| Karolinska Institutet

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Protection against winter vomiting bug spread with arrival of agriculture

The arrival of agriculture coincided with a sharp rise in a gene variant that protected against the virus that causes winter vomiting, according to researchers report after analysing DNA from over 4,300 prehistoric individuals and cultivating ”mini guts”.

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New study

New gene discovery aids heart disease prevention

By analyzing large amounts of data, researchers have developed a system for classifying individuals into different risk groups for atherosclerosis. The results enable early detection of the disease, which can lead to personalized preventive care.

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New study

Gender equality universally linked to physical capacity

Fitness amongst young adults varies widely from one country to another, and is strongly associated with both socioeconomic development and gender equality, a new study shows. The results indicate that levels of development and gender equality in a society can affect differences in physical capacity and therefore public health in general.

Photo: Fredrik Persson

In memory of honorary doctor Leif Lundblad (1938–2025)

Leif Lundblad, entrepreneur, inventor and honorary doctor at Karolinska Institutet, has died at the age of 87. He is survived by his wife Irene and daughter Ulrika and family.

neighbours socialising in a residential area

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New study

Neighbourhood trust benefits some more than others

Living in a neighbourhood where people feel safe and supported is linked to a reduced risk of psychosis among Stockholm residents – but only for people of Swedish or European origin. For people of North African or Middle Eastern origin, an increased risk of psychosis was seen in the same neighbourhoods.

Photo: Fredrik Persson

Academic ceremony

Ceremony, joy and world-class research as KI honours its new professors

At the installation ceremony for KI’s 22 new professors, Aula Medica was filled with music, laughter and academic pride. The annual professorial installation is as much a tribute to knowledge, diversity and research as it is a ceremonial occasion.

The Nobel Prize 2025

The Nobel prize medal with a background of an audience in the aula.

Photo: ©® The Nobel Foundation,Erik Flyg

Nobel Prize rewards key to future MS and cancer treatment

The year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine rewards discoveries that reveal how our immune system is kept in check – in other words, how the body protects itself from attack by its own immune cells. The discoveries pave the way for possible new therapies for many conditions, including autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes, MS and cancer.

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The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi

The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has decided to award the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance.

Ebba Carbonnier and Nobel Prize winner John Martinis in Gothenburg in 2021.

Photo: Daniel Lundqvist

This year’s Nobel prizes in Chemistry and Physics equally valuable to life science

Doctor pointing a pen at a MRI scan of the brain.

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New study

New brain imaging technique can detect early frontotemporal dementia

An international study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet demonstrates that it is possible to detect subtle changes in the brain and identify early signs of hereditary frontotemporal dementia using advanced brain imaging techniques.

Grants, prizes and donations

Photo: Abraham Engelmark,Mogrenstiftelsen

Håkan Mogren Prize awarded to Caroline Nilsson

Paediatric allergist and KI researcher Caroline Nilsson has been awarded this year's Mogren Prize in Medicine, Sweden's largest prize for clinically active doctors. The prize money of SEK 250,000 is motivated by her work to link patient encounters directly to research, which has a life-changing effect on children with severe food allergies.

Photo: Martin Stenmark

Fredrik Lundberg donates SEK 30 million to colorectal cancer research

Businessman Fredrik Lundberg is donating SEK 30 million to Karolinska Institutet and a research project looking into how the immune system can combat colorectal cancer and prevent it spreading.

Portrait photo of Samir EL Andaloussi, Department of Laboratory Medicine.

Photo: Melker Dahlstrand

Samir EL Andaloussi receives SSMF's Jubilee Prize for his gene therapy research

KI researcher Samir EL Andaloussi has been awarded the Swedish Society for Medical Research’s (SSMF) Jubilee Prize of SEK five million for his groundbreaking research in gene therapies that could revolutionise the treatment of hard-to-treat diseases.

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Two KI researchers awarded prestigious ERC Starting Grant

Erik Benson och Arvid Guterstam, both assistant professors at Karolinska Institutet, have been awarded the prestigious ERC Starting Grant from the European Research Council.

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Generous donation enables KI research on osteoporosis

KI is investing SEK 50 million in research into osteoporosis for better diagnostics, treatment and prevention. The large investment is made possible by a generous donation from Ebbe and Lena Krook. Part of the donation will finance a new endowment professorship at KI in the subject.

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New study

AI can improve cervical cancer screening in low-resource settings

Access to cervical cancer screening in low- and middle-income countries can be improved with the help of AI, according to a new study published in The BMJ. However, the technology requires support from functioning healthcare systems to be effective.

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New study

The immune system is more dynamic than previously thought

Researchers have discovered that some natural killer cells, NK cells, temporarily reside in our organs and then leave them via the lymphatic system. The results may contribute to better treatments that direct the immune system where it is needed.

