SciLifeLab Fellow awarded the Göran Gustafsson Prize in Engineering Physics
Patrick Sandoz, SciLifeLab Fellow and Assistant Professor at Uppsala University, has been awarded the Göran Gustafsson Prize in Engineering Physics.
The prize is part of the program run by the Göran Gustafsson Foundation for Research in Natural Sciences and Medicine, which supports promising early-career researchers in Sweden across selected disciplines. At Uppsala University, the award is given within specific subject areas and includes funding to support continued research.
This program will open doors to entirely new ways of characterizing tumors that I believe will matter for our research field and ultimately for patients”
Bridging disciplines to understand cancer
Sandoz’s research sits at the intersection of microsystems, biophysics, and cancer immunology, with a focus on how the tumor microenvironment influences immune responses.
“I was trained in biomedical engineering at EPFL in Switzerland and pursued postdoctoral work at KTH. I have built my career at the intersection of microsystems, biophysics, and cancer immunology. The unique ecosystem of SciLifeLab, with its world-class infrastructures, cross-disciplinary networks, and commitment to translational impact, was a natural home for the kind of research I want to develop. I was therefore very excited to join Uppsala University as a SciLifeLab Fellow and Assistant Professor last year,” he says.
His current work aims to better understand how physical and molecular features of tumors shape immune cell behaviour.
“My overarching goal is to understand how the physical properties and molecular landscape of the tumor microenvironment shape immune T cell responses, and to translate those insights into better strategies for cancer therapy. To do so, we are developing an integrated platform combining microphysiological systems, label-free microscopy, and immune cell engineering; a toolbox designed to study tumors in conditions that closely mirror human biology.”
“Beyond the science itself, I am also committed to building an open, collaborative lab culture that trains the next generation of scientists to feel comfortable across disciplines.”
Supporting continued research
The award provides targeted support for further development of Sandoz’s research program.
“Receiving the Göran Gustafsson Prize is a tremendous honor, and I am truly grateful for this support. This program will open doors to entirely new ways of characterizing tumors that I believe will matter for our research field and ultimately for patients.”
Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt
