Fredrik Hellström

Curriculum vitae

Degrees

1996 Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology at Umeå University
2002 Doctor of Medicine degree in Sports Medicine at Umeå University

Relevant employment

2002-06-30 Deputy researcher, Center for Stress Injuries, Institute of Working Life
2003-01-01 Deputy researcher, Center for Stress Injuries, University of Gävle
2004-04-01 Researcher, Center for Stress Injuries, University of Gävle
2006-01-01 Researcher and deputy director, Center for Stress Injury Research, University of Gävle
2010-01-01 Researcher, Department of Working Life and Public Health, University of Gävle

Granted applications for research support

2005 Main applicant. Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Neuromuscular pain and its effect on central nervous activity. 93 500 SEK.
2009 Co-applicant with responsibility for investigating biochemical indicators through metabolomics. Rehabilitation for people with neck pain: Effects of individualized rehabilitation based on prognostic indicators and functional testing. Main applicant Dr. Martin Björklund 1 722 581 SEK. (AFA insurance)

Supervision of PhD students

PhD students
Gerd Flodgren (PhD) Effects of Low-Load Repetitive Work and Mental Load on Sensitizing Substances and Metabolism in the Trapezius Muscle November 2, 2007, Umeå University (Co-supervisor)

Jenny Hadrevi (Licentiatexamen) Human Skeletal Muscle: a basic proteomic approach on December 4th, 2009, Umeå University (Co-supervisor)

Ongoing
Jenny Hadrevi admitted to the Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, planned defense June 2011

Scientific commitments

Reviewer Advances in Physiotherapy
Board member of Muskelfond Norr

Submitted applications for research support (2010-06-16)

2010 (Full application) Proteomic and metabolomic characterisation of people with non-specific muscle pain and the relation to gender and physical disability (Swedish Research Council) 5 030 000 SEK

Leadership and administrative experience

2009 Center for musculoskeletal injury research representative at the Swedish Higher Education Authority's review of the University of Gävle

2008-2009. Responsible for the design, planning, execution of the move to new premises for the Center for Stress Injury Research in Umeå. This included building up 3 laboratories for occupational physiology, 1 laboratory for biochemical analysis, workplaces for 30 people, mechanics and electronics workshops, IT support and other support functions.

2006-01-01-2009-12-31 Deputy Director, Center for Stress Injury Research, University of Gävle. This includes participating in strategic and financial management of the activities at CBF

Collaboration and communication with society

Lectures/conferences on musculoskeletal disorders for social partners 1996- 2010, a total of 108 hours on 54 occasions.

Responsible for 1/2 day/year on repetitive strain injuries at the Fiscal Course V organized by the Swedish Courts Administration.

Interviewed in the news media (Swedish Radio locally and nationally, SVT locally, local newspapers) several times during 2005-2008 regarding research on repetitive strain injuries.

Physiological and psychological mechanisms in repetitive strain injuries

I received my PhD in 2002 with a thesis on how inflammatory substances in muscles and joints and the autonomic nervous system can affect the reflex regulation of the muscle coils. The work was focused on muscles and joints in the neck. After the dissertation, the research has continued to investigate the mechanisms underlying work-related problems in neck muscles. Above all, by investigating what happens biochemically in the muscles during pain and strain. I work a lot with multivariate data analysis to find substances that characterize muscles with pain and that can describe the biochemical processes in the muscles in the development of work-related disorders.

Previous research has shown that certain substances injected into muscles can affect the control of the muscle. By testing different substances experimentally and measuring individual substances in the muscle during pain or exposure to known risk factors for work-related muscle pain, we have found clues about which mechanisms may be important. These substances are not specific enough or have sufficient sensitivity to distinguish individuals with complaints or exposure to risk factors. To do this, further knowledge of the mechanisms and a broader approach are needed.

Current research interests

Exposure to repetitive work and locked work postures are strong risk factors for developing work-related neck pain. The underlying mechanisms of how risk factors lead to pain are still unknown. This leads to difficulties in objectively describing work-related neck pain and in clarifying associations between physiological responses and exposures.

The use of biomarkers is one way to objectively describe the mechanisms. In my research, different chemical analysis methods are used in combination with advanced statistical methods to investigate more than a thousand substances in the muscle - both small substances like metabolites and larger proteins.

Key words

Pain, myalgia, inflammation, motor, sensory, motor control

Current projects

Biochemical properties of the trapezius muscle
Responsible: Fredrik Hellström

Multivariate modeling of trapezius muscle proteins related to myalgia
Responsible: Fredrik Hellström

Metabolic profiles in blood and microdialysis samples in work-related muscle pain
Responsible: Fredrik Hellström

Studies in neck muscles of the stress regulatory system, inflammation and blood flow in repetitive arm work, focusing on gender, age and work-related muscle pain
Responsible: Albert Crenshaw

Rehabilitation for women with neck pain: Effects of individualized rehabilitation based on prognostic indicators and functional testing
Responsible: Martin Björklund

Collaboration

Biochemical properties of the trapezius muscle

Collaboration partners

• Professor Fatima Pedros-Domellöf Anatomy, Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University
• Christer Malm, Sports Medicine, Department of Perioperative Science, Umeå University

Multivariate modeling of trapezius muscle proteins related to myalgia

Collaborators:

• Professor Fatima Pedros-Domellöf Anatomy, Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University
• Christer Malm, Sports Medicine, Department of Perioperative Science, Umeå University
• Björn Gerdle, Britt Larsson, Bijar Gahfuri all Linköping University

Biomarkers in blood and microdialysis samples in work-related muscle pain

Collaborators:

• Björn Gerdle, Britt Larsson, Bijar Gafhouri, Linköping University
• Henrik Antti, Department of Chemistry, Umeå University
• Martin Fahlström, Community and Rehabilitation Medicine, Norrland University Hospital