News archive

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Manne Godhe, PhD student at the Sports Medicine research group, the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, will defend his thesis "Physical Activity and Fitness Measurements in Healthy Older Adults and Osteoarthrities Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty" on May 23, 2025. Main Supervisor is Eva Andersson.

David Wulliman from Center for Infectious Medicine (CIM), at the Departmet of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH) is defending his thesis titled "T Cell Immunity Induced by SARS-CoV-2 and Flavivirus Vaccination", on 23 May, 2025. Main supervisor is Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren (MedH).

The combination of air pollution, dense urban development and limited green spaces increases the risk of asthma in both children and adults. This is shown by a new study conducted as part of a major EU collaboration led by researchers from Karolinska Institutet. The paper is published in Lancet Regional Health-Europe.

A study from Karolinska Institutet reveals how cells adapt to nutrient scarcity by altering their genetic instructions. This discovery, published in Molecular Cell, sheds light on cellular stress responses and opens up new medical treatments.

The official kick-off meeting for the EDCTP3 funded UTI-Diag project, coordinated by Professor Tobias Alfvén and his team, was held at Karolinska Institutet from April 24 to 25, 2025. The event marked the beginning of the consortium's collaborative efforts, establishing a comprehensive roadmap and work plan for the next 40 months.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and presented at the very first Swedish Suicide Research Conference – a platform designed to promote high-quality, research-driven discussions on suicide and suicide prevention.

On Monday 26 May, starting at 18:30, the provider Artologik Survey & Report will conduct an update.

FyFa researcher Maria Lee has received a postdoctoral grant from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation: Wallenberg - Bienenstock Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme at Stanford. The grant funds two years of studies at Stanford.

The European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA) has announced Professor Lars Bäckman, Karolinska Institutet, as the recipient of the Aristotle Prize 2025. This distinguished award recognises individuals who have made a substantial and original contributions to psychology, particularly in the field of cognitive ageing.

On Friday, 16 May, this spring’s doctoral degree conferment ceremony will take place in the Blue Hall at Stockholm City Hall, where newly conferred doctors and honorary doctors will be celebrated. Medical students Nora Khatibi and Gottfrid Rehnman are two of the evening’s marshals. Here, they share insights into their roles – and how they prepare for the event.

A new study published in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery has found that deficits in the sense of smell, known as olfactory impairment, are significantly associated with increased mortality in older adults. The findings, based on data from over 2,500 participants in the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen, suggest that olfactory testing could serve as a valuable early indicator of broader health decline.

Hi Anna Rennie, doctoral student at the Division of Clinical Geriatrics. On June 9 you will defend your thesis ”Does white matter matter? Neuroimaging in dementia with Lewy bodies and related conditions.” What is the main focus of the thesis?

Welcome to Signild Kvart´s defense of the thesis ”Non-standard employment and health: Exploring the pathways to health inequality” on May 16th.

Alexander Waldthaler from the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit (GUT), at the Departmet of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH) is defending his thesis titled "Advanced techniques in ERCP", on 23 May, 2025. Main supervisor is Annika Bergquist (MedH).

A new study in the European Heart Journal shows that people who develop type 1 diabetes in adulthood have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death, and that those diagnosed later in life do not have a better prognosis than those diagnosed earlier. The study, conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet, points to smoking, poor glucose control and obesity as the main risk factors.

In May, Tasmin Hoque started as Financial controller at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH).

Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) is satisfied with KI’s action report, following the thematic evaluation of the nursing programs, and considers the measures implemented by KI to be reasonable and appropriate.

Swedish cancer patients treated with CAR T-cell therapy show better survival rates and fewer side effects than seen in previous studies. This is shown in a new compilation of Swedish treatment results conducted by researchers in the SWECARNET network.

Björn Reinius and Joyce Noble have developed a synthetic protection for RNA molecules that is stable and can be stored at room temperature. Their innovation simplifies aspects of biomedical research and enables new analytical methods. They are now awarded the 2025 Prize for innovation and utilisation for their work.

On April 23rd, the Department of Laboratory Medicine launched the "LabMed Connect seminar series", an initiative aimed at bringing people across the department closer together.

In keeping with tradition, the group's master's students presented a summary of their theses during the final research group meeting of the term. This year, six students had the opportunity to share their work with twenty group members who attended the meeting in person and online.

In a recent study published in Developmental Cell, researchers at Karolinska Institutet created a comprehensive map of neuroblastoma at the cellular level by integrating single-cell transcriptomics, single-cell multi-omics, and spatial transcriptomics.

Silvia Maioli and Francesca Eroli, from the Division of Neurogeriatrics at NVS, have written a popular science article published on the news platform The Conversation.

The Department of Physiology and Pharmacology celebrated 75 years since its royal inauguration on the Solna campus during 2024. But FyFa's history goes further back than that - and looks forward to many years of community and outstanding research and teaching. On 23 April, the department celebrates with a full day of lectures and a Dragons’ Den.

Pregnant women with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) have an increased risk of giving birth prematurely and the risk increase cannot be explained by obesity, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal eClinicalMedicine.

