News archive

A warm welcome to all new KI Housing tenants! We hope you will enjoy your new home and your time in Stockholm.

In June, Freja Segerros joined the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge, as a doctoral student. Her principal supervisor is Marie Löf.

On 24 August, the restaurant Eatery Campus Solna (formerly Jöns Jacob) and a microwave are will open at Berzelius väg 9 in newly renovated premises on the Solna campus.

A recent study involving Dr Nitesh Tewari, PhD student at the Department of Dental Medicine, Division of Paediatric Dentistry, Karolinska Institutet, has received public attention in India.

Karolinska Institutet researchers can join a new AI-powered platform to connect with collaborators in Sweden and 20 African countries, explore shared research interests, and prepare for upcoming SASUF-NRF Seed Grant opportunities.

A patient with advanced, treatment-resistant lung cancer became tumour-free after treatment with the selenium compound selenite. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet published in the journal Oncology and Therapy as a case report. The findings may contribute to increased knowledge about selenite as a possible cancer treatment.

Individuals with subjective cognitive decline feel that their memory or thinking abilities have worsened, although they still perform normally on cognitive tests. While some will later develop dementia, many do not, making it difficult to determine who may benefit from further assessment or closer follow-up. A new grant has now been awarded to KI researcher Ingrid Ekström to help support her research into whether smell tests can help improve early dementia risk assessment.

People who take part in screening for colorectal cancer may have as much as 43 per cent lower risk of dying from the disease, according to new estimates published in JAMA Network Open by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Umeå University in Sweden. These findings are based on up to 14 years of follow-up data from the Stockholm–Gotland screening programme.

Older adults who typically had longer intervals between meals accumulated chronic diseases more rapidly over time than those with shorter intervals, according to a study from Karolinska Institutet published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. The association was most pronounced among people aged 78 years and older.

– I was invited to take part in a new collaborative project within the Stockholm Trio focusing on supporting Japanese researchers transitioning into Swedish university environments, says Müjde Nordling, writing instructor at KIB, Karolinska Institutet University Library.

An internet-based treatment supported by a therapist led to a greater reduction in depressive symptoms among adolescents with depression than standard care, at a lower treatment cost. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal BMJ Mental Health. At the same time, the results suggest that a self-guided internet-based treatment may be a cost-effective alternative where access to therapists is limited, although the clinical effect is more uncertain.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have discovered that gut bacteria can convert dietary nitrate and iron into protective molecules that may reduce the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The study, published in Cell, reveals a new way in which the gut microbiota helps protect vital bodily functions.

Master’s students can apply for a SASUF+ stipend of SEK 30,000 to support thesis-related fieldwork or data collection in South Africa. The programme strengthens research collaboration between Sweden and South Africa. Apply by 15 October 2026.

SASUF+ invites researchers at partner universities to apply for seed grants supporting new multilateral collaborations between Sweden, South Africa, and 19 other African countries. Projects run March 2027–July 2028. Apply by 3 November 2026.

In her thesis, the researcher shows that activation of the oestrogen receptor ERβ reduces Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain and improves memory. The results also highlight important sex differences that may have implications for future treatments and clinical studies.

This autumn, the Communications and Public Relations Office is launching PopSci Talks – an open, English-language webinar series for researchers and staff at Karolinska Institutet who want to develop their skills in research communication. The first webinar, taking place in September, will focus on media logic and working with journalists.

New doctoral student at the Division of Physiotherapy.

Two patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) can face very different futures. One may live for decades without needing treatment, while another may develop rapidly progressing disease. In a new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Blood Neoplasia, American Society of Hematology, researchers map what distinguishes the two patient groups.

Earlier this year, it was announced that Karolinska Institutet had received a total donation of SEK 538 million through the will of Leif Lundblad, of which SEK 500 million has been allocated to research project funding. The first calls for research funding for 2026 are now open.

A blood test that measures how quickly tumour cells divide could in future help doctors assess prognosis and select treatment strategies for patients with melanoma that has spread to other parts of the body. This is shown in a study involving researchers from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.

Andri Lemarquis is a new Assistant Professor at Labmed since 1 July and the candidate selected by Labmed in KI’s major call for Assistant Professors last year. With a background from Iceland, Sweden and the USA, he studies how the thymus and T cells can repair the immune system after cancer treatment and other immunological damage.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University have developed a new tool that estimates a cell’s biological age by analysing its gene activity. In the journal Advanced Science, they also demonstrate how the tool can be used to identify substances that influence cellular ageing.

Susan Sami is welcomed a doctoral student at the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge. Her principal supervisor is Axel Wester.

A simple new method based on the results of two studies from Christofer Juhlin’s research group can make it easier to identify the underlying cause of a common form of high blood pressure and help predict who will benefit most from surgery. The approach has now moved from research into routine patient care at Karolinska University Hospital.

Karolinska Institutet hereby announces research grants for studies on the common disease osteoporosis, funded by a donation from Ebbe and Lena Krook. A total of SEK 5 million for 2026.

Funded by a donation from Birgit Backmark, Karolinska Institutet hereby announces a call for research grants for research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A total funding allocation of SEK 9.5 million for 2026.