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Ranking

KI among the top universities in the THE ranking

When Times Higher Education (THE) in the UK publishes its ranking of the world's best universities regardless of specialisation, KI lands in 53rd place among more than 2,000 higher education institutions in 115 countries. In the EU, KI ranks 6th and is the foremost place among higher education institutions in the Nordic region.

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New study

Stomach acid medicine tied to higher infection risk in pregnancy

Pregnant women who use proton pump inhibitors, a common medicine for heartburn, run a slightly higher risk of developing infections during pregnancy and after childbirth. This is shown in a new registry study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health.

Johan Pekkari, Chief of Directorate of Strategic Plans and Policy at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters signing a memorandum of understanding with Martin Bergö, Vice President of Karolinska Institutet.

Photo: Fredrik Helmertz/Försvarsmakten

Collaboration

The Swedish Armed Forces deepens its collaboration with KI

On Wednesday 8 October, The Swedish Armed Forces and Karolinska Institutet signed a declaration of intent to strengthen and broaden their collaboration in research and education in the field of defence-related medicine. The two organisations have a long history of collaboration in commissioned medical research.

Photo: Liza Simonsson

Karolinska ATMP Centre

Knut Steffensen: Taking cell and gene therapy from the lab to the hospital

Knut Steffensen heads up the newly opened Karolinska ATMP Centre, which has been established to convert research on cell and gene therapy into actual treatments. Equipped with experience from both academia and the pharmaceutical industry, he wants to combine the best of both worlds.

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New study

POTS common in patients with long COVID

A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that a heart rhythm disorder, POTS, is particularly common in people with long COVID. The majority of those affected are middle-aged women.

Woman lying in bed, frowning. In the foreground a clock with the hands pointing to four o'clock. There is morning light in the window above the bed.

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New study

Poor sleep may accelerate brain ageing

People who sleep poorly are more likely than others to have brains that appear older than they actually are. This is according to a comprehensive brain imaging study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal eBioMedicine. Increased inflammation in the body may partly explain the association.

Decorative: 3d illustration of rotating DNA glowing molecule on blue background.

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New study

Gene linked to rheumatic disease controls cell movement

A recent study reveals how a gene associated with several rheumatic diseases affects how cells move, providing new insights into disease mechanisms and potential future therapies.

The Conversation

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Paracetamol use during pregnancy not linked to autism in large study

A study of nearly 2.5 million births in Sweden published in JAMA in 2024 shows no evidence that paracetamol (acetaminophen) use during pregnancy increases a child’s risk of autism. This is the largest study conducted on the subject to date.

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Do all heart attack patients need beta blockers? A cardiologist explains

Beta blockers have long been prescribed to almost everyone who has suffered a heart attack, but new research shows that their effect depends on the heart's pumping capacity. While some patients clearly benefit from the treatment, it appears to be unnecessary—or even risky—for others. Read the news article in The Conversation.

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Gene therapy restores hearing in congenital deafness

Photo: B Henrique Pixabay

Simple test can predict risk of severe liver disease

A new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the scientific journal The BMJ, shows how a simple blood analysis can predict the risk of developing severe liver disease. The method may already start to be applied in primary care to enable the earlier detection of cirrhosis and cancer of the liver.

Photo: Fredrik Persson

Digital twins provide answers to health

Medical digital twins are computerised versions of patients, enabling different treatments to be tested and the most effective one identified, without any risk to the patient’s health. And in the future, we will each have our own, according to researcher Mikael Benson. First published in the magazine Medicinsk Vetenskap no 3 2025.

Photo: Fredrik Perssonm,Fredrik Persson

Societal impact

Researchers get a shot of their own vaccine

They are among the first in Sweden to be vaccinated against the chikungunya virus - a vaccine that is the result of a discovery from their own laboratory.

Photo: Martin Stenmark

From a crash in the ditch to forefront of research

When Per Uhlén was fourteen, he ended up in a wheelchair. Since then, he has become a professor, started three companies, and competed in two Paralympic Games. “Sometimes I feel like my life is a film,” he says. First published in the magazine Medicinsk Vetenskap no 3 2025.

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Quantum technology at KI

Martin Bergö: “We owe it to humankind to use this technology”

With its extreme computational capacity, quantum technology is now of interest to the field of life science and could prove the key to such advances as smarter drug development and optimised therapies to treat cancer and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Photo: Jens Magnusson

Healthcare fails to treat osteoporosis

A common yet seriously undertreated condition, osteoporosis, is a widespread condition where the healthcare system often falls short. Researchers are now investigating why so many patients slip through the cracks and miss out on treatment that could prevent further serious fractures. First published in the magazine Medicinsk Vetenskap no 3 2025.

