Ulf Gyllensten – New molecular methods for improved diagnostics and screening for gynecological cancer
The research in our group focuses on developing new methods for diagnostics and screening of the three main forms of gynecological cancer; cervical cancer (or cervical cancer), ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer (or uterine cancer).

Globally, 1.3 million women develop one of these forms of cancer annually, and about fifty per cent of them die from their disease. To reduce the number of women affected, better tests for early diagnosis and screening are needed.
Identifying new biomarkers
We are working with clinicians and clinical researchers to identify new molecular biomarkers that can be used to improve diagnostics for women seeking care, and to enable the development of a screening program for all these cancers. Especially for ovarian cancer, early detection through screening is the only possibility to reduce mortality. With regard to cervical cancer, we are also working to improve the existing screening program and to develop screening models suitable for developing countries.
To accomplish this, we work with multi-omics methods, i.e. large-scale analyses of both DNA, RNA and protein, to search for biomarkers that can be used for early detection or provide knowledge about the cancer’s stage of development.
Group members
Publications
Novel diagnostics for improved treatment of gynecological cancer
Part of Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences, 2025
- DOI for Novel diagnostics for improved treatment of gynecological cancer
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Part of Nature Genetics, p. 778-791, 2024
- DOI for Genome-wide analysis in over 1 million individuals of European ancestry yields improved polygenic risk scores for blood pressure traits
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Part of Scientific Reports, 2024
- DOI for Large-scale proteomics reveals precise biomarkers for detection of ovarian cancer in symptomatic women
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Part of Kidney international reports, p. 1849-1859, 2024
- DOI for Prioritization of Kidney Cell Types Highlights Myofibroblast Cells in Regulating Human Blood Pressure
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The genetic landscape of neuro-related proteins in human plasma
Part of Nature Human Behaviour, p. 2222-2234, 2024
Part of iScience, 2024
- DOI for Toward ovarian cancer screening with protein biomarkers using dried, self-sampled cervico-vaginal fluid
- Download full text (pdf) of Toward ovarian cancer screening with protein biomarkers using dried, self-sampled cervico-vaginal fluid
Part of The Plant Journal, p. 944-955, 2024
- DOI for Whole-genome resequencing facilitates the development of a 50K single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping array for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and its transferability to other pine species
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Complete Mitochondrial DNA Genome Variation in the Swedish Population
Part of Genes, p. 1989-1989, 2023
- DOI for Complete Mitochondrial DNA Genome Variation in the Swedish Population
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Part of Forensic Science International, 2023
- DOI for Forensic prediction of sex, age, height, body mass index, hip-to-waist ratio, smoking status and lipid lowering drugs using epigenetic markers and plasma proteins
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Genetic insights into resting heart rate and its role in cardiovascular disease
Part of Nature Communications, 2023
- DOI for Genetic insights into resting heart rate and its role in cardiovascular disease
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Part of Nature Immunology, p. 1540-1551, 2023
- DOI for Genetics of circulating inflammatory proteins identifies drivers of immune-mediated disease risk and therapeutic targets
- Download full text (pdf) of Genetics of circulating inflammatory proteins identifies drivers of immune-mediated disease risk and therapeutic targets
Next generation pan-cancer blood proteome profiling using proximity extension assay
Part of Nature Communications, 2023
- DOI for Next generation pan-cancer blood proteome profiling using proximity extension assay
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Novel cancer gene discovery using a forward genetic screen in RCAS-PDGFB-driven gliomas
Part of Neuro-Oncology, p. 97-107, 2023
- DOI for Novel cancer gene discovery using a forward genetic screen in RCAS-PDGFB-driven gliomas
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Part of Molecular Psychiatry, p. 475-482, 2023
- DOI for Rare tandem repeat expansions associate with genes involved in synaptic and neuronal signaling functions in schizophrenia
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Part of Nature Communications, 2022
- DOI for Contribution of rare whole-genome sequencing variants to plasma protein levels and the missing heritability
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Part of Nature Communications, 2022
- DOI for CRISPR-Cas9 induces large structural variants at on-target and off-target sites in vivo that segregate across generations
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Part of Communications Medicine, 2022
- DOI for Data-driven analysis of a validated risk score for ovarian cancer identifies clinically distinct patterns during follow-up and treatment
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Genetic Landscape of the ACE2 Coronavirus Receptor
Part of Circulation, p. 1398-1411, 2022
- DOI for Genetic Landscape of the ACE2 Coronavirus Receptor
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Part of Nature Genetics, p. 1332-1344, 2022
- DOI for Genome-wide association analyses of physical activity and sedentary behavior provide insights into underlying mechanisms and roles in disease prevention
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Implementing precision medicine in a regionally organized healthcare system in Sweden.
