Abstract

Increasing efforts are being made in Sweden to create a research climate for laboratory technicians and nurses. To date the best results are found among the laboratory technicians.

After having left the compulsory school in my home town at the south east coast of Sweden, I entered the education for laboratory technicians in the University town of Lund. My early studies at this school aimed at the area of histo-pathology and in 1969, at the age of 19. I left school and almost at once got my first position as laboratory technician at the Department of Medicine. I became personal technician (assistant) to the head of the department, Professor Nils Söderström, and this was probably a very happy development for me.

During the 1970ies I had two children (Fredrik in 1972 and Alexander in 1978) but besides from that I worked within the field of haematology, together with Professor Söderström and associate professors Bengt Lundh and Bo Norberg up to 1980. Then I entered the biochemical arena and became the technician of Professor Anders Gustafson and in 1984 also of associate Professor Hans Larssonin his work within haemorheology.

Haemorheology showed to be "my discipline" and from studies of blood and plasmaviscosity I went on to blood cell filtration. Support was given from the funds of Hans Larsson and also from the drug company Janssen Pharma in Göteborg and during 1986 I was sent twice to St. James and St. Georges Hospitals in London,UK, to study blood filtration techniques (Prof. John Dorrnandy and Dr. Gerard Nash). In 1987 I got the opportunity to work at Royal Infirmary in Glasgow, Department of Medicine (Prof.Gordon Lowe).

From the end of the 1980ies it became more and more obvious that I had a chance to work on my own research project and in 1990 I went to University of Southern California, Los Angeles, to study the laboratory of Professor Herbert J. Meiselman. I also got the opportunity to present my own papers in Frankfurt am Main (1989).Toronto, Canada(1990), Southampton (1991), Uppsala(1992) and Helsinki(1991 and 1994).

From 1991 on associate Professor Pavo Hedner has been my supervisor and the final design of my work has been established during these years in cooperation with him. My thesis concerns buffer choice and choice of filtration pressure during blood cell filtration. Effects of corticosteroids and digitalis on rheological properties of red cells have also been elucidated. My dissertation act was solemnly performed on June 8th, 1994 and the faculty opponent was chosen from University of Uppsala. On the 24th of May this year I will get my black top hat (as is the habit in Sweden) in the 11th century Cathedral of Lund.