| Karolinska Institutet

Fatty liver in pregnancy may increase risk of preterm birth

Pregnant women with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) have an increased risk of giving birth prematurely and the risk increase cannot be explained by obesity, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet.

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New study

Vitamin supplements slow down the progression of glaucoma

A vitamin supplement that improves metabolism in the eye appears to slow down damage to the optic nerve in glaucoma. Promising results have now been published in a new study. The researchers behind the study have now started a clinical trial on patients.

Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria infecting brain cells.

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New study

Researchers restore antibiotic effect in the event of resistance

If antibiotics are administered with an enzyme called endolysin, the combined effect protects against infection by resistant bacteria in all bodily organs in mice – including the brain, which antibiotics alone have difficulty reaching.

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New doctoral thesis

Dental professionals miss severe dental anxiety

Dental professionals find it difficult to identify patients with severe dental anxiety. At the same time, patients are reluctant to talk about their fears and hope that the staff will understand anyway. This dilemma is described in a new thesis.

Gull Inger, 77, looking out on a lake. Collaboration between ARC and Fotoskolan STHLM.

Photo: Emi Svedberg

New study

How older people are affected by caring for a loved one

Women, spouses and people over the age of 75 are overrepresented among older people who provide high-intensity care for a loved one. This informal care affects the caregiver's own health and quality of life.

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New study

Long COVID biomarkers found – associated with respiratory problems

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified biomarkers in the blood associated with symptoms of long COVID, particularly severe respiratory disorders. The discovery can pave the way for future diagnosis and treatment.

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New study

Higher cigarette taxes may improve childhood survival

A higher tax on cigarettes in low and middle-income countries can help to reduce child mortality, especially amongst the poorest children, a new study suggests.

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New study

New technology facilitates delivery of advanced medicines

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed a technique that enables efficient delivery of therapeutic proteins and RNA to cells. The method shows promising results in animal studies.

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New study

Urine test could reveal prostate cancer

A newly published study involving researchers from Karolinska Institutet indicates that prostate cancer can be diagnosed at an early stage through a simple urine sample.

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New study

Natural killer cells remember and effectively target ovarian cancer

Researchers have uncovered a unique ability of a special subtype of natural killer cells in the immune system, called adaptive NK cells, to remember ovarian tumours and effectively attack them. The discovery could pave the way for new, more powerful immunotherapies for difficult-to-treat cancers.

Grants, prizes and donations

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Grants from the Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund to seven KI researchers

The Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund has decided to grant funding for paediatric oncology research for the next one to six years. Diagnoses in focus include brain tumours and leukaemia. Seven researchers at KI will receive funding.

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SEK 80 million from the government in special support for precision medicine

The government is funding Genomic Medicine Sweden (GMS) with SEK 80 million in 2025. The special support will be used, among other things, for continued investments in the sustainable development and implementation of precision medicine in cancer care. Richard Rosenquist Brandell, professor at KI and director of GMS, describes the initiative as an important investment in the future of healthcare.

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Tim Bergling Foundation funds digital training in suicide prevention among the young

A four-year grant from the Bergling Foundation will provide support to Karolinska Institutet’s digital training initiative to help medical students be better at identifying and responding to suicidal children and young adults.

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Olle Kämpe gets extension as Wallenberg Clinical Scholar

In 2025, five Wallenberg Clinical Scholars have been granted an extended grant for another five years. Among these is KI researcher Olle Kämpe, who will thus receive support for a total of ten years for his research into the causes of autoimmune diseases.

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Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation extends support for research on obesity-related diseases

Congratulations to Mikael Rydén who has been granted an extension as Wallenberg Clinical Scholar. The extension from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation means three million SEK per year for five years for his research.

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New study

Heart valve abnormality is associated with malignant arrhythmias

People with a certain heart valve abnormality are at increased risk of severe heart rhythm disorders, even after successful valve surgery, according to a new study.

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Evaluation

KI excels in the Swedish Research Council’s evaluation of medical research

The Swedish Research Council has published its report "Quality and impact of research in basic medicine in Sweden", which evaluates the scientific quality and societal impact of medical research at seven universities. Karolinska Institutet is a leader among Swedish higher education institutions.

The Conversation

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The dangerous myth about white snus

What do British footballers have in common with young women in Sweden? The answer is white snus. KI researchers explain why tobacco-free is not the same as risk-free in The Conversation.

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Why the eyes are the mirror of breathing

New research has discovered a fundamental mechanism that affects pupil size - our breathing. The pupil is smallest when we breathe in and largest when we breathe out - something that could affect vision. In The Conversation, the researchers explain the implications of this.

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How fluoride may be linked to poorer cognition in children

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Nine reasons why the myth that vaccines cause autism persists

From a research perspective, there is little left to discover about vaccines used in long-standing nationwide vaccine programmes, such as polio, measles, and rubella. So why do suspicions that vaccines cause autism remain? Professor Sven Bölte presents nine reasons in The Conversation.

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New method reveals how the brain and inner ear are formed

KI researchers have developed a method that shows how the nervous system and sensory organs are formed in a mouse embryo, and used it to study how the inner ear is formed. The discovery, published in Science, could provide important insights for future treatment of hearing loss.

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Free Ahmadreza Djalali

KI’s President: Valuable with the government's open support for Ahmadreza Djalali (in Swedish)

It has now been nine years since the Swedish-Iranian doctor and researcher Ahmadreza Djalali was imprisoned in Iran. In recent months, his health has deteriorated further. It is therefore ‘excellent that the Swedish government, via the Swedish Foreign Ministry, recently sent a clear signal to the Iranian regime’, writes KI's President Annika Östman Wernerson in a debate article.

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: Johan Nord

Palliative care: how to improve quality of life in terminal illness

We have all been born, and we will all die. But how do we want to die, and how can the final period be as good as possible? Researchers in palliative care aim to improve the quality of life for people with incurable diseases.

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Important to talk about death when children are incurably ill

Children who are dying often understand that they are indeed dying. A major task for healthcare professionals is to help children, parents and siblings to talk about it. But how do you do that?