Hi there Clare Tazzeo! You will defend your thesis entitled "Investigating the interplay between frailty and healthcare utilization in older adults" on 26 May 2025. Could you tell us a little more?

The Crafoord Foundation 2025

A vitamin supplement that improves metabolism in the eye appears to slow down damage to the optic nerve in glaucoma. Promising results have been published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine. The researchers behind the study have now started a clinical trial on patients.

Karolinska Institutet has signed an agreement with Interflora for the purchase of bouquets and funeral flowers (dnr 2-4881/2024)

In the autumn of 2025, the training program "A Healthy School Start for Health and Learning" will be launched for the first time. It is aimed at school teams consisting of principals, school nurses, and teachers, offering a structured approach to support families in creating healthy habits.

We had a chat with the course leader Liselotte Schäfer Elinder to gain a deeper insight into the background of the training and what participants can expect.

Professor Eleni Aklillu has been appointed to lead the Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases subprogram within the Sweden–Tanzania research cooperation. Backed by Sida funding, the initiative will support the training of two PhD students to strengthen local research capacity in global health.

Professor Eleni Aklillu at the Department of Global Public Health has secured €1.3 million for an EU-funded project under TEI MAV+, aimed at strengthening clinical research and education in Rwanda. As part of a €10 million initiative led by Sida, the project will enhance clinical trial infrastructure, establish quality management systems, and introduce new PhD and master’s programs to empower future African scientists and health professionals.

Bacterial resistance negates the effect of antibiotics in the treatment of infection. Using mouse models, researchers now show that if antibiotics are administered with an enzyme called endolysin, the combined effect protects against infection by resistant bacteria in all bodily organs – including the brain, which antibiotics alone have difficulty reaching. The results are reported in the journal Molecular Medicine.

Despite rapid advances in genome and exome sequencing, many individuals with rare diseases remain undiagnosed. In a Perspective article published in Nature Genetics, researchers at Karolinska Institutet highlight how long-read whole genome sequencing, LR-WGS, offers a paradigm shift in genetic testing.

As of 15 March, Renee Gardner and Emilie Agardh started as research group leaders in the EPiCSS group. Read an interview with the new group leaders where they share their vision, the dynamics of their shared leadership, and even which song best represents their group.

Meet Josefine Östh, PhD, at GPH, who recently defended her Doctoral thesis on Mobile phone technology for reduced drinking. Read more about her experience and insights from being a PhD student at GPH.

Helena Nordenstedt is a Senior lecturer and associate professor in global health at GPH and expert coordinator at the Centre for Health Crises. She combines her research with clinical work in internal medicine at Danderyds sjukhus. Her projects range from infectious disease outbreaks to non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, focusing on low-income settings. We asked Helena to share the advantages and challenges of her dual role.

At the end of March, part of the GPH administration visited Makerere University’s School of Public Health (MakSPH) and College of Health Sciences (MakCHS), in Kampala Uganda. The visit aimed to strengthen collaboration, share administrative experiences, and explore opportunities for strengthening academic partnerships and administrative efficiency. The visit covered grants management, procurement, financial systems and processes, HR, and joint application strategies.

We recently asked two of our GPH colleagues, Jette Möller and Jhon Álvarez Ahlgren who participated in the PhD Conference to share their highlights from the day. Alongside their reflections, we share some photos capturing moments from the day.

The Docent Committee decided on the 29 of April 2025 to admit Kyla McKay as docent in public health, global health and social medicine.

A chance to welcome new KI students – in a paid role! We’re looking for students who want to work during the introduction week and at KI’s Welcome Days.

Curious about what a department coordinator does? Here you get an insight into Petra Helkala's daily work.

Dental professionals find it difficult to identify patients with severe dental anxiety. At the same time, patients are reluctant to talk about their fears and hope that the staff will understand anyway. This dilemma is described in a new thesis presented at the Department of Odontology at Karolinska Institutet.

Congratulations to Karl-Johan Malmberg, who has been awarded King Olav V's Cancer Research Prize for 2025. The prize is awarded annually to a researcher who has significantly improved the quality of Norwegian cancer research.

Klas Kärre, Professor Emeritus of Molecular Immunology at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, has been elected as an international member of the US National Academy of Sciences.

On April 15-16, the Department of Laboratory Medicine (Labmed) hosted "The Advancements in Stem Cells, Organoids, AI, and Regenerative Medicine", a highly attended conference which brought together a multidisciplinary community of researchers, clinicians, and industry experts from across the world.

A new study from Karolinska Institutet in collaboration with BUP Stockholm has conducted a pilot evaluation of a family-based cognitive behavioral therapy for adolescents with suicidal behavior. The study, published in the scientific journal BMJ Mental Health, shows that the treatment Safe Alternatives for Teens and Youths (SAFETY) may be a promising option for reducing suicide attempts.

Researchers from Aging Research Center (ARC), Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at Karolinska Institutet, in collaboration with National Family Care Competence Center (Nka), sent out a survey to 31,000 older adults to learn more about those that take care of a loved one, in or outside their homes. Turns out 2,157 people older than 65 years provide such care on a regular basis.