen, 2003
• Ph.D., University of Copenhagen, 1989
• B.S., University of Copenhagen, 1985

Prizes and honors

PubMed link

• Theisen M

Responsibilities

• Responsible for malaria vaccine research at SSI.
• Participating in the screening program for the newborn.

Publications

1. Ofori EA, Garcia-Senosiain A, Naghizadeh M, Kana IH, Dziegiel MH, Adu B, et al. Human blood neutrophils generate ROS through FcgammaR-signaling to mediate protection against febrile P. falciparum malaria. Commun Biol. 2023;6(1):743.
2. Singh SK, Plieskatt J, Chourasia BK, Singh V, Bengtsson KL, Reimer JM, et al. Preclinical development of a Pfs230-Pfs48/45 chimeric malaria transmission-blocking vaccine. NPJ Vaccines. 2021;6(1):120.
3. Garcia-Senosiain A, Kana IH, Singh S, Das MK, Dziegiel MH, Hertegonne S, et al. Neutrophils dominate in opsonic phagocytosis of P. falciparum blood-stage merozoites and protect against febrile malaria. Commun Biol. 2021;4(1):984.
4. Fougeroux C, Goksoyr L, Idorn M, Soroka V, Myeni SK, Dagil R, et al. Capsid-like particles decorated with the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain elicit strong virus neutralization activity. Nat Commun. 2021;12(1):324.
5. Singh SK, Plieskatt J, Chourasia BK, Singh V, Bolscher JM, Dechering KJ, et al. The Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein produced in Lactococcus lactis is pure and stable. J Biol Chem. 2020;295(2):403-14.
6. Dejon-Agobe JC, Ateba-Ngoa U, Lalremruata A, Homoet A, Engelhorn J, Nouatin OP, et al. Controlled Human Malaria Infection of Healthy Adults With Lifelong Malaria Exposure to Assess Safety, Immunogenicity, and Efficacy of the Asexual Blood Stage Malaria Vaccine Candidate GMZ2. Clin Infect Dis. 2019;69(8):1377-84.