Sara Mangsbo

Professor at Department of Pharmacy; Biopharmaceuticals; Immunonkologi

E-mail:: sara.mangsbo@uu.se
Visiting address:: Biomedicinskt Centrum BMC, Husargatan 3
Postal address:: Box 580
751 23 UPPSALA

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Short presentation

Sara Mangsbo is a Professor at Uppsala University specializing in cancer immunotherapy and peptide/antibody-based drugs. Her research focuses on developing novel immunotherapeutics, including peptide–antibody conjugates and agonistic CD40 targeting antibodies, to enhance tumor-specific T-cell activation while minimizing systemic toxicity. She has extensive experience bridging preclinical models to clinical trials and is a co-founder of several biotech companies, driving innovation from discovery

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Biography

Sara Mangsbo is a Professor at Uppsala University’s Department of Pharmacy, specializing in cancer immunotherapy and antibody-based drugs.

Mangsbo earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Immunology from Uppsala University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Leiden University Medical Center. Her academic career spans roles as researcher, senior lecturer, and professor, complemented by industry experience at AstraZeneca.

Beyond academia, Sara is a recognized entrepreneur and innovator. She co-founded several biotech companies, including Immuneed AB and Strike Pharma AB, and has served as CEO and CSO in early-stage ventures. Her entrepreneurial achievements have earned her awards such as BiotechBuilders Award (2022), Entrepreneur of the Year (2019), and Uppsala University’s innovation prize Hjärnäpplet (2020).

She has authored numerous high-impact publications on immunotherapy, checkpoint blockade, and cancer vaccines, with an h-index of 33 and over 3,600 citations. Her work has influenced both scientific understanding and clinical application of immuno-oncology therapies.

Research

Sara’s research group at Uppsala University is dedicated to understanding and improving cancer treatments through immunotherapy and targeted drug delivery. The team investigates how different types of therapeutic antibodies work depending on their design, and how to achieve the right balance between efficacy and safety for patients.

A key focus of the research is to uncover why bladder cancer sometimes becomes more aggressive and invades muscle tissue. By mapping the mechanisms behind this invasiveness, the group aims to develop drugs that can prevent recurrence and the spread of cancer.

In addition, the team is developing innovative methods to deliver drugs more precisely to tumors or immune cells. One example is the advancement of ADAC technology, an antibody–drug conjugate platform that can enhance cancer vaccines and is now being adapted for the delivery of RNA-based medicines directly to the right cells.

The goal of this research is clear: to create treatments that are both effective and safe, giving patients better chances for long and healthy lives.