Biosketch summary for Professor Martin L. Olsson, M.D., Ph.D.
Martin L. Olsson is a leading translational scientist in the field of blood groups and immunobiology of the red cell surface. He received his M.D. in 1991 and Ph.D. in 1997 from Lund University where he is a full Professorsince 2006 and Senior Consultant in Transfusion Medicine since 2000. He has been a Visiting Scientist at the International Blood Group Laboratory in Bristol, UK, in 1996 and a Visiting Associate Professor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School in Cambridge/Boston, MA, USA in 2003-2008.
He served as Vice Dean (2018-2020) and Deputy Dean(2021-2023)of the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University and is the Medical Director oftheNordic Reference Laboratory for Genomic Blood Group Analysis in Lund since 2001. His main clinical and research interestsinclude the molecular genetics of blood groups and their functional roles in health anddisease. In fact, he and his research group have laid the foundation for the establishment of six new blood group systems so far – GLOB, FORS, VEL, SID, MAM and CD36 (from 2004 to 2024). No other Swedish (or Nordic) scientist has described a new blood group system.
Currently, Prof. Olsson’s research focuses on improving our understanding of the role of the red cell surface in hemolysis, hematopoiesis and hemostasis. In the latter two innovative projects, his team investigates the role of blood groups as regulators of human erythropoiesis and explores a more active role of red cells in clot formation than previously appreciated. A special niche also involves blood-group-based host-pathogen interactions (e.g. for HIV, malaria, babesia and gut bacteria). A particularly interesting such interaction is the discovery of two novel families of bacterial enzymes which were applied to create ABO-universal red blood cells for transfusion in 2007. This resulted in clinical trials for which Olsson was the medical monitor. It also led to the revelation of new ABO-related blood group antigens and their corresponding naturally-occurring antibodies present in most group O plasmas according to Landsteiner’s Law. In a breakthrough paper published in 2024, a cocktail of exoglycosidases from mucolytic gut microbiota was shown to improve significantly the compatibility of ABO-universal blood. On another note, the 2013 discovery of a previously unknown human protein, SMIM1, which turned out to be a regulator of erythropoiesis and energy expenditure, also stands out as major achievement highlight.
Prof. Olsson has published >190 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, as well as the popular Blood Group Antigen FactsBook and >320 peer-reviewed congress abstracts. He is a popular invited speaker at congresses and courses around the world and has been recognized for his pedagogic ability to explain complex biochemical and genetic contexts in a way that is both understandable and entertaining.
His numerous awards include prestigious prizes from the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT), Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (formally known as American Association of Blood Banks, AABB), the British Blood Transfusion Society (BBTS), the Fernström foundation and many others. He is a Wallenberg Clinical Scholar (2016-2026) selected by the Royal Academy of Sciences in Sweden. He was elected by the global membership to become President of ISBT (2018-2020) and was later inducted as an ISBT Honorary Member. He currently serves as the President of the Swedish Society of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine.
In summary, Prof. Olsson has made numerous noteworthy discoveries during his career so far in transfusion medicine. Importantly, he pioneered implementation of blood group genotyping into clinical practice already in the mid-1990s and was later part of the team that developed the first CE-marked blood group genotyping microarray for diagnostic use.
In addition to being one of the leading blood group scientists of his generation, he has also taken on influential leadership roles, both in the clinic and in academia. Furthermore, he served both national and international societies to achieve their goals by improving education and research worldwide in the field of transfusion medicine and beyond.
CV summary for Prof. Martin L. Olsson, M.D., Ph.D.
Personal: Swedish citizen, born 1966. Married to Adj. Prof. Jill Storry.
Son born 1993 and daughter born 1995 (†2018).
Office/Lab: BMC C14, Sölvegatan 19, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
Phone: +46-46-2223207 (office), +46-705-773207 (cell)
E-mail: Martin_L.Olsson@med.lu.se
Website: portal.research.lu.se/en/persons/martin-l-olsson
Higher education
M.D. at Lund University, Sweden.
Doctoral degree
Ph.D. in Transfusion Medicine at Lund University (LU), Sweden.
Title of doctoral thesis: ”Molecular Genetic Studies of the Blood Group ABO Locus in Man”. Supervisor: Assoc. Professor M. Alan Chester.
Pre/postdoctoral positions
Visiting Scientist at the Bristol Institute of Transfusion Science / International Blood Group Reference Laboratory, Bristol, UK (not part of Ph.D. studies).
