Grants, awards and donations
Photo: Ulf SirbornMarcus Buggert awarded the Eric K. Fernström prize 2026
Docent Marcus Buggert at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, is awarded the Eric K. Fernström prize for particularly promising and successful researchers, for his remarkable research on the function of T cells in the human immune system and their importance for new therapies.
Photo: Martin StenmarkPhilanthropic support from the Savén Family bolsters colorectal cancer research
Donations by Björn Savén and his wife Inger Savén to Karolinska Institutet’s research on colorectal cancer will hopefully improve our understanding of the disease and the possibility of early detection. One of the aims of the research is to enhance the disease prognosis by increasing the number of people tested at an early stage.
Photo: Johan Wingborg/HLFHLF awards major research grant to Charlotte Thålin for COPD inhalation therapy
An estimated 500,000 to 700,000 people in Sweden live with the lung disease COPD. Research is currently being done on developing an inhalation therapy for such patients by examining how antibodies can protect the body from disease-related inflammation and infections. KI researcher Charlotte Thålin has been awarded the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation’s (HLF) major research grant of SEK 20 million for the project.
Photo: N/AArnhög Family donates SEK 50 million to research at KI
Businessman and life-science investor Mats Arnhög and his family have pledged SEK 50 million to the research being done at Karolinska Institutet into epilepsy, glioblastoma and Parkinson’s disease. The aim of the donation is to strengthen the early and long-term research that future medical breakthroughs require.
The Conversation
Photo: Getty ImagesNew study downplays the risk of atrial fibrillation in fit people
New research suggests that the risk of atrial fibrillation in highly fit people is lower than previously thought. The benefits of high fitness levels, including lower rates of cardiovascular disease, clearly outweigh any potential downsides. Read the article in The Conversation.
Photo: Getty ImagesWhy has PCOS been given a new name?
After decades of research, PCOS is now being renamed PMOS. The new name reflects a growing understanding that the condition is a complex hormonal and metabolic disorder affecting far more than fertility.
Photo: Getty ImagesThe shot that could stop cancer before it begins
Vaccines like the HPV shot are already proving that cancer can be prevented before it develops, by stopping the infections that trigger it years or even decades later. Evidence from long-term studies shows that getting vaccinated early – before exposure – dramatically reduces cancer risk, highlighting the critical importance of early immunisation.
Photo: Getty ImagesMore 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.
Selected top publications
Staff practices determine the use of coercion against young people
Astrid Moell et al, Lancet Psychiatry, June 2026
From PCOS to PMOS: why the name of a disease matters
Elisabet Stener-Victorin et al, Nature Medicine, May 2026
Chronic bowel disease involves multiple types of inflammation happening at once
Eduardo J. Villablanca et al, Immunity, May 2026
New insights into protein breakdown in cells pave the way for new medicines
Helin Norberg et at, Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, April 2026
More patients receive recommended heart failure treatment
Gianluigi Savarese et al, European Heart Journal, April 2026
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