Part of Nature Medicine, p. 1980-1982, 2022
Part of Infectious Agents and Cancer, 2022
- DOI for Incidence of oncogenic HPV and HPV-related dysplasia five years after a negative HPV test by self-sampling in elderly women
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Next Generation Plasma Proteomics Identifies High-Precision Biomarker Candidates for Ovarian Cancer.
Part of Cancers, 2022
- DOI for Next Generation Plasma Proteomics Identifies High-Precision Biomarker Candidates for Ovarian Cancer.
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Part of International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022
- DOI for The Value of Whole-Genome Sequencing for Mitochondrial DNA Population Studies: Strategies and Criteria for Extracting High-Quality Mitogenome Haplotypes
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Brush Samples of Oral Lesions to FTA Elute Card for High-risk Human Papilloma Virus Diagnosis
Part of Anticancer Research, p. 269-277, 2021
Part of International Journal of Cancer, p. 3051-3059, 2021
- DOI for Comparison of vaginal self-sampling and cervical sampling by medical professionals for the detection of HPV and CIN2+: a randomized study
- Download full text (pdf) of Comparison of vaginal self-sampling and cervical sampling by medical professionals for the detection of HPV and CIN2+: a randomized study
Part of Cancers, 2021
- DOI for Identification of Candidate Protein Biomarkers for CIN2+ Lesions from Self-Sampled, Dried Cervico-Vaginal Fluid Using LC-MS/MS
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Immune cells lacking Y chromosome show dysregulation of autosomal gene expression
Part of Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (CMLS), p. 4019-4033, 2021
- DOI for Immune cells lacking Y chromosome show dysregulation of autosomal gene expression
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Part of medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences, p. 1-28, 2021
Patterns of Human Leukocyte Antigen Class I and Class II Associations and Cancer
Part of Cancer Research, p. 1148-1152, 2021
Part of European Journal of Human Genetics, p. 1510-1519, 2021
Part of PLOS ONE, 2020
- DOI for Acceptability of self- collection for human papillomavirus detection in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
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Amplification-free long-read sequencing reveals unforeseen CRISPR-Cas9 off-target activity
Part of Genome Biology, 2020
- DOI for Amplification-free long-read sequencing reveals unforeseen CRISPR-Cas9 off-target activity
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Part of BMC Cancer, 2020
Part of Genes, 2020
- DOI for Evaluation of Single-Molecule Sequencing Technologies for Structural Variant Detection in Two Swedish Human Genomes
- Download full text (pdf) of Evaluation of Single-Molecule Sequencing Technologies for Structural Variant Detection in Two Swedish Human Genomes
Genomic and drug target evaluation of 90 cardiovascular proteins in 30,931 individuals
Part of Nature Metabolism, p. 1135-1148, 2020
Part of International Journal of Infectious Diseases, p. 176-182, 2020
- DOI for Human papillomavirus prevalence and risk factors among HIV-negative and HIV-positive women residing in rural Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Download full text (pdf) of Human papillomavirus prevalence and risk factors among HIV-negative and HIV-positive women residing in rural Eastern Cape, South Africa
Part of Nature Communications, 2020
- DOI for Increased burden of ultra-rare structural variants localizing to boundaries of topologically associated domains in schizophrenia
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Preoperative Fasting and General Anaesthesia Alter the Plasma Proteome
Part of Cancers, 2020
- DOI for Preoperative Fasting and General Anaesthesia Alter the Plasma Proteome
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SweHLA: the high confidence HLA typing bio-resource drawn from 1000 Swedish genomes
Part of European Journal of Human Genetics, p. 627-635, 2020
- DOI for SweHLA: the high confidence HLA typing bio-resource drawn from 1000 Swedish genomes
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Part of Virology Journal, 2020
- DOI for Temporal changes in the vaginal microbiota in self-samples and its association with persistent HPV16 infection and CIN2+
- Download full text (pdf) of Temporal changes in the vaginal microbiota in self-samples and its association with persistent HPV16 infection and CIN2+
The Medical Genome Reference Bank contains whole genome and phenotype data of 2570 healthy elderly
Part of Nature Communications, 2020
- DOI for The Medical Genome Reference Bank contains whole genome and phenotype data of 2570 healthy elderly
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Associations of autozygosity with a broad range of human phenotypes
Part of Nature Communications, 2019
- DOI for Associations of autozygosity with a broad range of human phenotypes
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Part of Virology Journal, 2019
- DOI for Clinical validation of the HPVIR high-risk HPV test on cervical samples according to the international guidelines for human papillomavirus DNA test requirements for cervical cancer screening
