News archive

Karolinska Institutet has appointed Professor Karin Dahlman-Wright as director of KI’s new research infrastructure organisation, RIKI, with effect from 1 April. RIKI provides the tools, methods, technologies and networks that researchers need in their work.

The KI Housing office will be closed for the Easter holidays from lunchtime on April 2 through April 6.

Meis Omran has been awarded the Pfizer and Swedish Society of Oncology (SOF) postdoctoral research fellowship. The SEK 250,000 award supports her study exploring how patients with a hereditary risk of cancer experience the transition from paediatric to adult healthcare.

Genetic markers may be the key to more precise surveillance programs for individuals with the hereditary cancer syndrome Li-Fraumeni. In a new doctoral thesis from Karolinska Institutet, Alexander Sun Zhang shows how tailored follow-up strategies can reduce the burden on patients, particularly children. These findings have already influenced the Swedish national guidelines.

Older people with a genetic risk of Alzheimer's disease did not experience the expected increase in cognitive decline and dementia risk if they consumed relatively large amounts of meat. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in JAMA Network Open. The results may contribute to the development of more individually tailored dietary advice.

Karolinska Institutet is recognising three students who, during the academic year 2024/2025, have offered particularly engaging accounts of their international experiences.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have created the first detailed map showing how genetic activity is controlled in individual cells of the adult human brain and spinal cord. The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, show that oligodendroglia, the cells that form the brain’s insulating myelin, retain an “epigenetic memory” of developmental programs long after these genes are no longer active.

GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs, commonly used to treat diabetes and obesity, are associated with a reduced need for hospital care and sickness absence due to mental ill-health in people with depression or anxiety. This is according to a large, register-based study published in The Lancet Psychiatry by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, the University of Eastern Finland, and Griffith University in Australia.

A new method makes it possible to generate gene-targeted CAR-T cells inside the body to attack tumours, report researchers at Karolinska Institutet and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in Nature. The study demonstrates that several types of cancer in mice can be treated without the immune cells needing to be extracted and processed in a laboratory.

Karolinska Institutet is launching the KI Pedagogical Fund–supported project Teaching for Tomorrow (TfT): Equipping teachers to prepare future ready KI students through integration of Agenda 2030, an initiative designed to strengthen educators’ capacity to design inclusive, equitable, and sustainability aligned curricula across the health and life sciences.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified an epigenetic mechanism that allows the brain’s own immune cells to counteract glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer. By reducing the activity of a specific enzyme in these immune cells, tumour growth was slowed in animal models.

Treating insulin resistance before a stroke may be more important for recovery than lowering blood sugar. This is shown by a new study on mice from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Diabetes. The results suggest that low-grade inflammation may be a contributing factor.

This spring, University Alliance Stockholm Trio is organising a webinar on research ethics and AI, with the title "What Counts as Responsible Research in the Age of Generative AI? Norms, Limits, and Governance".

The study “Reducing MRI Use in Organised Prostate Cancer Testing Using Blood-Based Biomarkers - the OPT Stockholm3 Study” (Falagario et al.) from Karolinska Institutet and Region Stockholm has been awarded First Prize for Best Oncology Abstract at the 41st Annual Congress of the European Association of Urology (EAU) in London 2026.

A private donation from Sally Cahill, USA, to researchers at Karolinska Institutet could make a new treatment for severe rheumatoid arthritis a reality. The method, which involves stimulating a nerve in the ear with a weak electric signal, has so far delivered promising results.

Are you studying medicine, biomedicine, or life sciences at KI and curious about the future of brain research?

Karolinska ATMP Center, a collaboration between Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, has opened a new mRNA infrastructure at the pre-GMP facility on the Flemingsberg campus. This environment provides researchers and clinicians with the opportunity to produce mRNA and formulate it in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for research purposes.

The Unit for Teaching and Learning (UoL) welcomed colleagues from the Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA) - Ana Luiza Pires de Freitas, Associate Professor and UFCSPA Internationalisation at Home Coordinator, and Daniela Levandowski, Associate Professor and General Coordinator of the UFCSPA postgraduate programmes - from 9th to 13th March 2026.

Hanne Åström from the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit (GUT), at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH), is defending her thesis with the title "Epidemiological aspects of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease", on 20 mars 2026. Main supervisor is Hannes Hagström.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed a rapid and cost efficient sequencing method that can identify antibiotic resistance within the same working day. The technique, called s5PSeq, measures how bacterial ribosomes respond within minutes after exposure to an antibiotic, offering a molecular readout of growth instead of waiting for traditional cultures.

“Journées CORTICO 2026”, the symposium in the fields of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI), Neurotechnology and Cognitive Neuroscience, will take place on May 18-20, 2026, at the University of Lille, France.

A new research initiative at Karolinska Institutet aims to understand how chronic pain arises and how it might be switched off at its source. The project, “A Game-Changing Therapy for Lasting Pain Relief”, has now received support from the Promobilia Foundation.

Simple field-based tests of muscle strength can provide early clues about the risk of developing several long-term illnesses. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

For neurodivergent people, noise and crowding can become decisive obstacles. Mo Sarraf studies how cities can be planned to better accommodate these needs.

Many women with breast cancer receive endocrine therapy, also known as anti-hormonal therapy, to reduce the risk of the disease returning. However, for a significant group, the treatment does not work as intended. A new doctoral thesis from Karolinska Institutet maps tumours from patients who have experienced a relapse in their disease despite ongoing endocrine therapy, to understand why the treatment fails and how these patients can be identified earlier.

