News archive

The Crafoord Foundation 2025

A vitamin supplement that improves metabolism in the eye appears to slow down damage to the optic nerve in glaucoma. Promising results have been published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine. The researchers behind the study have now started a clinical trial on patients.

Karolinska Institutet has signed an agreement with Interflora for the purchase of bouquets and funeral flowers (dnr 2-4881/2024)

In the autumn of 2025, the training program "A Healthy School Start for Health and Learning" will be launched for the first time. It is aimed at school teams consisting of principals, school nurses, and teachers, offering a structured approach to support families in creating healthy habits.

We had a chat with the course leader Liselotte Schäfer Elinder to gain a deeper insight into the background of the training and what participants can expect.

Professor Eleni Aklillu has been appointed to lead the Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases subprogram within the Sweden–Tanzania research cooperation. Backed by Sida funding, the initiative will support the training of two PhD students to strengthen local research capacity in global health.

Professor Eleni Aklillu at the Department of Global Public Health has secured €1.3 million for an EU-funded project under TEI MAV+, aimed at strengthening clinical research and education in Rwanda. As part of a €10 million initiative led by Sida, the project will enhance clinical trial infrastructure, establish quality management systems, and introduce new PhD and master’s programs to empower future African scientists and health professionals.

Bacterial resistance negates the effect of antibiotics in the treatment of infection. Using mouse models, researchers now show that if antibiotics are administered with an enzyme called endolysin, the combined effect protects against infection by resistant bacteria in all bodily organs – including the brain, which antibiotics alone have difficulty reaching. The results are reported in the journal Molecular Medicine.

Despite rapid advances in genome and exome sequencing, many individuals with rare diseases remain undiagnosed. In a Perspective article published in Nature Genetics, researchers at Karolinska Institutet highlight how long-read whole genome sequencing, LR-WGS, offers a paradigm shift in genetic testing.

As of 15 March, Renee Gardner and Emilie Agardh started as research group leaders in the EPiCSS group. Read an interview with the new group leaders where they share their vision, the dynamics of their shared leadership, and even which song best represents their group.

Meet Josefine Östh, PhD, at GPH, who recently defended her Doctoral thesis on Mobile phone technology for reduced drinking. Read more about her experience and insights from being a PhD student at GPH.

Helena Nordenstedt is a Senior lecturer and associate professor in global health at GPH, and combines her research with clinical work in internal medicine at Danderyds sjukhus. Her projects range from infectious disease outbreaks to non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, focusing on low-income settings. We asked Helena to share the advantages and challenges of her dual role.

At the end of March, part of the GPH administration visited Makerere University’s School of Public Health (MakSPH) and College of Health Sciences (MakCHS), in Kampala Uganda. The visit aimed to strengthen collaboration, share administrative experiences, and explore opportunities for strengthening academic partnerships and administrative efficiency. The visit covered grants management, procurement, financial systems and processes, HR, and joint application strategies.

We recently asked two of our GPH colleagues, Jette Möller and Jhon Álvarez Ahlgren who participated in the PhD Conference to share their highlights from the day. Alongside their reflections, we share some photos capturing moments from the day.

The Docent Committee decided on the 29 of April 2025 to admit Kyla McKay as docent in public health, global health and social medicine.

A chance to welcome new KI students – in a paid role! We’re looking for students who want to work during the introduction week and at KI’s Welcome Days.

Curious about what a department coordinator does? Here you get an insight into Petra Helkala's daily work.

Dental professionals find it difficult to identify patients with severe dental anxiety. At the same time, patients are reluctant to talk about their fears and hope that the staff will understand anyway. This dilemma is described in a new thesis presented at the Department of Odontology at Karolinska Institutet.

Congratulations to Karl-Johan Malmberg, who has been awarded King Olav V's Cancer Research Prize for 2025. The prize is awarded annually to a researcher who has significantly improved the quality of Norwegian cancer research.

Klas Kärre, Professor Emeritus of Molecular Immunology at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, has been elected as an international member of the US National Academy of Sciences.

On April 15-16, the Department of Laboratory Medicine (Labmed) hosted "The Advancements in Stem Cells, Organoids, AI, and Regenerative Medicine", a highly attended conference which brought together a multidisciplinary community of researchers, clinicians, and industry experts from across the world.

A new study from Karolinska Institutet in collaboration with BUP Stockholm has conducted a pilot evaluation of a family-based cognitive behavioral therapy for adolescents with suicidal behavior. The study, published in the scientific journal BMJ Mental Health, shows that the treatment Safe Alternatives for Teens and Youths (SAFETY) may be a promising option for reducing suicide attempts.

Researchers from Aging Research Center (ARC), Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at Karolinska Institutet, in collaboration with National Family Care Competence Center (Nka), sent out a survey to 31,000 older adults to learn more about those that take care of a loved one, in or outside their homes. Turns out 2,157 people older than 65 years provide such care on a regular basis.

The 2025 Svedberg Prize is awarded to Michael Landreh, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology at Karolinska Institutet, "for the development and innovative use of mass spectrometric tools that reveal hidden protein interactions."

A new project, supported by the Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund, aims to test hundreds of drugs simultaneously using advanced 3D cell models, despite limited sample material. The goal is to identify more treatment options for children with cancer, building on existing resources from GMS Childhood Cancer and the Swedish Childhood Tumor Biobank.

The Cozzarelli Prize recognises publications that reflect scientific excellence and originality. The 2024 prize for the best biomedical article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has been awarded to MedH researcher Jakob Theorell.

In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), certain recurrent genetic alterations are known to influence disease progression and survival. One important abnormality is the loss of part of chromosome 11, del(11q), which is associated with a more aggressive disease course. However, it has remained unclear whether mutations in the ATM gene, which is also located in this region, have a similar impact.

Peter Alterling, change leader at FyFa and main project leader of the FyFa Dialogue, answers three questions about the results and next steps after the spring dialogue sessions.

Since its inception, Clinicum has supported over 300 researchers with methodological advice. During the spring, an evaluation was conducted on how researchers perceive the support offered by Clinicum, and the results show great benefit and satisfaction.

Opinions and facts sometimes clash on the question of the causes of autism - genetics or environment? Kristiina Tammimies, associate professor of medical genetics at Karolinska Institutet, has the answer: "Autism is mainly due to the genes we are born with, but environmental factors play a role," she says.

KI researcher Pauliina Damdimopoulou is currently experiencing a lot of activity. At the end of April this year, she was appointed ERC ambassador — and just a few days later, she became a professor of reproductive biology at the Department of Women's and Children's Health. Now she looks forward to building new collaborations to strengthen research on women's and children's health.

A team of international researchers led by Karolinska Institutet has revealed in unprecedented detail how tetracycline antibiotics impair T cell function by binding mitochondrial ribosomes and inhibiting oxidative metabolism (OXPHOS). The study, reported in Nature Communications, raises mechanistic considerations for antibiotic therapy and the design of new molecules that can better discriminate between pathogen and host.

Karolinska Institutet is launching a two-week doctoral course designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the entire process involved in developing and producing cell and gene therapy products. From early-stage research to manufacturing, the program covers key aspects including process development, quality assurance, regulatory frameworks, and logistics.

The Consortium Global IBD Visualization of Epidemiology Studies in the 21st Century (GIVES-21) now publish data on the global prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Nature. Researchers from Karolinska Institutet have contributed to the study. While the number of people with incident IBD is relatively constant in Sweden, the prevalence is increasing and 1 per cent of the Swedish population is now estimated to have IBD.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified biomarkers in the blood associated with symptoms of long COVID, particularly severe respiratory disorders. The discovery can pave the way for future diagnosis and treatment. The results are published in the scientific journal Nature Immunology.

UCL and Stockholm Trio have a joint call to support collaborations activities.

On May 1 and May 2 the KI Housing office will be closed for the celebration of Walpurgis Eve and May Day. In Sweden, Walpurgis is celebrated with a big fire to welcome the spring.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed a technique that enables efficient delivery of therapeutic proteins and RNA to cells. The method, presented in Nature Communications, shows promising results in animal studies to deliver gene editors and protein therapeutics.

A higher tax on cigarettes in low and middle-income countries can help to reduce child mortality, especially amongst the poorest children, a new study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and published in The Lancet Public Health suggests.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University have developed a powerful new technique to better understand how tiny molecules in our cells, called microRNAs, control which genes are turned on or off — a discovery that could improve how we study diseases from cancer to neurodevelopmental disorders.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified a new mechanism where circular RNA plays a crucial role in wound healing, which could lead to new therapies to improve wound healing and reduce scarring. The study was published in Advanced Science.

Robin Juthberg, PhD student at the Orthopaedic research group, the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, will defend his thesis "Advancing neuromuscular electrical stimulation optimizing comfort and hemodynamic efficiency" on May 16th 2025. Main Supervisor is Paul Ackermann.

A newly published study involving researchers from Karolinska Institutet indicates that prostate cancer can be diagnosed at an early stage through a simple urine sample. With the aid of AI and extensive analyses of gene activity in tumours, they have identified new biomarkers of high diagnostic precision.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have uncovered a unique ability of a special subtype of natural killer cells in the immune system, called adaptive NK cells, to remember ovarian tumours and effectively attack them. The discovery, published in Cancer Immunology Research, could pave the way for new, more powerful immunotherapies for difficult-to-treat cancers.

KI's 148 safety representatives play a crucial role in ensuring a safe and secure work and study environment. The International Health and Safety Day is a great opportunity to pay extra attention to this important group.

A study from the Institute of environmental Medicine (IMM) at Karolinska Institutet shows that the chemical di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), which is found in many plastic products, has clear negative effects on hormones and fertility endpoints relevant to female fertility.

They are among the first in Sweden to be vaccinated against the chikungunya virus - a vaccine that is the result of a discovery from their own laboratory.

Welcome to Suganthi Jaganathan´s defense of the thesis ”Applying novel methods to study long-term exposure to air pollution and temperature and annual mortality in India” on May 6th.

On April 10–11, 2025, representatives from all medical faculties at Swedish universities gathered at Karolinska Institutet (KI) for the spring NIMUS meeting – a forum for national collaboration on international mobility in medical education. NIMUS stands for the Network for the Internationalisation of Medical Education in Sweden.

The ongoing political situation in the US also raises many questions about KI's storage in Microsoft's cloud services, which are available to both staff and students. Here, the IT Office collects and answers frequently asked questions.

Congratulations to Mikael Rydén, the first Swede to be awarded the Camillo Golgi Prize.