News archive

Professor Anna Martling at Karolinska Institutet has been elected an Honorary Fellow of the American Surgical Association (ASA), one of the world’s most prestigious surgical organisations. The election was conferred at the ASA Annual Meeting in Seattle on 23 April 2026.

The first phase of the external evaluation of research at Karolinska Institutet has now been completed. The review is conducted by an international expert panel, which highlights the need for a clearer strategic framework, stronger internal communication, and further development of leadership and career pathways.

Older people, particularly women, who start treatment with thiazide-type diuretics are at increased risk of developing low sodium levels in the blood. This is shown by a large registry study from the Karolinska Institutet published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

What does an anthro-ethnologist and zoonotic virologists have in common? In the case of those who attended the Nordic Universities Health Crises Network’s two-day meeting at Karolinska Institutet (KI) in April, the common denominator was that they work in areas that connects research and policy, with a special focus on crisis. The meeting explored how universities can remain relevant during crises and strengthen societal engagement, so that they can be a supportive partner to the rest of society

New clues from genetic research may help explain what causes the most common heart defect present at birth. Researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Karolinska Institutet have identified rare DNA changes during fetal development that can lead to the aortic valve forming with only two cusps instead of three, a condition known as bicuspid aortic valve (BAV).

A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that gene analysis of breast cancer tumours can identify patients who do not benefit from chemotherapy given before surgery. The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, could in the long term contribute to more personalised treatment.

Amanda Andersson-Rolf at Karolinska Institutet has been awarded the Swedish Foundations’ Starting Grant 2026. With this funding, she will study acinar cells in the pancreas – research that may contribute to new treatments for pancreatitis.

The Activity Report 2023–2025 provides an overview of ARC’s multidisciplinary research on brain ageing, dementia, mental health, geroscience, multimorbidity, frailty, health inequalities, care organisation, and social relations in older age.

Adopted children who have grown up in more favourable family environments than their siblings are at lower risk of mental health issues, criminality and social problems – benefits that, in some cases, extend to the next generation. These are the findings of a new study of Swedish siblings published in The BMJ.

Blood protein levels change markedly already during childhood and adolescence, and differences between girls and boys become increasingly pronounced with age. This is shown by a new study in Nature Communications from Karolinska Institutet in collaboration with colleagues from SciLifeLab and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The results suggest that blood protein levels change over the course of a lifetime, rendering adult reference values inadequate for children and adolescents.

Torbjörn Tomson, professor at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, has been awarded the European Epileptology Award. The award is presented by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), and Tomson is receiving it in recognition of his work to advance knowledge of anti-epileptic drugs and epilepsy during pregnancy, amongst other achievements.

Autism and ADHD are defined based on diagnostic criteria that focus on difficulties. In a new doctoral thesis at Karolinska Institutet, psychologist Lovisa Alehagen shows how a focus on everyday functioning can provide a more comprehensive picture of the individual, using the WHO classification ICF and a digital platform for functional assessment.

Andrew P. Feinberg, Foreign Adjunct Professor within the Translational Psychiatry research group at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, has been awarded the 2026 AACR-G.H.A. Clowes Award for Outstanding Basic Cancer Research.

Despite new diagnostic methods and expanded vaccination programmes, many children in Uganda continue to suffer from severe brain infections. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Africa. The researchers’ analysis highlights simple clinical signs that can help healthcare providers more quickly identify children at high risk of death.

Professor Karl-Johan Malmberg is awarded Tobiaspriset 2026 for his research on cell-based immunotherapy for blood cancers. The prize sum of SEK 10 million will be allocated at SEK 2 million per year over a five-year period.

People who have experienced adverse childhood experiences are at increased risk of developing depression later in life that is difficult to treat. This is shown in a new twin study from Karolinska Institutet based on Swedish twin data, published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Most older adults maintain stable cognitive functioning, independence and healthy social lives as they age, according to a new longitudinal study from Karolinska Institutet. The findings also show that stronger social support may help some people cope with declining cognition without losing everyday independence.

Karolinska Institutet Innovation is now being launched, offering staff and students support in testing their ideas. The ultimate aim is to ensure research is converted into innovations that serve the public and patients’ best interests.

Students at Karolinska Institutet are invited to take part in a survey about their experiences of equal opportunities. The results will help develop a more inclusive and fair study environment.

The Karolinska Institutet Centre for AI Innovation is to serve as a support centre and skills hub. Here, two of its representatives argue that the healthcare profession needs to be in the driver’s seat so that the technology is adapted to the users rather than vice versa.

In less than two years, Professor Robert Harris at Karolinska Institutet has reached more than 16 million people through his engagement on the social media platform LinkedIn. He has now been admitted to Le Centile, an exclusive international network for leading digital creators.

A researcher at Karolinska Institutet has been awarded a three-year fellowship from the US Alzheimer’s Association to study a new, non-invasive way of delivering potential treatments to the brain in Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr Ann-Sofie Rudberg, a researcher at Karolinska Institutet and a neurologist at Danderyd Hospital, has received significant grants from the Kamprad Foundation and the Swedish Epilepsy Fund for research into drug-resistant epilepsy and dietary treatment.

Ahmadreza Djalali has been imprisoned in Iran for ten years, facing the threat of execution. The case of this KI researcher highlights a growing threat to academic freedom – even in Western countries such as Sweden.

How do we make decisions – and why do we sometimes fail?

The University of Bonn and Radboud University are pleased to invite applications for the Joint Autumn School on Decision-Making, organised within the NeurotechEU alliance.

