I am applying to the 2025 Hong Kong Laureate Forum to engage with the global scientific community and explore collaborative opportunities at the forefront of biomedical research. My academic background in tumor immunology and experience with patient-derived models have provided me with a strong foundation in translational science.
The forum’s commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue among researchers aligns with my interest in interdisciplinary approaches to complex biological challenges. I look forward to learning from leading scientists, sharing insights from my own work, and discussing potential applications of emerging technologies in immunotherapy and regenerative medicine.
This opportunity to connect with peers and laureates would be invaluable for both my professional development and future research contributions.

Karolinska Institutet

Karolinska Institutet

6.2-Reference-Rolf-Kiessling.pdf

During my PhD, I specialized in tumor immunology with a focus on natural killer cells, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and regulatory T cells. My research involved collecting and analyzing tumor and blood samples from renal cancer patients undergoing surgery or immunotherapy. I collaborated extensively with clinicians, which enabled me to handle a diverse array of samples, including those from sarcoma, uveal melanoma, breast, and colorectal tumors, as well as mouse tumor models. Leveraging my expertise in cell culture, I established patient-derived organoid models, contributing to both my independent research and collaborative projects, such as growing liver organoids to study metastasis of uveal melanoma to the liver. Previously, in my master's program, I engaged in cross-disciplinary research at the intersection of chemistry and biology. My work focused on stem cell research, including reprogramming patient cells into iPSCs for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), stem cell gene editing, and the culture of human organoids for antiviral drug screening.