News archive

In an unbiased cross-checking of a wide array of health registers, an exciting connection emerged. Could a common and cheap blood lipid lowering drug from the standard repertoire help patients with the liver diseases PSC? This question is now the subject of a clinical trial.

Peter Jonson needed a liver transplant after unexpectedly learning that his liver was in poor condition. Today he is doing well and does not miss the lifestyle that made him sick. "Non-alcoholic beer tastes really good", he says.

When Martin Bengtsson found out he had fatty liver disease, he decided to start eating healthier and exercising more. "A lot of people think you can't do anything about fatty liver - but you can," he says.

Liver doctors tell us that the general public’s level of knowledge about the liver is surprisingly low. A study confirms this.

It is possible to remove 80 per cent of a healthy liver without it losing its function. But how much can be removed from a diseased liver in which some tissue is already lost? This issue is central to reducing mortality after liver surgery.

Professor Magnus Ingelman-Sundberg has come up with a way to produce tiny livers, called liver spheroids.

Impaired cognition among preschoolers born very early can be predicted already at discharge from neonatal care. This is according to a study from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden and University College Cork, Ireland published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

There does not appear to be any profound differences between so-called exposure-based CBT and traditional CBT in the treatment of fibromyalgia, according to a study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet. Both forms of treatment produced a significant reduction in symptoms in people affected by the disease. The study is one of the largest to date to compare different treatment options for fibromyalgia and is published in the journal PAIN.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Danderyd Hospital have followed recipients of the new updated COVID-19 vaccine and analysed the antibody response to different SARS-CoV-2 variants. The results show a surprisingly strong response to the now dominant and highly mutated Omicron variants. [This news article has been updated]

On Saturday, November 18th, the KI Network Lifestyle4Health welcomed the public to an informative afternoon at Medicinska Föreningen at Karolinska Institutet. The afternoon was filled with lectures, health marker measurements, and practical "patient cases" that participants could analyse to suggest recommendations for lifestyle changes.

Join us on a journey through history to meet the people behind the research that today makes up the Department of Neurobiology, Care Science and Society.

The Ulla and Ingemar Dahlberg Foundation has decided to donate SEK 50 million to Karolinska Institutet. The grant will be used for a new professorship in vision science with a focus on ocular neurobiology and have the full name "Ulla och Ingemar Dahlbergs professur i synvetenskap med inriktning mot okulär neurobiologi" (Ulla and Ingemar Dahlberg's Professorship in Visual Science with specialization in Ocular Neurobiology).

Harald Lund, Matthew Hunt, Zerina Kurtović & Camilla Svensson have published an article in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. They have discovered a unique structure in the blood-nerve barrier in a region of the peripheral nervous system called the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). The study has implications for understanding how diseases target the nervous system and how they can be treated.

The landlord carries out warranty work outside the entrances in all three buildings in KI Residence Solna.

From December 23 to January 7, the KI Housing office will be closed. Our maintenance service team will handle urgent maintenance requests December 27 to December 29 and January 2 to lunchtime, January 5.

Pernilla Lagergren, professor of Surgical Care Sciences at Karolinska Institutet, is researching support for recovery after treatment of oesophageal or gastric cancer.

Blood fat-lowering statins could slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, at least for some patients. This is the result of a new study led by Karolinska Institutet published in Alzheimer Research and Therapy. But the researchers are cautious in their interpretations and see the results as a first step in a research journey that may eventually provide the answer.

The p53 tumor suppressor protein is encoded by TP53, the most frequently mutated gene in cancer. A review article published in Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology by professor Klas G Wiman and colleagues at the Department of Oncology-Pathology describes how p53 could be used as a target for new cancer therapies.

On 6 December, the European Commission published the names of the experts appointed to its newly established working groups on science diplomacy. Maja Fjaestad, expert coordinator at the Centre for Health Crises and affiliated to research at the Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (LIME), is one of two Swedish university researchers who will be part of the working groups. The working groups will develop a potential future European framework for science diplomacy.

What were the successes and challenges of clinical trials of COVID-19 treatment during the pandemic in Sweden? What have we learnt, in order to be better prepared for future health crisis? Those were questions asked at a symposium and roundtable discussion organised by the Centre for Health Crises at KI on December 14.

After half a century in near-Earth orbit, humans are heading further out in space. First to the moon again. Then on to Mars! For this to go well, more research is needed on how space stresses the human body.

In clinical studies, new methods and treatments are tested on humans under controlled conditions. However, clinical treatment studies are often very expensive to carry out and require resources that allow many different professional groups to work together. The Swedish Cancer Society has now decided on an extra allocation of grants to ten researchers for clinical studies. Six of these are researchers at Karolinska Institutet.

AI is increasingly being used in healthcare, education and research. AI chats are part of the AI offering at KI and Copilot (previously called Bing Chat Enterprise) has recently been made available to all employees. The goal is for AI to become part of the everyday work of KI's researchers, staff and students.

For KI researcher Ylva Trolle Lagerros, AI and Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat Enterprise) offer time savings and texts with cited sources, but also future opportunities for research collaborations with several countries. She also sees valuable connections between the use of AI tools and the role of teacher and researcher on digital support in healthcare.

For KI doctoral student Eric Åhlberg, AI and Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat Enterprise) offer tools for statistical analysis work and for managing certain administration. His long-term goal is for AI to become a validated tool for high-quality research results.

For ICT educator Marcus Emas, Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat Enterprise) and AI offer new opportunities to streamline the work with reference management, reading lists and assessing assignments, among other things. He emphasizes that AI at KI should be an equal tool and welcomes the introduction of Microsoft Copilot.

