News archive

Hanna Steurer, researcher at the Division of Speech and Language Pathology, has been awarded the Elsa and Inge Andersson Prize 2025 for the best thesis on Parkinson's disease.

We congratulate Buse Yel Bektash, PhD student at the Translational Psychiatry research group, who receives the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Excellence Award 2025.

We still don’t know which treatment works best for children with cleft lip, jaw and palate. Agneta Karsten studies how different surgical techniques and orthodontic treatments affects teeth, occlusion and facial growth – and when in life treatment should be carried out. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 9 October. 

KI is investing SEK 50 million in research into osteoporosis for better diagnostics, treatment and prevention. The large investment is made possible by a generous donation from Ebbe and Lena Krook. Part of the donation will finance a new endowment professorship at KI in the subject.

New research from Karolinska Institutet, published in Cell Reports Medicine, reveals that mantle cell lymphoma is more diverse than previously thought, highlighting the need for personalized therapies.

During the first week of October, Karolinska Institutet, together with the Nobel Prize Museum, invites you to inspiring events open to the public. Listen to a conversation about what 50 years of free abortion rights have meant for women's health, learn more about how the development of genetic engineering has affected us, or explore current research on water.

NextGenNK Director Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren presented on NK cell–based immunotherapies during the inauguration of the Karolinska ATMP Center on August 25, 2025, sharing experiences from past and upcoming clinical studies.

We congratulate Caroline Nordenvall, Docent and Lecturer in surgery, who was awarded the Major Research Award during the Surgeons' Week in Linköping 2025.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and SciLifeLab have developed a new method for detecting early signs that the disease type 1 diabetes is going to develop. The study, conducted in an experimental model, shows that analysing tiny amounts of blood can reveal disease-causing changes in the body, thereby enabling early treatment and disease prevention. The results have been published in the journal Diabetologia.

At the Teaching and Learning Unit, several educational developers work in different areas to support teachers and supervisors in their teaching. One of them is Helena Brodin, who contributes to creating the conditions for high-quality supervision of students who are doing work-based practice in healthcare.

A large international study led by researchers at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, shows that major depressive disorder (MDD) not only increases risk for a wide range of diseases and social problems, but is also partly driven by factors such as loneliness, obesity, smoking, and chronic pain.

Professor emeritus Peter Strang of Karolinska Institutet has been awarded the Swedish Government’s medal “Illis quorum meruere labores”. The Latin name of the medal means 'To those whose labors have deserved it'. He receives the award for his outstanding contributions and long-standing research in palliative medicine, particularly for highlighting the importance of existential perspectives in end-of-life care.

People with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to a new study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet. The findings, published in the journal Neurology, highlight the importance of early detection and treatment of metabolic risk factors.

Two new studies from Karolinska Institutet have investigated how mutations that occur in muscles and blood vessels over time can affect ageing. The studies, which are published in Nature Aging, show that such mutations can reduce muscle strength and accelerate blood vessel ageing. The results can be of significance to the treatment of age-related diseases.

A study recently published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology shows that cardiovascular health is affected not only by the total amount of physical activity, but also by how often you move during the day. Among the oldest participants, the study found that several short walks per day had a protective effect, regardless of pace. This correlation remained even when adjusted for total walking time.

Generous parental insurance can improve the mental health of new parents. However, the way the insurance is designed risks excluding those who need the support most. This is shown in a new doctoral thesis from Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University.

Karolinska Institutet (KI) retains its position as one of the world’s 50 highest-ranked universities in the 2025 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), also known as the Shanghai Ranking. The ARWU compares all higher education institutions with research activities, regardless of their focus or faculties. Harvard University is ranked highest, followed by Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Cambridge, which is unchanged from 2024.

Researchers at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology at Karolinska Institutet have co-authored a study published in Cell, which introduces a novel approach to antibiotic design using generative deep learning. The study, which is an international collaboration between Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Karolinska Institutet, leverages deep learning to generate structurally novel antibiotics and proteomics to identify the cognate targets on a cell-wide scale.

A new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in Cell Reports Medicine, shows that follicular lymphoma (FL), a common type of blood cancer, is not one single disease but consists of three genetically distinct subtypes. The findings may help doctors diagnose and treat patients more accurately in the future.

Shireen Sindi at NVS and her team have been awarded this major award. It is the first time an applicant from Karolinska Institutet (KI) has received such a large award from Wellcome Leap, with whom KI has had an agreement since 2021.

According to a study by Karolinska Institutet, nearly three times as many people under the age of 50 in Sweden are diagnosed with colorectal cancer today compared with the early 1990s. The study also shows that mortality is elevated in both younger and older patients for up to ten years after diagnosis.

People who have had COVID-19 are at increased risk of developing certain inflammatory diseases of the airways, such as asthma, hay fever and chronic sinusitis. However, vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus appears to reduce the risk, according to a comprehensive epidemiological study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet.

People who take medication for ADHD have a lower risk of suicide attempts, substance abuse, traffic accidents, and criminality than people with ADHD who do not take medication. This is shown in a new study by researchers from Karolinska Institutet and University of Southampton, published in the journal BMJ.

