The 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.

What body odour says about you?

Body odour is often seen as a hygiene problem. In reality, it results from the interaction between sweat and skin bacteria – and from the cultural meanings we attach to it.

Your genes matter more for lifespan now than they did a century ago – here’s why

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. 

Karolinska Institutet receives half-billion donation for dementia research

Entrepreneur and inventor Leif Lundblad (1938–2025) has bequeathed SEK 538 million to Karolinska Institutet, the largest donation ever to have been made to a Swedish university in modern times. Much of the sum will go towards research on dementia diseases.

Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation allocates SEK 125 million to KI and life science with a focus on clinical research

Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation is allocating additional funds, in total SEK 1.6 billion, to patient oriented, clinical research. The initiative will, among other things, strengthen research at the four Wallenberg Centres for Molecular Medicine. As part of this initiative, SEK 125 million has been allocated to Karolinska Institutet.

US donation to Jon Lampa for research into potential new treatment for rheumatoid arthritis

A private donation from Sally Cahill, USA, to researchers at Karolinska Institutet could make a new treatment for severe rheumatoid arthritis a reality. The method, which involves stimulating a nerve in the ear with a weak electric signal, has so far delivered promising results.

Patrik Ernfors awarded international research prize for breakthroughs in pain and touch

The Lundbeck Foundation in Denmark has awarded Professor Patrik Ernfors The Brain Prize 2026 for groundbreaking discoveries about how the nervous system interprets touch and pain. His research has clarified key aspects of somatosensation, the body’s ability to sense the physical world, and opened new opportunities for developing treatments for long lasting pain.