Charlotte Ytterberg, at the Division of Physiotherapy, has been awarded SEK 2.7 million in continued funding from the Kamprad Family Foundation for the project Improved Communication in Healthcare – Implementation of Teach Back.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and KTH Royal Institute of Technology have developed an improved method for creating insulin-producing cells from human stem cells. The results, published in Stem Cell Reports, demonstrate that these cells effectively regulate blood sugar levels in laboratory tests and can reverse diabetes in mice.

Karolinska Institutet's organisation for research infrastructure, RIKI, is now approaching the end of Phase 1 and the beginning of Phase 2. Next in line for organisational transfer is KI Biobank which is proceeding according to plan.

The demand for specialised, evidence-based menopause care is increasing across Sweden. Registration has now opened for Karolinska Institutet’s new professional education course, which provides midwives with expertise to develop and lead menopause care in their own organisations—in line with the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare’s new national guidelines.

Mosquito-borne viral diseases such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya are spreading to new regions as the climate becomes warmer. A new study from Karolinska Institutet and Institut Pasteur, published in Nature Communications, shows that a newly developed blood test can distinguish between similar viruses and thereby contribute to better surveillance of how these infections spread.

Rasmus Stenlid has been awarded the Wallenberg–Bienenstock Postdoctoral Fellowship, a grant funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The aim is to give outstanding researchers who have recently completed their PhDs at a Swedish university the opportunity to conduct postdoctoral research at Stanford University.

The Faculty Board at Karolinska Institutet has decided to launch a new call for Assistant Professor positions in 2026, with the possibility of co‑funding up to 20 posts.

An anterior cruciate ligament injury is a serious knee injury that often affects young, physically active people. On April 30, Dzan Rizvanovic will defend his thesis "Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: rationale for graft choice and treatment of associated injuries" in which he has investigated how treatment choice affects outcomes after ACL reconstruction.

The Hagströmer Library and Karolinska Institutet's cultural heritage collections have launched a new website with a brand new online catalogue. Now you can explore Karolinska Institutet's unique cultural heritage for yourself!

To provide timely and effective support, we need to understand more than symptoms and diagnoses. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet are therefore working to make it easier to build a holistic picture of how an autistic person or a person with ADHD functions in everyday life and in their surrounding context. The aim is to enable earlier, more individualized support—both within healthcare and beyond.

On Saturday, March 21st, StratNeuro hosted the annual “En Resa Genom Hjärnan 2026” as part of Brain Awareness Week 2026. It offered a day filled with activities for all ages, from hands-on experiments and interactive demonstrations to engaging talks with leading researchers.

The Swedish Research Council has recommended that the Government fund a new Strategic Research Area (SFO) in climate research, with Karolinska Institutet as one of the participating universities. The initiative, known as the Stockholm Centre for Climate Transition (ClimTrio), aims to develop knowledge on how the transition to a climate-resilient society can be effective, equitable and sustainable in the long term.

Hi Johanna Danielsson, PhD student at the Division of Physiotherapy. On April 17 you will defend your thesis ”Targeting low physical fitness in older adults with colorectal cancer : a personalized approach to preoperative exercise”. What is the main focus of your thesis?

The Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics (LIME) was established to serve as a space where medicine meets other fields of science. Now, the spotlight is on LIME’s interdisciplinary approach and unique expertise in a special issue of Socialmedicinskt Tidskrift (translates to Journal of Social Medicine).

A research team from Finland has presented the initial findings from the sampling carried out in connection with the return of skulls from 82 Finnish individuals by Sweden and the Karolinska Institutet two years ago.

On 18 March 2026, StratNeuro partnered with The Cell to host students from Järva Gymnasium for an engaging afternoon focused on neuroscience. The programme provided a unique opportunity to explore current research and engage with scientists and students, offering insight into academic pathways and life in science. The event was part of Brain Awareness Week (16-22 March 2026).

The composition of gut bacteria appears to be associated with how much latent HIV remains in the blood of people receiving antiretroviral therapy. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in Gut Pathogens. The findings offer clues as to how the gut microbiome may influence the amount of virus that persists in the body.

Anaemia detected in healthcare is associated with an increased risk of both cancer and higher mortality. This is shown in a new population-based study from Karolinska Institutet, published in BMJ Oncology. The findings may help guide clinical follow-up of patients with anaemia in routine care.

KI Transdisciplinary Research Center for Personalized Dementia Prevention & Care (TraCedem), held its kick-off on 1 April 2026, at Karolinska Institutet. The newly established centre brings together researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders to advance dementia research across the full care pathway.

Most people with thyroid disease benefit from established treatments, but not all. In his thesis, Fredric Hedberg has studied treatments used when standard therapy is insufficient in hyper- and hypothyroidism; iodine solution (Lugol’s solution) and combination therapy with the thyroid hormone T3. The results contribute to increased knowledge about these treatments.

Why do some people, though not all, develop several long-term illnesses and functional impairments as they get older? A new research project at Karolinska Institutet aims to find answers by looking at ageing as a connected whole, rather than a set of separate diseases.

Are you a student at KI and curious about the opportunities your education can lead to? In this new mentoring programme, you will be matched with a KI alumni who will share their experiences and reflect with you on possible career paths.

Abigail Dove, researcher at Karolinska Institutet, has been awarded the SSMF Postdoctoral Grant 2026 for a project investigating how cardiometabolic conditions such as obesity, high blood sugar and high blood pressure are linked to brain ageing and dementia.

The Department of Oncology‑Pathology at Karolinska Institutet has announced the recipients of the 2026 Blue Sky Grant, an internal funding call aimed at supporting innovative, cross‑disciplinary research led by early‑career researchers.

Professor Brian Hodges, already a familiar face at KI, has in recent years explored the potential influence of AI on medical education and assessment methods for students. In his new role as a visiting professor, he will contribute to a strategic initiative aimed at advancing the field of medical education research at KI.