News archive

A groundbreaking study has shed new light on the mechanisms behind idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (myositis), a group of systemic autoimmune disorders known for causing severe muscle weakness, fatigue, and increased mortality.

A groundbreaking study from Karolinska Institutet, recently published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry offers new insights into the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The research reveals critical differences in the progression of memory loss based on the presence of specific proteins in the brain.

Prostate cancer accounts for more male deaths in Sweden than any other form of cancer. However, how the disease progresses and how fatal it is depend on the type of tumour. Olof Akre hopes to find better prognostic indicators that will help to personalise treatment. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 3 October.

Tips from KI Grants Office about current calls

At the beginning of September, Clara Demetriades started as a Educational Administrator at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH).

Don't miss to apply to The KI Network Medicine Alliance collaborative awards 2024 open to KI faculty, staff and/or students to conduct collaborative interactions within the fields of network medicine, systems medicine and AI. Possibility to apply for:

•Travel grants
•Data collection
•Preparation for writing of a larger grant proposal
•Organising workshops, and external lectures
…and more within the fields of network medicine, systems medicine and AI.

Deadline September 16 2024

The European Research Council (ERC) has announced this year’s recipients of Starting Grants for young scientists and scholars across Europe. Six project applications submitted by researchers from Karolinska Institutet have secured grants totalling 9.8 million Euro – an important recognition for KI.

The research field of environmental physiology is returning to Karolinska Institutet after having belonged for many years to the Royal Institute of Technology. The move marks the start of an extended partnership between the Swedish Armed Forces and KI.

In a recent study published in Nature, Swedish researchers demonstrate the role of sex hormones in regulating the immune system. This newfound knowledge explains differences between men and women and can be used to develop new immunological medications according to researchers.

Luca Love from the Biosciences and Nutrition Unit at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge, is defending his thesis titled "Mechanisms controlling the latent HIV-1 provirus", on 12 September, 2024. Main supervisor is Peter Svensson (MedH).

Mitochondrial diseases are inherited and often affect children. With no effective treatment currently available, Anna Wredenberg hopes to discover more about mitochondrial function in order to improve both diagnosis and treatment. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 3 October.

The cost of whole-genome sequencing is approaching that of the traditional genetic tests currently used for patients diagnosed with acute leukemia, according to a new study published in the Journal of Medical Economics. With costs falling and whole-genome sequencing adding new information that can improve treatment decisions, researchers see a future in which whole-genome sequencing becomes the standard for acute leukemias.

Congratulations Agnes Wahrenberg, PhD student of the Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, on receiving the prestigious “Young Investigators Award in Atherothrombosis, Coronary, Aortic and Peripheral Artery Disease,” at the European Society of Cardiology’s annual congress in London.

There has been concern that common diabetes drugs could increase the risk of suicide and self-harm. In a new study, led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and published in Jama Internal Medicine, no such risk increase was observed.

Acute respiratory infections are one of the most common reasons for medical treatment in Sweden and a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Anna Smed Sörensen hopes that a better understanding of the immune system in the airways will make serious disease preventable. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 3 October.

In Research.com's list of the best female researchers in Sweden, two researchers from IMM rank among the top ten: Alicja Wolk and Marie Vahter.

Severe, lasting hot flushes during menopause are associated with atherosclerosis in the coronary artery, new research from Karolinska Institutet and Linköping University and published in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals.

KI’s ambition is to halve its emissions of greenhouse gases by 2030 and become climate neutral. In 2018, KI topped the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s list of the ten public authorities with the greatest CO₂ footprint from long-haul flights. It is gratifying to find that in its 2023 environmental management report, KI is no longer on that list.

In a study recently published in PLoS pathogens, researchers at AIMES, The Center for the Advancement of Integrated Medical and Engineering Sciences at Karolinska Institutet, have identified one of the subtle, yet effective, pathways by which human skin differentiates commensals and pathogens. Understanding these mechanisms opens for new treatment and prevention targets, and particularly ways in which to enhance innate immunity to prevent antibiotic resistant infections.

Long-term use of beta-blockers in patients with myocardial infarction and preserved heart function does not significantly change quality of life or well-being compared to no beta-blockers. This according to a study from Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University, presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s annual congress in London and simultaneously published in the European Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy.

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) will be teaming up with specialists from KI again this year for a vaccinology course aimed at healthcare professionals and researchers from around the world. The course also now forms part of doctoral education at KI.

Lockable cabinets are now finally available on levels 7 and 8 for those sitting in a touchdown seat at ANA Futura.

Heatwaves in sub-Saharan Africa are predicted to become more common due to climate change. A new study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and others, published in Nature Medicine, reveals a worrying correlation between high temperatures in the final week of pregnancy and an increased risk of stillbirth and early neonatal mortality.

This year's Ulf von Euler Lecture ‘Treatment of Metabolic Diseases with Gut Hormones’ will be given by Jens Juul Holst, Professor of Medical Physiology at the Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Senior Group Leader at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Basic Metabolic Research, both at the University of Copenhagen. The lecture will take place on 8 November.

At this semester's first staff meeting for KI's Professional Services (PS), some current results in the work on KI's strategic focus areas were presented, including the review currently underway of the PS. Here you will find brief information on the issues raised at the meeting.

On September 5th, the election period begins to appoint new faculty members to KI's University Board. During May, employees and students had the opportunity to nominate candidates for the role as faculty member on KI's board. Now, a total of three positions need to be filled.

