News archive

An ancient area of the midbrain of all vertebrates called the corpora quadrigemina can independently contol and reorientate the eyes, researchers from Karolinska Institutet report in a study published in the journal eLIFE.

Alessandro Furlan, doctoral student at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics has received the Dimitris N. Chorafas Prize 2016 for his thesis "Neuronal types and their specification dynamics in the autonomic nervous system".

Glioblastomas exert an influence on the microglia, immune cells of the brain, which causes them to stimulate cancer growth rather than attacking it. In a study published in the journal Nature Immunology, an international research team led from Karolinska Institutet now explains the molecular mechanisms behind this action.

Ganesh Acharya, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), researches the cardiovascular system of pregnant women and their unborn babies. His research is both clinical and experimental, and aims to increase knowledge about the physiology of pregnancy and to develop methods for the clinical use of new ultrasound technology.

On Monday, 5 September, the external investigators presented the results of their inquiry into Karolinska Institutet’s handling of visiting professor Paolo Macchiarini. Their report criticises KI on several counts, including that Macchiarini’s recruitment in 2010 and the extension of his contract in 2013 were pushed through improperly. The report also found that KI cannot be completely absolved of responsibility for the synthetic trachea transplantations at Karolinska University Hospital.

A special variant of a sugar molecule in the human nose might explain why pneumococcal infections are more common in humans than in other animals, researchers from Karolinska Institutet report in a study published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. The discovery can help in the search for a broader vaccine able to protect against all types of pneumococci.

Brian Hodges, Professor at the University of Toronto, Canada, is awarded the 2016 Karolinska Institutet Prize for Research in Medical Education. His research has led to changes in educational practice, both scientific and practical, in the training of health professionals around the world.

The sympathetic nerve system has long been thought to respond the same regardless of the physical or emotional stimulus triggering it. However, in a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, scientists show that the system comprises different neurons that regulate specific physiological functions, such as erectile muscle control.