α-Melanocyte stimulating hormone in neurodegeneration 35

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my appreciation to family, friends and colleagues, who in different ways helped, supported and encouraged me through these years. In particular I would like to thank: Marianne Schultzberg, my main supervisor, for letting me be a part of your group. Thank you for your knowledge, warmth, support and encouragement. For giving me the opportunity to grow as a scientist, especially during the last year. It gave me believe in myself that I could do this. I also would like to thank you and your husband Bengt for you hospitality, for nice dinners and parties. For your ability to push me harder, but also giving support when I needed it. Claes Post, my co-supervisor for your encouragement and support despite the distance. For your efforts in trying to help and be a part of the projects, for valuable comments on papers and during the writing of this thesis. Bengt Winblad for your support and curiosity of my research. Åke Seiger for improving the situation for Ph D students during the years and your sincerity. Catharina Lindberg for always being there and always listening, in good and bad times, for being a good friend in and out of science, I missed you the last couple of months! Mircea Oprică and Ştefan Spulber for believing in me at all times, for our collaboration (I couldn’t have made it without you) and your great knowledge and enthusiasm for science and for bringing a little bit of Romania here - Mulţumesc! Ştefan, for all help with statistics, I finally understand some things. Erik Hjorth for your knowledge, enthusiasm, help with so many things. For cheering me up and for accepting my unexpected frustrations during writing ☺ (same for Ştefan). Roya, Veronica, Atiqur and Sanjaya for always being friendly and for good company . Inga Volkmann for always taking the time to answer my questions about “immuno” and other practical things (gumminappar ☺), you made things a lot easier! Nenad Bogdanovic for your great knowledge in neurology and stereology and willingness to share it with others. Maria Roos for always answering questions and helping out. Hullan and Eva-Britt for organizing sport activities. Tanja for your compassion and concern about my family and me, and all talks. Shunwei for all help with behavior and teaching me the MWM. All past and present colleagues : Alexandra, Angela, Anna B, Anna N, Anna S, Anne, Annika, Beata, Benosh, Bogdan, Camilla H, Camilla N, Cilla, Daniel, Dorota, Ewa, Ezra, Fiona, Halinder, Hanna, Helen, Helena K, Jenny F, Jenny K, Jenny O, Jing-Hua, Kate, Lina, Linda, Lizzy, Maria, Martin, Mia, Mingou,

Monika, Nagat, Nahid, Nodi, Rui-Sheng, Sara, Susanne A, Susanne F, Tina, Wen-Lin, Xingmei, Xinwen, Yu, Zhiguo, and all the ones I may have forgotten to mention. The time as PhD student would not be the same if you had not been here! To all senior scientists in the lab: Maria Ankarcrona, Eirikur Benedikz, Angel Cedazo-Minguez, Richard Cowburn, Ronnie Folkesson, Caroline Graff, Atiqul Islam, Zhu Jie, Abdul Mohammed, Jan Näslund, Jin-Jing Pei, Erik Sundström, Elisabet Åkesson and all scientists at KASPAC. All researchers at Melacure Therapeutics AB, especially Anna Skottner. All my friends outside research, especially Lotta & Andreas, Malin, Pernilla & Nico for dinners, talks and encouragement . All my role playing- and “lajv” friends, Lotta, Daniel, Helené, Cissi, Jocke, Peter, Jimmy and Gordon for meaningful spare-time occupation, dinners and great New Year and Halloween parties. All my friends and colleagues from the theatre, Teater i Haga and SAT To my growing American family, for your support over the years, your encouragement and interest for my research, great times at vacations and weddings. Thank you for letting me be a part of your family! To my brothers and sister and their spouses and other Forslin & Trolin (are) for support, love and encouragement. To Yvonne, Ronald, Ronnie and Roger, for all help with so many things and small vacations, for showing me Bergslagen, your support and love. Ronald-for always asking if I “found a cure for Alzheimer”. Mormor and Morfar, Farmor and Farfar for your love and support, you mean so much to me and are a constant source of inspiration. Farmor, tack för all hjälp med Liv. Farfar-du fattas mig! Mamma and Pappa, for always believing in me, encouraging me through everything, help in all forms, from dinners, babysitting, fixing cars, rebuilding. Without you I could never have done it! Mamma, du får mig alltid att se saker från den ljusa sidan när jag behöver det som mest. Pappa, du är min hjälte. Liv, my wonderful daughter, you bring nothing but happiness to my life. My biggest inspiration and energy source. Coming home and being greeted by HEJ MAMMA! followed by hugs and kisses makes the tiredness disappear . Robert, my wonderful and beloved husband, without you my life as a PhD student would have been impossible. You give me unceasing love and support. Thank you for being a wonderful husband and father.

Åsa Forslin Aronsson 36