Klas Kärre
Encyclopedia
Klas KärreKlas Kärre (born January 12, 1954 in Strasbourg
, France
) is a Swedish immunologist.
Kärre received his doctorate in 1981 at Karolinska Institutet
and is a professor
of molecular immunology at Karolinska Institutet since 1993.
In the mid-1980s Kärre discovered one of the mechanisms for how cells of the immune system
, natural killer cell
s (NK cells), identify their target cells and kill them. The findings were that the NK cells are inhibited by a transplantation antigen
, the major histocompatibility complex
(MHC) class I, which prevents NK cells from kill their target cells. When MHC class I is removed from the target cells, they are killed by the NK cells. Kärre named this phenomenon "the missing self hypothesis".
Kärre became a member of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine
in 2006 and its chairman in 2009. In 2009, he was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
.
In 1998, he was presented with the William B. Coley Award
.
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) is a Swedish immunologist.
Kärre received his doctorate in 1981 at Karolinska Institutet
Karolinska Institutet
Karolinska institutet is a medical university in Solna within the Stockholm urban area, Sweden, and one of Europe's largest medical universities...
and is a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of molecular immunology at Karolinska Institutet since 1993.
In the mid-1980s Kärre discovered one of the mechanisms for how cells of the immune system
Immune system
An immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
, natural killer cell
Natural killer cell
Natural killer cells are a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte that constitute a major component of the innate immune system. NK cells play a major role in the rejection of tumors and cells infected by viruses...
s (NK cells), identify their target cells and kill them. The findings were that the NK cells are inhibited by a transplantation antigen
Antigen
An antigen is a foreign molecule that, when introduced into the body, triggers the production of an antibody by the immune system. The immune system will then kill or neutralize the antigen that is recognized as a foreign and potentially harmful invader. These invaders can be molecules such as...
, the major histocompatibility complex
Major histocompatibility complex
Major histocompatibility complex is a cell surface molecule encoded by a large gene family in all vertebrates. MHC molecules mediate interactions of leukocytes, also called white blood cells , which are immune cells, with other leukocytes or body cells...
(MHC) class I, which prevents NK cells from kill their target cells. When MHC class I is removed from the target cells, they are killed by the NK cells. Kärre named this phenomenon "the missing self hypothesis".
Kärre became a member of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine
Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine
The Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine is the Nobel Committee responsible for proposing laureates for the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. The Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine is appointed by the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet, a body of 50 members at Karolinska...
in 2006 and its chairman in 2009. In 2009, he was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
.
In 1998, he was presented with the William B. Coley Award
William B. Coley Award
The William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Basic and Tumor Immunology is presented annually by the Cancer Research Institute, Inc., to scientists who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of basic and tumor immunology and whose work has deepened our understanding of the...
.