Additional international research experience at Harvard Medical School (below).
Specialist certification
Appointed Specialist in Transfusion Medicine by the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen).
Associate Professorship (Docentkompetens)
Appointed Associate Professor (Docent) in Transfusion Medicine at LU.
Current positions
Professor of Transfusion Medicine, and Head of the Division of Transfusion Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine, LU. Combined with 30% Senior consultant (Överläkare) at the Dept. of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Skåne University Hospital, Region Skåne.
Medical Director, Nordic Reference Laboratory for Blood Group Genomics.
Previous positions
Deputy Dean (Prodekan), Faculty of Medicine, LU.
President of the International Society of Blood Transfusion, Central Office in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Elected by membership (www.isbtweb.org).
Vice Dean of Research Infrastructure, Faculty of Medicine, LU.
Deputy Head (Stf. Prefekt and GA-prefekt), Dept. of Laboratory Medicine, LU.
Visiting Associate Professor at the Dept. of Pathology, Division of Laboratory Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. For 5 years, a week per month was spent in Boston.
Deputy Director (Stf. verksamhetschef) at Blodcentralen Skåne (~165 staff).
Senior Consultant (Överläkare), Blodcentralen Skåne, Lund University Hospital.
Consultant (Bitr. överläkare), Blodcentralen Skåne, Lund University Hospital.
Unit manager (Enhetschef) for the Blood Centres in Lund, Malmö, Landskrona and Trelleborg incl. financial, staff and medical responsibility. Line manager for 90-98 employees (including annual staff appraisals and salary negotiations etc).
Specialist M.D. (Avd.läkare) at Blodcentralen Skåne, Lund University Hospital.
Clinical researcher combined position, 50% R&D (ALF-yngre forskare), Lund.
Residency (ST-block) in Transfusion Medicine, Lund University Hospital.
Internship (AT-block) at Karlskrona lasarett, Blekinge, Sweden.
Parental leave, military service, etc.
Part-time paternal leave for children born in 1993 and 1995 (~1 month/child).
Active as a part-time medical officer (lieutenant’s rank) in the Swedish Army (Reservofficer med löjtnants grad vid Försvarets Sjukvårdscentrum, Hammarö).
Selected awards and honours
(see Website under “Prizes and Distinction”)
The Jean Julliard Prize from the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT).
The Race & Sanger Award from the British Blood Transfusion Society.
The Fernström Prize for young and particularly promising scientists at Lund University (100.000 SEK for personal use).
The Hain Prize from the Jan Hain Foundation, Malmö.
Best Invention of the Year (category: Health) by Time magazine. Applicant was part of the team behind the awarded publication in Nature Biotechnology.
The Margot Kruskall’s Lectureship by Harvard Medical School.
The Claes F. Högman’s Honorary Lectureship by the Swedish Society of Transfusion Medicine.
The Harold A. Kaminetzky Prize for best non-US article in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology in 2012 (applicant was one of the co-authors).
The James Blundell Award from the British Blood Transfusion Society.
Wallenberg Clinical Scholar, appointed as one of Sweden’s best clinical scientists; given 15 MSEK as research funding 2016-2021; competitors nominated from all Swedish medical faculties; selected after evaluation and interview conducted by the Royal Academy of Science (KVA).
The ISBT Award from the International Society of Blood Transfusion.
”Cormärkt”, LU students’ award for distinguished teachers, Faculty of Medicine Medal of the Polish Association of Haematologists and Transfusiologists.
Tibor Greenwalt Memorial Award, American Association of Blood Banks, “For his outstanding achievements in the study of molecular genetics of red cell…”.
Dr. J.G. Jolly Oration, Honorary Lectureship, Chandigarh, India (Nov 30).
Vox Sanguinis Best Paper Prize; awarded to the 3 co-authors June 23 (€5,000).
The Foundation Lecture at Royal College of Pathologists, London,UK (Nov 26).
Wallenberg Clinical Scholar Extension, re-appointed in competition as one of Sweden’s best clinical scientists; given 15 MSEK as research funding 2022-2026; selected after evaluation/interview by the Royal Academy of Sciences (KVA).
Inducted as Honorary Member of ISBT.
Distinction from the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA): IVAs 100-lista Teknik i mänsklighetens tjänst (www.iva.se/det-ivagor/utmarkelser/ivas-100-lista/storskalig-produktion-av-sallsynt-blod).
