Martin Kongsbak-Wismann

Primary field of interest and current research

I am interested in and fascinated about the immune system and how an immune response is initiated. Specifically, I am interested in how vitamin D3 is affecting the immune response. Thus, since my bachelors project, I have been researching various aspects of the vitamin D receptor, and how this central receptor is affecting the immunological response in vitro and in vivo.

Therefore, my current research focuses around:

• How the GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) expression and its functionality implicates T cell differentiation, and how vitamin D₃ affects GLP-1R expression
• How Th22 cells is implicated in the disease, atopic dermatitis (AD), and how Th22 differentiation is affected by engagement of the vitamin D receptor (VDR)
• How a rare mutation in the VDR affects the immunological response both in vitro and in vivo
• How the vitamin D binding protein (DBP) regulates the bioavailability of vitamin D₃ for immune cells

Teaching

• Invited lecturer at the BSc. Course “Cellular and Medical Immunology”
• Responsible for managing and supervising a subgroup of graduate and undergraduate students
• Recurrent lecturer at the course “Lægedansk” at Gentofte hospital, lecturing about how vitamin D₃ affects the immunological response – lectures given in Danish.
• Attendee or invited speaker at several conferences in USA, Germany, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Estonia, Sweden

Martin Kongsbak-Wismann

Assistant Professor

PhD   |   MBA

Date of birth:

Nationality:

Address:

Marital status:

Contact information:

January 19^th, 1987

Danish

Amerika Plads 30B, 3. 3., Copenhagen

Married

+45 22350019 ; [email protected]

Work and Education

2018-present

Assistant Professor

T Cell Biology and Skin Inflammation Group, University of Copenhagen

• Responsible for managing a sub-group of graduate and undergraduate students
• Research projects are focusing on:
  • How the GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) expression and its functionality implicates T cell differentiation, and how vitamin D₃ affects GLP-1R expression
  • How Th22 cells is implicated in the disease, atopic dermatitis (AD), and how Th22 differentiation is affected by engagement of the vitamin D receptor (VDR)
  • How a rare mutation in the VDR affects the immunological response both in vitro and in vivo 

2014-2018

Postdoc

T Cell Biology Group, University of Copenhagen

• Providing daily laboratory supervision to graduate and undergraduate students
• Granted research funding (€680.000) for the continuation of Master’s students’ projects into PhD projects 
• Authored and co-authored 5 scientific articles and reviews published in international journals
• Research focus on how the native or a mutated vitamin D receptor (VDR) affects the immunological response towards infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis 

2015-2017

Executive MBA

Technical University of Denmark

• DTU’s executive MBA (Master in Management of Technology) programme focuses on Strategy, Financial Analytics, New Business Creation, and Innovation
• Project leader on national and international projects for a variety of different companies such as an agricultural cooperative, pharmaceutical companies, a whole-sale fish supplier, and Danish Universities
• Master’s thesis project on how “Precision Medicine” is affecting the pharmaceutical industry
• Graduated with the highest grade point average in the class (11.7). Master’s project grade: 12

2011-2014

PhD in Molecular Immunology

T Cell Biology Group, University of Copenhagen

• Authored and co-authored 8 scientific articles and reviews published in international journals
• Research focus has been on how vitamin D₃ affects activation of naïve CD4⁺ T cells

 University of Ulm, Germany

• Worked on a project investigating the significance of vitamin D₃-mediated CD38 upregulation in the course of HIV infection.
• This project was a part of a self-established collaboration with the renowned professor, Frank Kirchhoff

 2006-2011

 B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Molecular Biomedicine

University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Master of Excellence programme

• Graduated with a grade point average, 10,8 out of 12
• Obtained part of my Master degree from the University of Minnesota (course title: ‘Advanced Immunology’)
• Published part of my Master thesis in the highly respected scientific journal, Nature Immunology
• Bachelor’s and Master’s theses grades: 12

 Experience

2013-2015

Vice Chairman of the Board, PACT

Volunteer-based organization focusing on Physical Activity after Cancer Treatment

• Co-organizer and participant in events supported by PACT: IRONMAN Copenhagen, La Flamme Rouge Charity Cycling, TrædTil at Alpe d’Huez in collaboration with the Danish Cancer Society

2010-2013

Novo Scholarship Recipient and Science Ambassador, Novo Nordisk

Independent non-profit organization arranging engaging science experiences for the next generation

• Awarded the Novo Nordisk Scholarship to allow full-time devotion to my Master project
• Completed a course in adapting presentations to various audiences, allowing me to speak at several companies and organizations with the presentation: ‘Vitamin D and the immune system’

2003-2010

Jacob Kongsbak Lassen, Copenhagen

Family-owned, 134-year-old wholesale company in the fish-food industry

Executive assistant (Part time, ~15 hours pr. week)

• Worked as assistant for the company director in the family-owned business. Learned through practical experiences the basic business structure and daily management of ~60 employees

Achievements and further information

2010-

Funding, Honours and Awards

• Granted research funding (total of €680.000) for continuation of my Master’s students’ projects into PhD projects, LEO Foundation, 2016 and 2017
• Granted research funding (€7.000) by the “A.P. Møller Foundation”, 2016
• Awarded Novo Nordic Scholarship (€10.000) for an excellent masters project, 2011
• 1^st prize for best presentation at Novo Nordisk Scholarship presentation competition, 2011
• Chosen in a competition to attend “FEBS advanced lecture course” in Croatia, 2013
• 1^st prize for best presentation at the annual symposium for all Molecular Biomedicine students, 2011
• Awarded 8 grants for conference participation (USA, Germany, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Estonia, Sweden)

2006-

Further information and language

• Interests: Travelling, cooking, running, cycling, triathlon, golf, wine tasting, PADI diver
• Studied in: Denmark, Germany, USA
• Danish (native), English (fluent) and German (basic)