Becoming an adult is challenging for most people, but for individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions, the transition to adulthood can be particularly demanding. In her dissertation, researcher Maria Löthberg at KI explored how the service support in daily living can be improved to better meet the needs of these young individuals. "The TRANSITION program was an effective tool for making the support more individualized and for increasing participant user involvement," she says

This intensive blended learning course equips PhD researchers with the entrepreneurial mindset, skills, and tools needed to transform scientific discoveries into viable innovations.

Laura Danti from the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit (GUT), at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH) defends her thesis titled "Modelling Ovarian Development Using Human Pluripotent Stem Cells", on 15 August, 2025. Main supervisor is Juha Kere (MedH).

A new study has identified genetic variants linked to brain function, immune defence and metabolism that contribute to the development of frailty in older people. The study, published in Nature Aging by researchers from Karolinska Institutet, provides new biological insights into the onset of frailty.

Reaching the age of 100 does not necessarily mean a life fraught with illness. A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that centenarians not only live longer, they also stay healthier than other older people, with fewer diseases that develop more slowly.

The most important party of the summer took place on 2 August when KI's students, alumni and staff danced in the colourful Pride parade in Stockholm. For many participants, this was the best day of the summer when leading universities gathered under the Academic Pride flag and the focus was on inclusion and human rights.

A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that healthcare workers in Sweden have a higher risk of suicide compared to other occupational groups with similar professional levels. The study highlights the risks for physicians, registered nurses, and assistant nurses in particular.

A healthy diet can slow down the accumulation of chronic diseases in older adults, while inflammatory diets accelerate it. This is shown by a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in Nature Aging.

New research from Karolinska Institutet demonstrates a link between inflammatory bowel disease and faster cognitive decline among dementia patients. The study, which is published in the scientific journal Gut, indicates a need for personalised treatments, researchers say.

Every year, the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association's Research Fund awards the Kerstin Hejdenberg Scholarship to doctoral students in paediatric allergological research. Four of the recipients of this year's scholarship are researchers at Karolinska Institutet.

KI researcher Mai-Lis Hellenius has written several books with research-based advice for a healthy life that prevents cardiovascular disease and other ill-health. Her latest book has just won an important award linked to a health initiative with other KI researchers in Estonia, a country with a high mortality rate from cardiovascular disease.

In a study conducted in Uganda and published in JAMA Surgery, researchers from Karolinska Institutet evaluated a new surgical method for treating groin hernias in women. The method could become an alternative in resource-limited settings where laparoscopic techniques are not generally available.

The Swedish Society for Virology has awarded the Pandemifonden Fenyö Prize for 2024 to Daniel Sheward, Assistant Professor at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet.

For the 13th time, International Week has been organized by the international team at the Division of Occupational Therapy at NVS. The initiative, which started in 2012 through a collaboration with Uganda via the Linnaeus-Palme program, aims to create a vibrant international learning environment with a focus on professional identity in healthcare from a global perspective.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified over 250 proteins that are strongly affected by malaria, which could help predict the severity of the disease and thus enable faster treatment for the most critical patients.

Professor Gonçalo Castelo-Branco at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, KI, has been awarded the ERC Proof of Concept grant by the European Research Council (ERC). This grant will support the MeTLAND project, which could lead to a fundamental change in the field of epigenomics and personalised treatments for diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis. This is the third time Gonçalo Castelo-Branco has been awarded an ERC grant.

David Moulaee Conradsson has been the new research group leader for the REACH research group since this spring.

Women diagnosed with premenstrual symptoms have a slightly increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life. This is shown by a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in Nature Cardiovascular Research.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have discovered a previously unknown molecule that may explain why people with type 2 diabetes often suffer from muscle weakness and muscle loss – a condition that has a major impact on quality of life and overall health.

Pete Williams, senior lecturer and research group leader at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, has been appointed professor of visual science. The professorship is funded by the Ulla and Ingemar Dahlberg Foundation and has the full name “Ulla and Ingemar Dahlberg's professorship in visual science with specialisation in ocular neurobiology”.

A new study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital shows that patients diagnosed with the rare skin cancers mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome face a significantly higher risk of dying from lymphoma and infections compared to the general population. The study was recently published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

People who have survived cancer as children are at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19, even decades after their diagnosis. This is shown by a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.

Children born by planned C-section have an increased risk of developing acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) later in life. This is shown by a study conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet. The researchers emphasise that the risk remains low.

A study in the journal Science presents compelling new evidence that neurons in the brain’s memory centre, the hippocampus, continue to form well into late adulthood. The research from Karolinska Institutet provides answers to a fundamental and long-debated question about the human brain’s adaptability.

A new study from Karolinska Institutet, shows that artificial intelligence (AI) combined with portable digital microscopy improves the detection of intestinal worm infections, so-called soil-transmitted helminth (STH) in resource-limited settings. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, compared traditional manual microscopy with two AI-based methods for diagnosing soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) in stool samples from schoolchildren in Kenya.

Pathologists' examinations of tissue samples from skin cancer tumours improved when they were assisted by an AI tool. The assessments became more consistent and patients' prognoses were described more accurately. This is shown by a study led by Karolinska Institutet, conducted in collaboration with researchers from Yale University.

A recent study published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health reveals that physical activity and sedentary behaviour vary significantly by sex and educational level, but less so by the presence of chronic disease. The study, conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet, provides important insights into how different populations engage in physical activity and sedentary behaviour.