President’s Award from the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB). “For important, pioneering research and leadership that has advanced the field of transfusion medicine, transplantation and biotherapies, and has improved donor and patient safety.”
Selected commissions of trust
Associate Editor, Red Cell/Blood Group Section, Transfusion Medicine.
Member of the Editorial Board of Transfusion, scientific journal of the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB), USA.
Director of WHO Region Western Europe on the ISBT Board of Directors.
Section Editor, Transfusion Medicine Section, Current Opinion in Hematology.
Scientific Secretary of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT).
Reviewer for the Swedish Research Council (MH-E1) incl. Vice Chair 2016.
Vice Chair (2016) and Chair (2017), Scientific Committee on Transfusion Medicine, American Society of Hematology (ASH).
ISBT Executive Committee member (2016-2018 as President-Elect; 2018-2020 as President; 2020-2022 as Immediate Past President; see www.isbt-web.org).
Reviewer for the Swedish Research Council (Sweden-China collaborations in 2017.
Vice Chair of the new Cancer and Hematology panel MH-8B in 2020).
Chair of the Research Infrastructure Committee, Faculty of Medicine, LU.
Member of the national steering board of Genomic Medicine Sweden (GMS).
Member of the national steering board of Biobank Sverige (VR-BIS).
Chair of the board, Center for Translational Genomics (CTG), LU.
Faculty representative on the Board of the Strategic Research Area EpiHealth.
Chair of the steering group, Center for Translational Proteomics (CTP), LU
Member of the steering group of the VR-funded national infrastructure BioMS
Member of the National SciLifeLab Committee, Science for Life Laboratory, Solna.
LU representative in the CAMP General Assembly.
Member of the University Research Board (Forskningsnämnden) at LU.
Chair of the board, LU Centre for ATMP (advanced gene, tissue and cell therapies).
President, Swedish Society of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine.
Member of the national coordination group for Cell & Gene Therapy Sweden.
Appointed as member of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Transfusion
Medicine (SAC-TM) for Werfen, a globally active company.
Appointed as Mentor in the Wallenberg Academy Fellow program by the Royal Academy of Sciences (KVA).
Ph.D. students
(year of thesis defense; citizenship noted for non-Swedes)
2001 Nidal Irshaid (Jordan) Supervisor
2007 Åsa Hellberg Supervisor
2007 Bahram Hosseini-Maaf Supervisor
2009 Magnus G. Olsson Deputy supervisor
2010 Elisabet Sjöberg Wester Supervisor
2011 Britt Thuresson Supervisor
2013 Josefina Dykes Supervisor
2013 Annika Hult Supervisor
2015 Martin Cederlund Deputy supervisor
2015 Julia Westman Supervisor
2018 Magnus Jöud Supervisor
2020 Linn Stenfelt Supervisor
2023 Torsten Dahlén Deputy supervisor (Karolinska Institute, 31 March)
2023 Camous Moslemi (Denmark) Deputy supervisor (University of Roskilde, 23 May)
2023 Joel Svensson Deputy supervisor
2023 Jennifer Ricci-Hagman (Italy/UK) Supervisor
2024 Gloria Wu (Taiwan) Supervisor
2024 Abdul Ghani Alattar (Syria) Supervisor
Ongoing Ph.D. student supervision
(registration year; citizenship non-Swedes)
2016 Mattias Möller Supervisor (approved for dissertation by FUN)
2016 Anja Nylander (50%) Supervisor
2022 William Shen (Canada, 50%) Supervisor
2026 Emir Ademovski (50%) Supervisor
Post-doctoral scientists in the lab
(citizenship given for non-Swedes)
2003–2006 Jill Storry (United Kingdom)
2007- Åsa Hellberg
2011-2014 Britt Thuresson
2012-2014 Ram Ajore (India, 50%)
2013- Annika Hult
2013-2015 Josefina Dykes
2015-2017 Julia Westman
2017-2019 Yan Quan Lee (Singapore; returned for new period July 2020-June 2023 and 2024)
2020-2022 Melissa Ilsley (Australia)
2021- Stephan Hasse (France)
2021- Linn Stenfelt
2022- Eunike Chrisnysa McGowan (Australia)
2024- Namrata Singh (India)
Numerous B.Sc. and M.Sc. students have been supervised by the applicant and his research team during the past 30 years. As a recent example, here are the 4 students in the Olsson lab 2025:
Jan-June 2025 M.Sc. Biomedicine student Emir Ademovski
Sept-Dec 2025 B.Sc. Biomedicine student Emily Conlon (Ireland)
Sept 2025-Jan 2026 Master student from M.D. program Oskar Svensson
Nov 2025-June 2026 M.Sc. in Biomedicine student Lukas Rydhage.
