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On Monday, 5 September, the external investigators presented the results of their inquiry into Karolinska Institutet’s handling of visiting professor Paolo Macchiarini. Their report criticises KI on several counts, including that Macchiarini’s recruitment in 2010 and the extension of his contract in 2013 were pushed through improperly. The report also found that KI cannot be completely absolved of responsibility for the synthetic trachea transplantations at Karolinska University Hospital.

A special variant of a sugar molecule in the human nose might explain why pneumococcal infections are more common in humans than in other animals, researchers from Karolinska Institutet report in a study published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. The discovery can help in the search for a broader vaccine able to protect against all types of pneumococci.

Brian Hodges, Professor at the University of Toronto, Canada, is awarded the 2016 Karolinska Institutet Prize for Research in Medical Education. His research has led to changes in educational practice, both scientific and practical, in the training of health professionals around the world.

The sympathetic nerve system has long been thought to respond the same regardless of the physical or emotional stimulus triggering it. However, in a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, scientists show that the system comprises different neurons that regulate specific physiological functions, such as erectile muscle control.