The Docent Committee decided on the 24 of August 2023 to admit Rayomand Press and Chartih Cooray as docents in neurologi.

The mhGAP guideline supports countries to strengthen capacity to deal with the growing burden of mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) conditions and narrow the treatment gap. These recommendations were first published in 2010 as part of the mhGAP intervention guide. The third edition of the mhGAP handbook, reflecting 15 years of investment, covers 11 modules on various mental health disorders and related conditions.

Helena Karlström, senior lecturer at the Division of Neurogeriatrics is awarded 250 000 Euro (approximately 2,8 million SEK) from the Dutch Brain Foundation for the project ”NOTCH3 immunotherapy to target toxic protein aggregation in CADASIL”.
In addition, she receives 3,6 million SEK from the European Joint program – Rare Diseases (EJP-RD) for the project ”CADASIL-Naturliga sjukdomsförloppet ”.

The Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund's allocation reflects the needs that exist in areas such as new technology and precision medicines. This year's call for proposals means that SEK 125 million will be allocated to 62 projects in the field of childhood cancer, of which SEK 35,400,000 will go to researchers at Karolinska Institutet.

The abundance of unhealthy food in society means that obesity doctor and researcher Ylva Trolle Lagerros is working against certain headwinds. But the arrival of new medications have made her job more enjoyable. In parallel, she has developed apps that provide patients with support.

Dementia diseases cost Swedish society around SEK 80 billion per year. The EU has now awarded funding to the Prominent project, which aims to improve both diagnostics and treatment for these diseases. Karolinska Institutet is responsible for the project in the role of coordinator.

The Swedish Research Council has awarded project grants for international collaborations in rare diseases (EJP RD). Of the seven researchers awarded grants, four are researchers at Karolinska Institutet.

Graduation time is approaching at KI! On Friday 12 January 2024, the graduation ceremonies will take place for the programmes: occupational therapists, nurses, doctors, and physiotherapists. Meet four graduating students and share their best memories and tips.

The Royal Patriotic Society awarded the Fostrargärningsmedaljen 2023 to Hugo Lagercrantz, professor emeritus in pediatrics and former chief physician at Astrid Lindgren's Children's Hospital. This is for his efforts in children's medicine as well as his strong and straightforward commitment to social debate.

The research group Cultural Medicine at the Department of LIME hosted PRAO students from the International School of Kungsholmen with the learning outcome to identify global key concepts to promote health and discuss importance of physical activity to promote health.

Too little sleep during school days and poor sleep quality can be linked to an increased risk of depression and suicidal thoughts among middle school students, shows a study conducted at the National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention (NASP).

KI researcher Birgitta Henriques Normark is a newly elected fellow of IVA (the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences). IVA works to build bridges between academia, business and politics, and promotes people's ability to make a positive contribution to society through technical and economic sciences.

A group with broad expertise in the field of health crises, consisting of people from fifteen Swedish universities, gathered at Karolinska Institutet on Tuesday 5 December, when the Centre for Health Crises hosted a meeting about how universities can contribute before, during and after health crises. During the meeting, experiences were shared and the foundation was laid for a health crises network.

The authors of KI's first Planetary Health Report Card (PHRC) are twelve students from KI's various educational programmes. The commitment comes from a common interest and concern for the environment, climate, and planetary health.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a common mental disorder, affecting around 20% of the population worldwide. Several causes that can lead to MDD, and patients display a wide range of symptoms as well as responses to treatments. This diversity makes it challenging to pinpoint the root causes, understand the underlying mechanisms, and tailor treatments effectively. Suicide is a pressing public health concern, impacting not only individuals living with MDD but also the general population.

The discoveries of Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman made possible the first COVID-19 vaccine. But it was just one of the many things that can be done with mRNA, explained the Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine in their Nobel lectures.

On the 4th and 5th of December, national and international researchers, experts, and stakeholders met to listen to and discuss good examples of suicide prevention interventions within railbound traffic. The event was organized by the National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention (NASP) at Karolinska Institutet and Region Stockholm.

A successful KI Alumni China Chapter 2023 networking event was arranged in Shanghai in November, gathering a large crowd from all over China.

Kaixuan Zhao at the research group Signal Transduction, the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, will defend her thesis "The role of T-type calcium channels in human pancreatic β cell maturity" on December 15, 2023.

Main Supervisor is Shao-Nian Yang.

As previously announced, IMM received research grants during the autumn from, among others, Forte and AFA Insurance. New grants have now been received from The Swedish Research Council, The Swedish Cancer Society, The Swedish Heart Lung Foundation and FORMAS.

Newer diabetes medicines do not appear to increase the risk of birth defects. The largest comparative study to date found no increased risk compared to treatment with insulin, which is considered safe during pregnancy. The study was published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

On November 9, the seminar ”How can Sweden contribute to Global Neonatal Research” was organized on the initiative of Global Youth and Child Health, a section of the Swedish Paediatric Society and the Swedish Network for Global Child Health. Around 50 physical participants and up to 70 online with different engagements in global newborn health attended the seminar. From researchers and academics to clinicians working for NGOs and public health specialists participated.

Tigist Wodaje from the Endocrinology Unit at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH), is defending her thesis "Hereditary hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular disease: functional and epidemiological aspects", on 14 December 2023. Main supervisor is Jonas Brink (MedH).

Congratulations to the six researchers from the Department of Medicine, Hudinge (MedH), who receive grants from the Swedish Heart Lung Foundation 2024-2026! Together they receive SEK 9 300 000 in grants.