In search of the tumours’ bacteria

There is a connection between the gut microbiome and colorectal cancer. The question is what it looks like, and how it can be used to tackle the disease. 

Benjamin got rectal cancer: “Hard to put my dreams on hold”

When Benjamin Delfi was in the midst of making his dream of opening his own restaurant a reality, he was diagnosed with rectal cancer. Now that his treatment is over, there is room for those dreams again. 

Tough treatment for rectal cancer: “I did not think I would live to see 50” 

Carina’s treatment for rectal cancer was tougher than she could ever have imagined. Despite her illness, she continued working half-time as an mortuary technician. Work became a way to keep her fear of dying at bay.

Anna Martling counts every step to cure colorectal cancer

“As long as we are making progress, no matter how little, it gives me the strength to keep on working.” Surgeon and professor Anna Martling does not rest on her laurels: Now she is testing whether regular aspirin might be the next step to improve the prognosis in colorectal cancer.

High levels of ‘forever chemicals’ found in Lancashire residents’ blood

Mattias Öberg writes about what he has learned from studying exposed communities for over a decade.

What vegan and vegetarian diets can and can’t tell us about eating disorders

Many people worry that following a vegetarian or vegan diet may signal an eating disorder. But a systematic review found no clear overall association, suggesting that the reasons behind dietary choices matter far more than the diet itself. Read the article in The Conversation.

Genetic research into autism raises ethical concerns

More articles by 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. 

The Nobel Prize to the pioneers of optogenetics Peter Hegemann, Georg Nagel and Karl Deisseroth

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2026 is awarded for optogenetics — a method that makes it possible to show how nerve cells shape memories, feelings and behaviours in the living brain. Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel discovered a remarkable protein, channelrhodopsin, in a single-celled alga. Karl Deisseroth transformed the protein into a light-controlled switch for nerve cells. The laureates have laid the foundation of a new era in neuroscience.

KI students came together to share the Nobel moment

When this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was announced on 5 October, KI students came together to watch the exciting moment unfold. Refreshments were served as the live broadcast was shown on a big screen.