Karolinska Institutet (KI) consolidates its position as one of the world's 50 highest-ranked universities in the 2026 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), also known as the Shanghai ranking. This year, KI is strengthening its ranking to 41 (from 50, 2025).

Ten collaborative projects bringing together partners across the NeurotechEU alliance have been selected for funding through the NeurotechEU Collaboration Funding Call. Karolinska Institutet is involved in four of them.

Karolinska Institutet is launching a new higher education teaching and learning course for teachers, doctoral students, supervisors and educational staff who want to strengthen their ability to foster entrepreneurial thinking among students. The course, Entrepreneurial Mindset in Higher Education, is offered in collaboration with the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship.

The Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED) announces planning grants for 2027. The application period is 17 August to 10 October 2026.

Karolinska Institutet hereby announces research grants from the Leif Lundblad Donation for Research on Women’s Health, with a total allocation of up to SEK 8.7 million for 2026.

Karolinska Institutet hereby announces research grants from the Leif Lundblad donation for Research on Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s Disease, with a total funding allocation of up to SEK 16.2 million for 2026.

The Unit for Teaching and Learning (UoL) invites educators and those involved in teaching to Bites of Learning, a webinar series that aims to promote dialogue, exchange of ideas and inspiration for teaching methods and educational development. Each session is around half an hour long and designed and consists of a short, engaging presentation introducing key concepts and ideas followed by a discussion. Explore this autumn’s themes and take part in the conversation.

A structured summary of how children function in everyday life can help parents better understand their child’s strengths and challenges, as well as how the environment influences them. This is shown in a study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders under the title “Autism and ADHD strengths and needs in a nutshell: Parental evaluation of a digital ICF-based assessment summary report.”

Following the visit of the Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA) to Karolinska Institutet earlier this year, a delegation from the Unit for Teaching and Learning (UoL) travelled to Brazil in May 2026 to continue developing the collaboration.
The visit, funded by KI's Collaborative Grants, marks the next step in establishing a long-term, bilateral partnership focused on educational development, research collaboration and capacity building

Immunotherapy that targets tumour-associated macrophages, a type of immune cell in the tumour microenvironment, only works if the cells have a functional system of molecules that enables them to respond to the treatment. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Nature Communications. The findings may help identify which tumours could respond to the treatment and open up new combination therapies for cancer.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet report in the Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research that sodium selenite not only can damage tumour cells but also influence characteristics linked to tumour aggressiveness and treatment response. The findings are based on both cell experiments and analyses of tumour tissue from patients with pancreatic cancer.

We congratulate Christina Sandlund, the Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care and the Division of Nursing, who has been appointed docent of nursing at NVS.

Welcome to the annual KI-SDU joint symposia on Translational medicine, Neuroscience and Material Science.

From 1 July, a security technician has been employed at Karolinska Institutet. The role involves responsibility for the operation, maintenance and technical management of KI’s security systems on campus.

Most people know what it feels like to be tickled, yet scientists still do not fully understand why some parts of the body are more ticklish than others. A new study from Karolinska Institutet and Radboud University shows that ticklishness follows a remarkably similar pattern across cultures and appears to be shaped by more than simple touch sensitivity.

In March, Sofia Ullman was welcomed as a doctoral student at the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge. Her principal supervisor is Axel Wester.

The proportion of women with early breast cancer who receive chemotherapy varies significantly across different regions of Sweden. A study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Breast Cancer Research, shows that these differences may affect survival among women aged 65 and over.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare but serious liver disease for which there is currently no effective disease-modifying treatment. In a new review article published in The Lancet, researchers from Karolinska Institutet and international colleagues summarise the latest knowledge on the disease, its causes and potential future treatments.

People with both atrial fibrillation and Alzheimer’s disease who are treated with modern NOAC blood-thinning medicines may experience a slower rate of cognitive decline. This is shown by a study from Karolinska Institutet published in the European Heart Journal.

Digital tomosynthesis (DTS) is an X-ray technique that provides sectional images with better lesion visibility than conventional chest radiology (CXR), while using for less radiation than CT. Masoud Jadidi will defend his thesis "Evaluation of image quality, radiation dose, and tumor size assessment in chest tomosynthesis" on August 21, 2026 where he evaluates digital thoracic tomosynthesis as a low-dose method in thoracic radiology.

A single blood test could in future provide a more comprehensive picture of cancer than current methods. In a review article published in the journal Genome Medicine, researchers at Karolinska Institutet describe how several different biological signals can be analysed simultaneously from the same blood sample to detect and monitor cancer diseases.

We welcome Maria Briggert Bengtsson as a doctoral student at the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge. Principal supervisor is Maria Henström Engblom.

The types of cells found in the microenvironment of a breast tumour may affect how well the hormone therapy tamoxifen works over the long term. This is shown in a study from Karolinska Institutet published in BMC Medicine. The findings may help improve understanding of why some patients benefit more from treatment than others.

In a new declaration submitted by the Planetary Health Alliance, several health organisations in Europe, including Karolinska Institutet, are calling to the European Commission for measures to address health problems caused by the increasingly warm climate.