In memory of Anna Karlsson (1958-2025)

Anna Karlsson was born in Stockholm on March 24, 1958. She studied medicine at Karolinska Institutet and graduated with a medical degree in 1985. She earned her doctorate in medical biochemistry in 1990 under the supervision of Peter Reichard and Britta Wahren. She became an associate professor of medical biochemistry in 1996. 

The following year, she received her medical license and moved to the Department of Laboratory Medicine. From 2008, she held a joint position as professor of clinical virology at Karolinska Institutet and specialist physician at Karolinska University Hospital. In 2001, she received the prestigious Descartes Prize from the European Commission, which recognises outstanding researchers whose work promotes international research collaboration in all scientific disciplines.

Anna Karlsson had a background as a dancer, and her interest in HIV research was sparked when several of her dance colleagues fell ill with AIDS. During the 1990s, she established herself in international networks that developed combination therapies for HIV infections, which are now established in clinical practice. Her research focused on different ways of preventing mutations in the HIV virus enzyme reverse transcriptase, and she quickly became an international authority in the field. 

Her later studies focused more on nucleoside and nucleotid kinases, which are enzymes that activate various forms of drugs (nucleoside analogues) that can be used in the treatment of both viral diseases and various forms of cancer. Anna studied these enzymes at both the biochemical level and in mouse models. 

This work led her in particular to research on mitochondrial nucleoside kinases and their possible role as target enzymes for inhibiting tumor growth. Over time, she focused increasingly on cancer research and served as scientific secretary for the Cancer Foundation for several years, until 2024.

In addition to her scientific contributions, including her valued role in the Nobel Assembly and the Nobel Committee, Anna Karlsson held a number of key positions at Karolinska Institutet. For many years, she was an academic member of the University Board and, in recent years, she served as chair of the Docent Committee and chair of the central Curriculum Committee for the new medical education program. At the same time, she continued her work as a physician at Karolinska University Hospital, where she worked with the diagnosis of viral infections. 

Anna Karlsson was a kind, generous, and humble person who touched many people. She will be deeply missed by all her friends and colleagues at KI.

Christian Giske, Sophie Curbo, Jonas Fuxe and Elias Arnér on behalf of friends, colleagues, and researchers at Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, and the Nobel Assembly/Nobel Committee.