- Download full text (pdf) of Clinical validation of the HPVIR high-risk HPV test on cervical samples according to the international guidelines for human papillomavirus DNA test requirements for cervical cancer screening
Part of European journal of obstetrics & gynecology and reproductive biology: X, 2019
- DOI for Diagnostic excision of the cervix in women over 40 years with human papilloma virus persistency and normal cytology
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Epigenome-wide association study of lung function level and its change
Part of European Respiratory Journal, 2019
- DOI for Epigenome-wide association study of lung function level and its change
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Part of Nature Genetics, p. 494-505, 2019
Part of Communications Biology, 2019
- DOI for High throughput proteomics identifies a high-accuracy 11 plasma protein biomarker signature for ovarian cancer
- Download full text (pdf) of High throughput proteomics identifies a high-accuracy 11 plasma protein biomarker signature for ovarian cancer
Part of Virology Journal, 2019
- DOI for HPV viral load in self-collected vaginal fluid samples as predictor for presence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
- Download full text (pdf) of HPV viral load in self-collected vaginal fluid samples as predictor for presence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
Part of Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, p. 735-743, 2019
Part of Carcinogenesis, p. 269-278, 2019
Part of Nature Genetics, p. 481-493, 2019
Part of International Journal of Cancer, p. 89-97, 2019
Part of Frontiers in Genetics, 2018
- DOI for A Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies of Growth Differentiation Factor-15 Concentration in Blood
- Download full text (pdf) of A Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies of Growth Differentiation Factor-15 Concentration in Blood
Part of Clinical Proteomics, 2018
- DOI for A two-step strategy for identification of plasma protein biomarkers for endometrial and ovarian cancer
- Download full text (pdf) of A two-step strategy for identification of plasma protein biomarkers for endometrial and ovarian cancer
Cervical dysplasia in elderly women performing repeated self-sampling for HPV testing
Part of PLOS ONE, 2018
- DOI for Cervical dysplasia in elderly women performing repeated self-sampling for HPV testing
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Part of Genes, 2018
- DOI for De Novo Assembly of Two Swedish Genomes Reveals Missing Segments from the Human GRCh38 Reference and Improves Variant Calling of Population-Scale Sequencing Data
- Download full text (pdf) of De Novo Assembly of Two Swedish Genomes Reveals Missing Segments from the Human GRCh38 Reference and Improves Variant Calling of Population-Scale Sequencing Data
Part of Human Mutation, p. 1262-1272, 2018
- DOI for Detailed analysis of HTT repeat elements in human blood using targeted amplification-free long-read sequencing
- Download full text (pdf) of Detailed analysis of HTT repeat elements in human blood using targeted amplification-free long-read sequencing
Part of Nature Genetics, p. 1412-1425, 2018
Genetic variants influencing phenotypic variance heterogeneity
Part of Human Molecular Genetics, p. 799-810, 2018
Meta-analysis of exome array data identifies six novel genetic loci for lung function.
Part of Wellcome open research, 2018
Part of British Journal of Cancer, p. 896-904, 2018
- DOI for Randomised study shows that repeated self-sampling and HPV test has more than two-fold higher detection rate of women with CIN2+ histology than Pap smear cytology
- Download full text (pdf) of Randomised study shows that repeated self-sampling and HPV test has more than two-fold higher detection rate of women with CIN2+ histology than Pap smear cytology
Part of Scientific Reports, 2018
- DOI for Systemic and specific effects of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medication on plasma protein biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases
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Part of Scientific Reports, 2018
- DOI for Targeted plasma proteomics identifies a novel, robust association between cornulin and Swedish moist snuff
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Epigenome-wide DNA methylation study of IgE concentration in relation to self-reported allergies
Part of Epigenomics, p. 407-418, 2017
Evidence for large-scale gene-by-smoking interaction effects on pulmonary function
Part of International Journal of Epidemiology, p. 894-904, 2017
- DOI for Evidence for large-scale gene-by-smoking interaction effects on pulmonary function
- Download full text (pdf) of Evidence for large-scale gene-by-smoking interaction effects on pulmonary function
Part of Nature Genetics, p. 416-425, 2017
Part of Nature Genetics, p. 403-415, 2017
Genome-wide physical activity interactions in adiposity: A meta-analysis of 200,452 adults.
Part of PLOS Genetics, 2017
- DOI for Genome-wide physical activity interactions in adiposity: A meta-analysis of 200,452 adults.
- Download full text (pdf) of Genome-wide physical activity interactions in adiposity: A meta-analysis of 200,452 adults.