Photo: Martin Stenmark

Vera Berg suffered recurring bone fractures

She suffered from recurring fractures. But today, Vera Berg leads an active life thanks to medication for osteoporosis. First published in the magazine Medicinsk Vetenskap no 3 2025.

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Ranking

KI ranks 8th among Sweden's 100 most attractive employers

Karolinska Institutet retains its place among Sweden's 100 most attractive employers according to this year's edition of the Young Professional Attraction Index (YPAI). With this year's ranking of 8th, up from 42nd last year, KI is now at the very top alongside employers such as Ikea, Google and Spotify.

Photo: Ulf Sirborn

Fragile bones can be detected during mammography

Can osteoporosis be detected in images taken for purposes other than fractures? According to radiologist Torkel Brismar, the answer is yes. He has explored this question in several studies. First published in the magazine Medicinsk Vetenskap no 3 2025.

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Therapy more effective than pills for sleep problems

Among young people, the use of sleep medication has increased sharply – despite ongoing questions about the drugs’ effectiveness and long-term impact. Researchers now recommend psychological treatment instead. First published in the magazine Medicinsk Vetenskap no 3 2025.

Photo: Amnesty International

Free Ahmadreza Djalali

UN call for the release of KI researcher Ahmadreza Djalali

Important statement from United Nations: ”Iran must release Ahmadreza Djalali, an Iranian-born resident of Sweden, who has been arbitrarily detained since 2016 despite repeated warnings about his deteriorating health.”

Photo: Liza Simonsson

Updates from the University Management

Selected top publications

Scientists reveal first high-resolution structure of key herpes virus protein
Hällberg et al, Nucleic Acids Research, October 2025

Fat tissue’s hidden role in ovarian cancer spread
Gonzalez Molina, Nature Communications, September 2025

Future Alzheimer's treatment: Study highlights controversies
Aho et al, The Lancet, September 2025

Cancer screening saves lives – without increasing the risk of dying from other diseases
Lei et al, JAMA Network Open, August 2025

A new way to map CRISPR DNA targets directly in human cells
Zheng et al, Nature Biomedical Engineering, August 2025

Internet-based therapy shows strong effects for stress-related disorders
Hedman-Lagerlöf et al, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, June 2025

More high-impact publications

KI in the media (Swedish only)

Research subjects wanted

Information regarding the war in Ukraine

On this page you will find information for staff and students concerning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Protection against winter vomiting bug spread with arrival of agriculture

New gene discovery aids heart disease prevention

Gender equality universally linked to physical capacity

In memory of honorary doctor Leif Lundblad (1938–2025)

Neighbourhood trust benefits some more than others

Ceremony, joy and world-class research as KI honours its new professors

The Nobel Prize 2025

Nobel Prize rewards key to future MS and cancer treatment

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi

This year’s Nobel prizes in Chemistry and Physics equally valuable to life science

New brain imaging technique can detect early frontotemporal dementia

Grants, prizes and donations

Håkan Mogren Prize awarded to Caroline Nilsson

Fredrik Lundberg donates SEK 30 million to colorectal cancer research

Samir EL Andaloussi receives SSMF's Jubilee Prize for his gene therapy research

Two KI researchers awarded prestigious ERC Starting Grant

Generous donation enables KI research on osteoporosis

AI can improve cervical cancer screening in low-resource settings

The immune system is more dynamic than previously thought

KI among the top universities in the THE ranking

Stomach acid medicine tied to higher infection risk in pregnancy

The Swedish Armed Forces deepens its collaboration with KI

Knut Steffensen: Taking cell and gene therapy from the lab to the hospital

POTS common in patients with long COVID

Poor sleep may accelerate brain ageing

Gene linked to rheumatic disease controls cell movement

The Conversation

Paracetamol use during pregnancy not linked to autism in large study

Do all heart attack patients need beta blockers? A cardiologist explains

Gene therapy restores hearing in congenital deafness

Popular weight-loss drugs linked to rare but serious eye conditions

More articles by KI researchers published in The Conversation

Simple test can predict risk of severe liver disease

Digital twins provide answers to health

Researchers get a shot of their own vaccine

From a crash in the ditch to forefront of research

Martin Bergö: “We owe it to humankind to use this technology”

Healthcare fails to treat osteoporosis

Vera Berg suffered recurring bone fractures

KI ranks 8th among Sweden's 100 most attractive employers

Fragile bones can be detected during mammography

Therapy more effective than pills for sleep problems

UN call for the release of KI researcher Ahmadreza Djalali

Updates from the University Management

Selected top publications

KI in the media (Swedish only)

Research subjects wanted

Information regarding the war in Ukraine