Register for PhD Students - Octapharma AB - Internship project VT24

Industry and academy internship 

Target group
PhD students (1 month)

About the organization
Octapharma is a global company with 10 000 employee worldwide and one of the largest human 
protein product manufacturers. The Stockholm site is located in Hornsberg at Kungsholmen and 
here 1 000 people work. We develop and produce medicines based on human proteins from 
human cell lines and human plasma, sourced from our own plasma donation centers and other 
external sources. The therapeutic aeras that we target includes haematology, immunotherapy and 
critical care.

The project
When using human plasma as source for pharmaceutical production each plasma donor fil a 
questionnaire and a health declaration. Each plasma donation is screened for active infection of 
several different viruses using PCR. As asymptomatic blood donors can transmit parvovirus B19
(B19), this is one of the viruses targeted in the screening. After pooling of the plasma donations, the plasma pool is tested again with PCR and serologically for antivirus antibodies. Some medical 
products manufactured by Octapharma are tailored for specific blood types.

Thereby we have access to large data sets with virological status and blood type. In a previous research project, within the KI Industry and academy internship program, using this resource we saw that the risk for active infection with B19 was significantly increased for donors with Rh(D)+, and a trend of protection for blood type B (Healy et al. J Inf. Dis. 2022 https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiac456). Interestingly, recent internal review of our serological screening data of our plasma pools have shown similar profiles for blood type B further supporting the finding of blood type B as protective against B19 infection.

Hence, the aim of the current project is to further investigate this notion using the company’s 
screening data and compile a manuscript intended for submission and publication in a scientific 
journal, no labwork will be required. The project will be conducted in collaboration with researchers at KI and Gothenburg university. 

The candidate
The successful candidate ideally has a background in virology and/or haematology and preferably has knowledge on blood type biology.
Great knowledge and experience to independently analyze large data sets and write scientific 
manuscripts as well an ability to collaborate efficient and smoothly with different types of functions in a smooth and friendly manner is a prerequisite.

Contact information
Name: Rasmus Gustafsson, PhD
Email: Rasmus.Gustafsson@octapharma.com
Telephone: 076-000 99 22
Company website: Octapharma.se