Arvid Sjölander works with statistical tools and mathematical models to help medical scientists make more reliable estimations of causal effects. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 3 October.

Lisette Farias Vera, Assistant Professor and Docent at the Division of Occupational Therapy, has been appointed as the new Junior Academic Leader for WISE.

The Annual PREGART Project Consortium meeting took place from August 5-6, 2024, at Haile Resort in Hawassa City, Ethiopia. The event brought together over 60 participants, including consortium members, government stakeholders, and representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority, and partner organizations. Attendees gathered to review the project’s progress, share insights, and outline plans for the year ahead.

Policy labs at KI continue to be popular. On Tuesday 27 August, it was time for the first lab of the autumn. The theme was Sweden and antibiotic resistance, with a focus on how research and evidence can influence policy at the highest level. This time, the policy lab was opened up to a slightly wider and more external audience, to provide an opportunity to network and share experiences with others.

On 30 August, the President announced her decision to adopt a new model for the allocation of government research grants. The model, which grants a flat-rate allocation to all departments, will come into effect in 2025. All in all, the new model means that more funding will be channelled to core activities than previously, in part due to a reduction in the president’s allocation. When the model comes into effect, all departments will receive more resources than they did in 2024.

Akademiska Hus will perform scanning of the premises in ANA Futura, starting today Monday, September 2 and continue during week 36. This is to ensure that the drawings of the premises are up to date and to create digital copies of the present environment.

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Maastricht University have developed a technique that enables the examination of embryos for all known genetic abnormalities with a single test. The new method is more accurate and faster than existing techniques, increasing the chance of a healthy child for parents at increased risk of inherited conditions. The research was published today in Nature Communications

A new project RER-CTO (Regulatory and Ethics Readiness for Clinical Trials Oversight) aimed at achieving excellence and harmonization in clinical trial oversight across sub-Saharan Africa has been launched, backed by nearly 1 million euros in funding from the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking.

Abbie Barry is a public health specialist and project manager with extensive expertise in pharmacovigilance, public health epidemiology, and disease control. She currently works as a consultant for the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa, where she focuses on conducting desk research and epidemiological analysis to identify strategic investment areas and develop targeted interventions aimed at reducing the disease burden across the African continent.

Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) often develop liver failure and the risk of cancer is high. Annika Bergquist hopes her research will add to the understanding of the disease and lead to more efficacious treatment. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 3 October.

On 1 September we welcome Professor Stefano Romeo to the department of Medicine, Huddinge.

In a study recently published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: the journal of Alzheimer’s Association, researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Shandong Provincial University have reported the polygenic risk scores (PRS) with and without APOE gene that were associated both cross-sectionally and longitudinally with around double risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, the PRS, in combination with age, sex, and education, showed good discriminative and predictive accuracies for Alzheimer’s disease.

Being at home is as safe as at the hospital when a medical abortion after twelve weeks of pregnancy is initiated. These are the findings of a study conducted at Karolinska Institutet and the University of Gothenburg and published in The Lancet. When starting at home, day patient care is usually sufficient, and women are satisfied with the treatment.

In a study published in Science, researchers at Karolinska Institutet describe the neural processes behind how morphine relieves pain. This is valuable knowledge because the drug has such serious side effects.

Children who have undergone treatment for cancer often lose the protection against infection provided by previous vaccinations. Anna Nilsson is studying how cancer therapies affect the immune system in order to improve vaccination guidelines for these children. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 3 October.

Tips from KI Grants Office about current calls

A new study from Karolinska Institutet published in Nature Communications provides valuable insights into the activation of receptors on the cell surface. The knowledge opens up for new targeted therapies and drugs against intestinal tumours, among other things.

Karolinska Institutet has discovered that an already registered antidepressant, duloxetine, may also have positive effects on memory and cognitive functions in the elderly.

Many immunodeficiency diseases are serious conditions that require stem cell transplantation. Lisa Westerberg is studying how mutations prevent immune cells from moving properly in order to find new therapeutic strategies. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 3 October.

Girls with mental illness or neurodevelopmental conditions are less likely than their peers to be vaccinated with the HPV vaccine that protects against future cervical cancer. This is according to a new registry study from Karolinska Institutet published in The Lancet Public Health.

Welcome to the 2024 autumn term! The new term officially kicks off on 2 September and I look forward very much to seeing all our students back on campus.

In the spring of 2024, an invitation was sent to researchers to participate in an evaluation of Clinicum's method support. Of all those who used the support, 7/10 were very satisfied and 9/10 would recommend it to a colleague. Some of the reasons for the satisfaction were that many people refer to a high level of competence and pedagogical ability of the methodological advisers, as well as the possibility of getting help quickly. Helpfulness, friendliness, and flexibility are also highlighted.

A new registry study from Karolinska Institutet and Tampere University shows that hospital admissions due to allergic reactions in children have increased in Finland while they have decreased in Sweden. The study, published in the journal Allergy, also shows that the incidence of anaphylaxis is higher in Finland than in Sweden.

When analyzing inflammatory markers in blood and cerebrospinal fluid, researchers at Karolinska Institutet found signs of inflammation in tissue from patients with cluster headache, specifically in the samples from the nervous system. The study was recently published in The Journal of Headache and Pain.