Swedish Cancer Society grants SEK 54.9 million to KI researchers

Thirteen researchers at Karolinska Institutet have been awarded 54.9 million Swedish kronor from the Swedish Cancer Society. The foundation is distributing a total of SEK 124.3 million to 31 cancer researchers in Sweden.

Millions to KI researchers for kidney research

Eighteen kidney researchers at Karolinska Institutet have been allocated grants totaling 3.2 million Swedish kronor from the Swedish Kidney Foundation, an announcement made in connection with World Kidney Day on March 9.

KI role model for equality in EU – now awarded for its long-term work

Karolinska Institutet has been awarded a new EU prize for its long-term commitment to gender equality in higher education. The prize of 100,000 euro is the result of nearly 40 years of sustained activity to advance equal opportunities. The efforts have paid off and now KI is recognized as a role model for equality, a “Gender Equality Champion.”

Funding for global study on HPV-burden among girls and women

Several KI researchers are part of an international project that has been awarded nearly $15 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with $1 million co-funding from the Swedish government. The project involves a multi-country study to better understand the burden of Human papillomavirus (HPV) among girls and women in low and lower middle-income countries.

Petra got sepsis after giving birth

Arne lost his toes due to sepsis

“Digital sniffer dog” finds patients with sepsis

Improved blood testing could help sepsis patients

Antibodies in the airways provide durable protection against SARS-CoV-2

High levels of mucosal IgA antibodies in the airways protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection for at least eight months. A new study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Danderyd Hospital raises further hope for the feasibility of future nasal vaccine platforms.

New findings on how to avert excessive weight loss from COVID-19

Losing too much weight when infected with COVID-19 has been linked to worse outcomes. Now, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have discovered that SARS-CoV-2 infection fuels blood vessel formation in fat tissues, thus revving up the body’s thermogenic metabolism. Blocking this process by using an existing drug curbed weight loss in mice and hamsters that were infected with the virus.

Researchers may have found a new biomarker for acute COVID-19

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have shown that patients with acute COVID-19 infection have increased levels of the cytokine IL-26 in their blood. Moreover, high IL-26 levels correlate with an exaggerated inflammatory response that signifies severe cases of the disease. The findings, which are presented in Frontiers in Immunology, indicate that IL-26 is a potential biomarker for severe COVID-19.  

New Omicron subvariant largely evades neutralizing antibodies

A study at Karolinska Institutet shows that the coronavirus variant BA.2.75.2, an Omicron sublineage, largely evades neutralizing antibodies in the blood and is resistant to several monoclonal antibody antiviral treatments. The findings, published in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases, suggest a risk of increased SARS-CoV-2 infections this winter, unless the new updated bivalent vaccines help to boost immunity in the population.

Kourtney Kardashian’s ‘vaginal health gummies’: here’s what the evidence shows

Even if KI researcher Ina Schuppe Koistinen fully agree with Kourtney Kardashian that vaginal health is an important but not sufficiently talked about part of women’s wellbeing, the two have a strikingly different view on how to tackle the problem.

Beta blockers may reduce the risk of violence

A KI study found that beta blockers, a commonly used heart medication, is linked to lower rates of violence. When people were taking beta blockers they had a 13 percent lower risk of being charged with a violent crime by the police and an 8 percent lower risk of being hospitalized for mental health problems. 

Genetics a major factor in the little-known eating disorder Afrid

A twin study from Karolinska Institutet places Arfid among the most heritable of mental disorders. Read researcher Lisa Dinkler’article about the findings in The Conversation.  

More articles from KI researchers published in The Conversation

From cold-resistant genes to face masks, Karolinska Institutet researchers contribute to the global public discourse on a range of topics through our collaboration with the international news site The Conversation. 

KI’s new vice-president – the cancer researcher with the empirical mindset

KI’s vice-president is Martin Bergö, a professor of molecular medicine whose most significant discovery to date is that antioxidants can accelerate tumour growth. He aims for a research-inspired leadership, and will start by tuning into the voice of the university and channelling the collective wealth of ideas to make KI even better.

Ole Petter Ottersen on his time as KI’s president

Ole Petter Ottersen has been president of Karolinska Institutet for five and a half years. At the end of this month, February 2023, he will be leaving his office for the last time. Of all he has seen and done, he remembers especially the day when the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic.