News archive

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.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have discovered a new mechanism behind blood vessel damage in type 2 diabetes. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, shows that small vesicles from red blood cells can transfer harmful signal molecules to the blood vessels and impair their function.

The debate on nature versus nurture has never ceased, particularly in discussions about neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) such as autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These lifelong conditions emerge in childhood, and while they mostly have genetic nature, environmental factors may play a role.

A new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in BMJ Global Health, shows that one in eight patients admitted to hospitals are critically ill, and most of these patients are cared for outside intensive care units. The researchers behind the study believe that simple but underutilised care could save many lives at a low cost.

The room in Biomedicum at Karolinska Institutet campus in Solna was packed on 20 March, when researchers and members of staff from government agencies and county councils gathered to share their experiences of register-based research and data release during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many had encountered similar problems, especially with long lead times and the difficulty of obtaining real-time data, but there were also several successes to highlight and learn from.

A comprehensive study from Karolinska Institutet shows that people with fatty liver disease have almost twice the mortality rate of the general population. They have an increased risk of dying from both liver diseases and common diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, according to the study published in The Journal of Hepatology.

In a study on ovarian cancer cells, researchers from Karolinska Institutet demonstrate how the tumor environment influences how cancer cells respond to drugs by using AI. The study has been published in the journal Communications Biology.

This year, the Swedish Rheumatism Association (Reumatikerförbundet) is awarding almost SEK 14 million to research into rheumatic diseases. What unites many research projects is a clear focus on personalised diagnostics and treatment. Of the total of 87 research projects in this year's allocation, 32 are conducted at KI.

Andri Papakonstantinou has been awarded the Pfizer and Swedish Society of Oncology’s (SOF) research scholarship in oncology for postdoctoral researchers in 2025. The scholarship was presented at SOF's annual meeting in Sundsvall on March 20th.

Professor Rolf Kiessling at Karolinska Institutet has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 CIMT Lifetime Achievement Award for his groundbreaking discovery of natural killer (NK) cells, which has significantly advanced our understanding of the immune response to viruses and cancer cells.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) find it harder to get pregnant, have more frequent miscarriages and have a higher risk of developing endometrial cancer. Now, in a new study published in Nature Medicine, Swedish researchers have shown that the uterine lining of these women differs in terms of both the composition of individual cells and gene expression. The results open the door to new drug treatments.

In an evaluation presented on 19 March, the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) states that certain areas of biomedical analyst programmes throughout the country need to be improved in order for students to receive the best possible education. At the same time, there are strengths in the programmes that can inspire further development, according to the results from UKÄ.

On Saturday, March 15th, StratNeuro hosted the annual En Resa Genom Härnan event as part of Brain Awareness Week 2025.

The biotech company Magnephy is developing new methods to analyze tissue biopsies using optical 3D microscopy and sample clearing. This technique enables whole-tissue diagnostics and in-situ drug testing.

Rebecka Hultgren has been appointed as Head of the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, MMK. The decision was signed by Dean Carl Johan Sundberg on March 7, 2025. Rebecka Hultgren will take over the assignment as head from Anders Franco-Cereceda on June 1, 2025.

In autumn of 2022, Jennie Gustavsson was diagnosed with rectal cancer. In March 2024, she learnt that the disease was incurable.

A few years ago, Krister Sjörén started having a pain in his back and shoulder, especially when he worked out where certain movements became difficult to perform. At the health centre, the doctor could not provide any explanation. He did not take a PSA test either, which Krister find difficult to forgive him for.

Lisa Sand is a social worker who has worked as a counsellor with terminally ill and dying patients since the 1980s. She completed her PhD and defended her thesis in which patients were interviewed about the existential crisis that arises when death becomes a reality.

Malin Eneslätt wants to initiate more conversations about death, dying and grief. This can be done, for example, with the help of the DöBra card deck, which will now be produced in digital form.

Children who are dying often understand that they are indeed dying. A major task for healthcare professionals is to help children, parents and siblings to talk about it. But how do you do that?

We have all been born, and we will all die. But how do we want to die, and how can the final period be as good as possible? Researchers in palliative care aim to improve the quality of life for people with incurable diseases. Another important task is to achieve more equitable access to this care.

Medical history researcher and general practitioner Jonatan Wistrand at Lund University is awarded the prize for his outstanding doctoral thesis 'Doctors as Patients', which explores doctors' own experiences of illness throughout history.

Patients who have been treated for heart failure and experience an improvement of their pump function, are still at higher risk of heart-related death or hospitalisation if they stop taking heart failure medications. This is according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the top-ranked journal Circulation.

Olga Rivera Ballesteros from the Center for Infectious Medicine (CIM) at the Departmet of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH) is defending her thesis titled "Circulating and Resident Memory T cell functions in viral diseases", on 21 March, 2025. Main supervisor is Marcus Buggert (MedH).

This year's awarded research grant from the Swedish Kidney Foundation (Njurfonden) was a record amount, seven and a half million SEK for kidney research. About half, SEK 3,450,000, goes to projects at Karolinska Institutet.

NASP and The Swedish Suicide Research Conference (SSRC) is excited to announce the recipients of its early-career researcher scholarships. These scholarships aim to support promising researchers by providing financial assistance to attend the conference and present their work.

Hanna Gräs, 24, has always had a passion for medicine and research. How she would get there, however, was not as clear. From growing up in a Stockholm suburb to studying in the English-taught master's programme in translational physiology and pharmacology, her ongoing journey towards a career in life sciences is both exciting and challenging.

The aim of the newly established Centre for AI Innovation at Karolinska Institutet is to support and expedite the development of AI innovations in healthcare. “While AI has huge potential, there are many factors to take into account before AI solutions can become practicable,” says the centre’s director Johanna Furuhjelm.

On March 11th, 2025, StratNeuro partnered with The Cell at Forskaren to host a dynamic and engaging event as part of Brain Awareness Week (March 10–16, 2025).

The Committee for Research at Karolinska Institutet has, after a careful inventory, decided to award Eric Thelin's research group, active at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, SEK 730,000 from a donation bequeathed by Erik Gut.

In multiple sclerosis (MS), antibodies to the common Epstein-Barr virus can accidentally attack a protein in the brain and spinal cord. New research shows that the combination of certain viral antibodies and genetic risk factors can be linked to a greatly increased risk of MS. The study has been published in the journal PNAS and led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, and Stanford University School of Medicine, USA.

Researchers who are awarded a Göran Gustafsson Prize are among Sweden's foremost under 45 years of age in their field. One of this year's five Göran Gustafsson Prize winners is KI researcher Laura Baranello, who is being recognized for “groundbreaking studies on the regulation of topoisomerases and their role in tumor biology”. The aim of the research is a new strategy for less intrusive cancer treatments.

His research shows molecular changes in brain cells when a person develops multiple sclerosis (MS). But it is still unclear whether these changes contribute to - or even protect against - the development of the disease. Gonçalo Castelo-Branco is open to the answer.

KI has been actively involved at different levels in drawing up a new strategy for research, development and education (RDE) at Karolinska University Hospital that aims to enhance the hospital’s academic environment, improve access to health data, double external research funding and promote early career development in research.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified a previously unknown mechanism that affects the ability of cancer cells to spread in the body. The study, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, shows that a process called chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) may function as a natural defense mechanism against metastases.

Elevated concentrations of fluoride can occur in well water, and in some countries, it is added to drinking water to counteract caries in the population. A study from Karolinska Institutet now supports a few previous studies indicating that exposure to fluoride during the fetal stage or early childhood may impair cognition in children. The study is published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

EuroJEM is a new infrastructure for occupational exposure matrices in Europe created within the EU Horizon 2020 project EPHOR.

In May, the Swedish Suicide Research Conference (SSRC) will take place, bringing together national and international experts and researchers in suicidology and suicide prevention – secure your ticket today.

Hi Elin Uzunel, doctoral student at the Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, NVS. On March 14, you will defend your thesis ”Fragility fractures, self-rated health and treatment with a spinal orthosis in older women in primary health care”. What is the main focus of the thesis?

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified a new mechanism that may improve the treatment of ischemic stroke. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, shows that the growth factor PDGF-CC and its receptor PDGFRα play a crucial role in scar formation in the brain after an ischemic stroke.

The Shaffer Prize recognizes a researcher whose project best exemplifies the pursuit of innovative ideas in the quest to cure glaucoma.

Karolinska Institutet has decided to confer honorary doctorates on Margareta Persson, advocate for disability rights, and Leif Lundblad, entrepreneur and research backer. They will be awarded their honorary degrees at a conferment ceremony in Stockholm City Hall on 16 May.

Are you a student coder? Want to gain experience, improve neuroscience tools, and get paid this summer?

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital have identified biomarkers in the blood that can be used to distinguish gallbladder cancer from inflammation of the gallbladder. This could lead to fewer unnecessary operations and better treatment decisions for patients with suspected gallbladder cancer. The study has been published in the journal JHEP Reports.

A new study reveals that a significant proportion of people living with HIV (PWH) on long-term antiretroviral therapy remain at risk of immune and metabolic complications despite successful viral suppression. The findings highlight a pressing need for precision medicine approaches to improve long-term health outcomes for PWH.

One in eight patients in hospitals in Africa is critically ill, and one in five of the critically ill die within a week, according to a new study in The Lancet. The researchers behind the largest study of critical illness in Africa to date conclude that many of these lives could have been saved with access to cheap life-saving treatments.

After six successful years, the PROFORMA project, coordinated by Professor Eleni Aklillu, has come to an end. To celebrate all the achievements and the new PhDs within the project, a closure symposium was recently held in Stockholm, Sweden.

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet have developed a new way to understand how cancer drugs interact with different forms of protein. The study has been published in Nature Communications.

On January 15, the application deadline for KI's global master's programs starting in the autumn semester of 2025 closed. Interest has grown compared to last year, with a larger number of applicants from outside the EU.

Simon Svedman from the research group Orthopaedics at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, will defend his thesis "Acute Achilles tendon rupture : predictors for outcome and plan for intervention" on 14 March 2025.

Main supervisor is Paul Ackermann.