Categories: Biotechnology

Knut Steffensen Leads Karolinska ATMP Center to Bring Therapies to Patients

Knut Steffensen Leads Karolinska ATMP Center to Bring Therapies to Patients

Moving cell and gene therapy from lab to patient care

The Karolinska Institutet is establishing a dedicated ATMP Center to accelerate the development of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) and to close the gaps between discovery, manufacturing, and clinical delivery. Led by Knut Steffensen, the center aims to function as a “virtual hub” where researchers, clinicians, and industry can collaborate to move promising ideas from the lab into patients’ hands.

A virtual hub for collaboration

The ATMP Center is designed to be a central interface that brings together strategic components already in place at Karolinska, including Vecura—the institute’s manufacturing unit—and the clinical trials team. By breaking down silos and identifying bottlenecks in the therapy development chain, the center seeks to provide the structures and processes needed to translate discovery into trials and, ultimately, treatments.

From research to clinical trials: tackling bottlenecks

Steffensen emphasizes that taking research to clinical testing is a highly complex undertaking that requires careful planning. The center aims to establish clear pathways, regulatory readiness, and manufacturing preparation to shorten timelines while ensuring safety and quality. Funding remains a challenge since both production and trials are expensive, but ATMP Center seeks to become a bridge to the pharmaceutical industry for co-financing and shared projects, while also offering researchers robust support when applying for research funding.

Leadership and vision: Knut Steffensen’s approach

With experience spanning academia and industry, Steffensen brings a practical, team-based mindset to translating cell- and gene-based therapies into care. He argues that scientists are adept at leading their own projects, whereas industry excels at identifying business-critical questions and delivering rapid solutions. By merging these approaches, the ATMP Center aims to accelerate progress for ATMPs and shorten the path from concept to clinic.

Industrial insight meets academic freedom

Over his career, Steffensen has witnessed cell- and gene therapies evolve from science fiction to real-world treatments. As head of the ATMP Center, his mandate is to strengthen the collaboration between research, healthcare providers, policy makers, and industry. This includes preparing hospitals for upcoming therapies and ensuring the necessary bed capacity and infrastructure are in place to meet future demand.

The road ahead: momentum and metrics

Looking five years forward, Steffensen hopes several Karolinska Institutet projects will be ready for clinical trials. Even if only a fraction of ongoing projects reach that stage, the impact could be measured in more patients benefiting from breakthrough therapies and in the consolidation of Karolinska as a leading force in ATMP research and translation.

A European leader with a global outlook

Karolinska ATMP-Centrum is already among Europe’s leading ATMP research environments, but ongoing investments and strategic collaboration remain essential. Steffensen stresses that continued support from hospitals, policymakers, and industry partners will be vital to maintaining and expanding this leadership on the world stage.

Conclusion

By transforming the center into a practical engine for translation—a true “virtual hub”—Karolinska’s ATMP Center aims to shorten the distance between discovery and patient care. The path from laboratory findings to life-changing therapies is complex, but with clear structures, funded collaboration, and steadfast partnerships, it becomes a more achievable part of modern medicine.