Mapping of 79 loci for 83 plasma protein biomarkers in cardiovascular disease
Part of PLOS Genetics, 2017
- DOI for Mapping of 79 loci for 83 plasma protein biomarkers in cardiovascular disease
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Part of Hypertension, 2017
PATZ1 down-regulates FADS1 by binding to rs174557 and is opposed by SP1/SREBP1c
Part of Nucleic Acids Research, p. 2408-2422, 2017
Part of European Journal of Human Genetics, p. 1253-1260, 2017
- DOI for SweGen: a whole-genome data resource of genetic variability in a cross-section of the Swedish population
- Download full text (pdf) of SweGen: a whole-genome data resource of genetic variability in a cross-section of the Swedish population
Part of PLOS Genetics, 2017
- DOI for The relative contribution of DNA methylation and genetic variants on protein biomarkers for human diseases.
- Download full text (pdf) of The relative contribution of DNA methylation and genetic variants on protein biomarkers for human diseases.
A multiple-phenotype imputation method for genetic studies
Part of Nature Genetics, p. 466-472, 2016
Part of EBioMedicine, p. 309-314, 2016
- DOI for Effects of Long-Term Storage Time and Original Sampling Month on Biobank Plasma Protein Concentrations
- Download full text (pdf) of Effects of Long-Term Storage Time and Original Sampling Month on Biobank Plasma Protein Concentrations
Part of Human Molecular Genetics, p. 4739-4748, 2016
Part of Nature Communications, 2016
- DOI for Genetic associations at 53 loci highlight cell types and biological pathways relevant for kidney function
- Download full text (pdf) of Genetic associations at 53 loci highlight cell types and biological pathways relevant for kidney function
Part of Human Molecular Genetics, p. 817-827, 2016
Identification of novel genetic causes of Rett syndrome-like phenotypes
Part of Journal of Medical Genetics, p. 190-199, 2016
Part of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, p. 14372-14377, 2016
Part of Oncotarget, p. 42216-42224, 2016
Part of Nature Genetics, p. 1171-1184, 2016
Part of Human Molecular Genetics, p. 2681-2688, 2015
Part of Carcinogenesis, p. 992-998, 2015
Daily self-sampling for high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) testing.
Part of Journal of Clinical Virology, p. 1-7, 2015
Part of Genetical Research, 2015
Directional dominance on stature and cognition in diverse human populations
Part of Nature, p. 459-462, 2015
Part of Biomarkers, p. 355-364, 2015
Genetic studies of body mass index yield new insights for obesity biology
Part of Nature, p. 197-206, 2015
Homozygous loss-of-function variants in European cosmopolitan and isolate populations
Part of Human Molecular Genetics, p. 5464-5475, 2015
- DOI for Homozygous loss-of-function variants in European cosmopolitan and isolate populations
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Identification of novel genetic causes of Rett syndrome-like phenotypes by whole exome sequencing
Part of International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, p. 99-99, 2015
Lessons and implications from association studies and post-GWAS analyses of cervical cancer
Part of Trends in Genetics, p. 41-54, 2015
Part of Nature Communications, 2015
- DOI for MEG3 long noncoding RNA regulates the TGF-β pathway genes through formation of RNA-DNA triplex structures
- Download full text (pdf) of MEG3 long noncoding RNA regulates the TGF-β pathway genes through formation of RNA-DNA triplex structures
Modulation of Genetic Associations with Serum Urate Levels by Body-Mass-Index in Humans
Part of PLOS ONE, 2015
- DOI for Modulation of Genetic Associations with Serum Urate Levels by Body-Mass-Index in Humans
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Protein profiling reveals consequences of lifestyle choices on predicted biological aging
Part of Scientific Reports, 2015
Protein profiling reveals consequences of lifestyle choices on predicted biological aging
Part of Scientific Reports, 2015
Sixteen new lung function signals identified through 1000 Genomes Project reference panel imputation
Part of Nature Communications, 2015
- DOI for Sixteen new lung function signals identified through 1000 Genomes Project reference panel imputation
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Part of PLOS Genetics, 2015
- DOI for The Influence of Age and Sex on Genetic Associations with Adult Body Size and Shape: A Large-Scale Genome-Wide Interaction Study
- Download full text (pdf) of The Influence of Age and Sex on Genetic Associations with Adult Body Size and Shape: A Large-Scale Genome-Wide Interaction Study
Part of Cancer Medicine, p. 445-452, 2014
- DOI for A cis-eQTL of HLA-DRB1 and a frameshift mutation of MICA contribute to the pattern of association of HLA alleles with cervical cancer
- Download full text (pdf) of A cis-eQTL of HLA-DRB1 and a frameshift mutation of MICA contribute to the pattern of association of HLA alleles with cervical cancer
Part of Cancer Medicine, p. 190-198, 2014
- DOI for A variant upstream of HLA-DRB1 and multiple variants in MICA influence susceptibility to cervical cancer in a Swedish population
- Download full text (pdf) of A variant upstream of HLA-DRB1 and multiple variants in MICA influence susceptibility to cervical cancer in a Swedish population