Selected recent research grants
Period Funding body , PI status MSEK Ref.no.
2016-2026 KAW (Wallenberg Clinical Scholar), PI 30 2014.0312, 2020.0234
2019-2026 ALF, PI 21.2 ALFSKANE-446521+ **
2020-2024 VR (the Swedish Research Council), PI 9 2019-01683
2020-20231 Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond, Co-PI* 7.4 0136-00086B
2020-20222 Mats Paulsson’s Foundation, PI 2 MPMV201906
2023-20261 Novo Nordisk Foundation, Co-PI* 22.5 NNF22OC0077684
2025-2028 VR (the Swedish Research Council), PI 5.6 2024-03772
*Collaborative grants with Prof. Maher Abou Hachem, DTU1, Johan Flygare, LU2 **2022-Projekt0287
Research group, scope of research and quality assessment
The applicant leads a team of 14 dedicated members. The main project in the group is entitled “The Polymorphic Red Blood Cell Surface as a Regulator of Hematopoiesis, Host-Pathogen Interactions and Hemostasis”. In this translational effort, we aim to uncover novel roles for the erythroid cell surface in health and disease, with a special focus on the molecules known as blood groups. So far, our research has resulted in the establishment of six new blood group systems (GLOB, FORS, VEL, SID, MAM and CD36) between 2004 to 2024. By identifying crucial knowledge gaps and continuing to make discoveries in this field of study, we aim to improve blood group compatibility between recipient patients and their blood, organ and stem cell donors. A long-term goal is to identify therapeutic targets, e.g. against thrombosis, anemia and infectious agents invading red cells. We are also striving to develop ABO-universal red cells for transfusion. The P.I has been supported by project grants from the Swedish Research Council (VR) continuously since 2002. The two latest assessments (on a scale from 1-7) resulted in grants 2020-2028:
Scientific quality of proposed research: 7 (Outstanding) 6 (Excellent).
Novelty and originality: 7 (Outstanding) 7 (Outstanding).
Merits of the applicant: 7 (Outstanding) 7 (Outstanding).
Overall grade: 7 (Outstanding) 6 (Excellent).
Publication summary
The applicant has published >190 peer-reviewed original papers, reviews, book chapters and the popular Blood Group Antigen FactsBook. In addition, >320 peer-reviewed scientific abstracts.
Google Scholar h-index=60 and >11,700 citations. See Publication list for full details.
Memberships in learned societies, etc.
International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) – board member 2006-2008 and 2016-2022.
Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapeutics (AABB; SoAC member 2023-25).
American Society of Hematology (ASH; Vice Chair and Chair of Scientific Committee of Transfusion Medicine in 2016 and 2017).
Swedish Society of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine (KITM, board 2020-).
Swedish Medical Association (Svenska Läkarförbundet).
Swedish Society of Medine (Svenska Läkaresällskapet).
Faculty opponent/examiner
Acted as Faculty Opponent/Examiner for PhD/doctoral theses:
2000 Rudi Steffensen University of Gothenburg
2009 Viktoria Rumjantseva University of Gothenburg
2012 Johannes Wirenfeldt Vad Pedersen University of Copenhagen
2015 Andreas Hult Umeå University
2016 Frederik Banch Clausen University of Copenhagen
2017 Sarah King Smith University of Copenhagen.
Miscellaneous
Frequently invited and much appreciated speaker and moderator at international and national congresses, symposia and courses. Specific dates/titles (5-10/year) for 2017-2025 are available in a separate supplement.
Responsible course director (together with Adj. Prof. Jill Storry) for a national residents’ course (SK-kurs) entitled “Erythrocyte and platelet immunology: from serology and molecular biology to the clinic” in 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2025.
Since 2010, the applicant is the CEO and President of BLUsang AB, a private Swedish corporation managing R&D intellectual property, as well as royalties from publications and patents.
Keen art collector (Swedish and international works, mainly from 20th century), plays several musical instruments, sang 2nd bass in the double quartet Flasgaltarne.