Patients with experience of self-admission describe increased autonomy, improved conditions for recovery and reduced strain in relationships with relatives. They also report that access to self-admission provides a greater sense of security and greater room for manoeuvre in everyday life. This is shown in a new study from the Centre for Psychiatry Research at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, in collaboration with Region Stockholm.

The immune system in the uterus can regenerate after both uterus transplantation and bone marrow transplantation. This is shown by a new study from Karolinska Institutet that has been published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. The new insights into how the uterine immune environment functions may be significant for the treatment of infertility and complications during pregnancy.

Two Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships and a Walter-Benjamin-Postdoctoral Fellowship (German Research foundation, DFG) have been granted to outstanding early-career scientists at the Division of Molecular Metabolism (MolMet) at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. The fellowships are highly competitive and prestigious.

The application for Minor Field Studies (MFS) for the autumn semester of 2026 is now open. The scholarship provides students with the opportunity to conduct a field study in a low- or middle-income country as part of their degree project. The application deadline is 17 April, 2026.

Radboud University organizes a one-week immersive course to explore how neurotechnologies shape everyday life through key clinical applications. Through lectures, hands-on demonstrations, and user interactions, participants examine the technical, clinical, and ethical dimensions of neurotechnology, supported by expertise from Radboud University and NeurotechEU partners.

When an AI system in health care gives a confident answer, should clinicians trust it? In a new article from Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, KI researcher Farhad Abtahi and colleagues argue that the question itself is wrong, and that the entire field needs to rethink how medical AI systems are designed. Here he develops his reasoning.

Finn Åkerström from the Integrative Cardiovascular, Cancer and Ageing Research unit (ICCA), at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH), defends his thesis titled "Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: Technological Advancements and Long-term Effects on Morbidity and Mortality.", on 13 March 2026. Main supervisor is Nikola Drca.

Behavioural changes – such as anxiety, depression, irritability, apathy or agitation, collectively known as neuropsychiatric symptoms – may appear long before a dementia diagnosis. A new study from Karolinska Institutet and the University of Perugia, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, shows that these symptoms form recognizable patterns across older adults ranging from cognitively unimpaired to those with dementia.

The healing of the spinal cord depends on carefully timed interactions between injured nerve cells and their surrounding environment, according to a new study published in Science Advances by researchers at Karolinska Institutet.

Despite a strained healthcare situation and concerns about delayed diagnoses, childhood cancer survival in Sweden remained stable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of diagnoses varied somewhat between cancer types, but researchers found no evidence of poorer survival during the first year after diagnosis.

The Lundbeck Foundation in Denmark has awarded Professor Patrik Ernfors The Brain Prize 2026 for groundbreaking discoveries about how the nervous system interprets touch and pain. His research has clarified key aspects of somatosensation, the body’s ability to sense the physical world, and opened new opportunities for developing treatments for long lasting pain. He shares the prize with Professor David Ginty, Harvard Medical School.

The research group led by Craig Wheelock at the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM) has recently enhanced its analytical capabilities with the acquisition of two new mass spectrometers. With a total of six instruments now operational, the Wheelock Lab has become one of the most comprehensively equipped mass spectrometry facilities in its field.

Emma R Andersson, senior researcher and associate professor at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, and Joanna Rorbach, senior researcher at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, have been awarded the Göran Gustafsson Prize by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed a technique that shows how proteins interact with RNA, the molecule that carries genetic instructions inside our cells. The study, published in Nucleic Acids Research, offers new insight into an important layer of gene regulation that can lead to better understanding of disease mechanisms.

During the consultation period 5–22 March, researchers and employees at KI have the opportunity to influence the first proposal for KI's local level-graded journal list (KI-JL). All publishing researchers or researchers who are peer reviewers for journals are encouraged to participate in the consultation.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed a computational method capable of simulating the movements of some of the cell’s largest protein complexes. The study is published in Nature Communications.

People who use drugs with anticholinergic effects, including certain antidepressants, drugs for urinary incontinence and common antihistamines, are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in BMC Medicine.

Fee-paying master students who wish to secure accommodation for the autumn semester are urged to submit their housing application before the 14th of June, 2026.

A new international report published in United European Gastroenterology Journal and led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet presents the first clear definition and diagnostic criteria for fatty pancreas. The consensus aims to improve communication between clinicians, support future research and create more consistent patient care worldwide.

New funding from Region Stockholm in collaboration with Karolinska Institutet will support advanced research into cluster headache at the university. By combining genetic studies with sleep and circadian rhythm research, the project seeks to improve care for a patient group with a high disease burden and risk of misdiagnosis.

Frustration behind the wheel can increase the risk of accidents – but that is far from the only danger. Meet three researchers who are interested in road safety.

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), used to treat genetic diseases, can affect how cells repair damage to their DNA. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Nature Communications. The findings may have implications for the development of future genetic medicines and deepen our understanding of how RNA, natural counterparts to ASOs, participate in DNA repair systems.

Achilleas Fardellas from the Center for Infectious Medicine (CIM), at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH), defends his thesis titled "Regulation of Macrophage Function by ADAR1 in Metabolic Disease", on 6 March 2026. Main supervisor is Niklas Björkström.

Nikki Svärdsén began to question why she was so rarely satisfied with her body. Through her Instagram account, she found a new way of looking at herself.

When Fredrik Boltes weighed 160 kilos, he felt it was time to find out more about what a gastric bypass actually involves. This led to a life-changing journey and an acclaimed documentary.