News archive

Once again, a computer has been stolen on our premises, therefore here is another reminder not to let unauthorized persons in. Do
when a door doesn't lock or if you see suspicious activity. We all need to work together.

Simone Tambaro, Senior Research Specialist at the Division of Neurogeriatrics, receives approximately SEK 2 million (198 319 US dollar) in research grant from Alzheimer’s Association.

High-dose pressurized oxygen can stress out old immune cells, leaving behind a younger, better functioning immune system. It helped with acute COVID, and now Anders Kjellberg is testing the method for post-covid as well.

We are happy to introduce new colleagues at the Department of Laboratory Medicine. Welcome everyone!

Our warm congratulations to docent Ida Goliath, adjunct senior lecturer in the research group of Lars E. Eriksson at the Department of Nursing and investigator at the Stockholm Gerontology Research Center!

Hi Theofanis Tsevis, doctoral student at the Division of Clinical Geriatrics. On February 23 you will defend your thesis ”Alcohol consumption and cognition”. What is the main focus of the thesis?

Andreas Eklund is the new HR administrator and substitute for Ellinor Lind during her parental leave. We took the opportunity to ask Andreas a few questions.

A new study from Karolinska Institutet discovered that blocking the MYC tumor protein in kidney cancer cells leads to an increase in fat droplets, which are associated with tumor growth. The study provides crucial knowledge for identifying new therapeutic targets for treating this aggressive form of cancer.

The American Dental Society of Sweden, ADSS, was founded at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm on April 3, 1913 as an association for Swedish dentists trained in the United States. At the time, it was relatively common to travel across the Atlantic to become a dentist.

On February 1-2, 2024 the group leaders and team leaders at MedH and BioNut met at Yasuragi to get to know each other, network and discuss future research projects. All in all, the days were filled with lively discussions and great commitment from the participants.

The adoption of the hybrid work model in the KI administration led to better health and less stress for the staff, according to a recent study. The research project, which looked into the effects of the more flexible approach that was taken during the COVID-19 pandemic, provides valuable insights that will inform the development of new workplace models for the future at KI.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have made exciting discoveries about Alzheimer's disease, a common form of dementia affecting millions of people around the world. In a study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, they have explored the potential of novel synaptic PET-tracer UCB-J as an important early diagnostic biomarker/tool for Alzheimer's disease.

Professor Igor Adameyko offers the new course “Development of soft skills and better academic perspectives”, with focus on writing research papers, presenting at conferences, attracting funds, and interpersonal interaction and social aspects in the lab. The target audience are senior PhD students, postdocs and junior PI’s at FyFa.

Daniel Ferreira Padilla, senior researcher and docent at the Division of Clinical Geriatrics, has received SEK 1.9 million.

Karolinska Institutet is one of 24 partners in AD-RIDDLE, a collaborative project that aims to increase healthcare providers' ability to diagnose, prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease. The project, supported by, among others, the EU's Innovative Health Initiative (IHI), started in January 2024 and will run for five years.

Anniversary! This year it is 50 years since the dentistry programme moved to Flemingsberg. On June 13 between 14 and 17, we will celebrate with a summer party for all employees. Make time in your calendar already now - more information will follow.

An article in The Conversation written by a KI researcher broke a record in the number of readers. Associate Professor Karin Modig's article on centenarian biomarkers received almost 2.4 million reads and was translated into several languages.

This is a summary of the information meeting that Maria Eriksdotter, head of the Integration project and the former Dean of KI South, held together with Janne Johansson, the departmental head of BioNut, on 6 February on Zoom addressing all staff at BioNut and MedH.

Nominate candidates for the Dimitris N. Chorafas prize for outstanding scientific work. You may nominate a recently graduated postdoc researcher or a doctoral student who plans to graduate in 2024. Make sure your nominations reach us by 9 April.

The Summer research school for high school students are looking for motivated supervisors who are interested in supervising one or two high school students during this summer 2024.

Eva Åhrén, operations director of the Hagströmer Library and KI’s Medical History and Heritage, has been awarded a project grant of SEK 5 million by the Riksbankens Jubileumsfond. The grant is intended to support efforts to make KI’s academic heritage accessible for the purposes of research, education and outreach.

Zambia is currently experiencing the worst cholera outbreak in over two decades. The acute diarrhoeal disease can be deadly if not treated, however with rapid and correct help, the majority of people affected can be treated successfully. The Centre for Health Crises as seconded members of staff to cholera outbreaks before, and on the 26th of January, Caroline de Groot went to Zambia, via the Centre’s collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

Tips from KI Grants Office about current calls.

Senior lecturer and senior physician Vladimir Carli has been appointed as the new head of the National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention (NASP) at Karolinska Institutet.

The eastern mediterranean region is currently facing a brewing health crisis, brought on not least by the war in Gaza. The danger of spread of infectious diseases means that effective epidemiological surveillance and action is key. To assist in these efforts, the Centre for Health Crises has seconded epidemiologist Moa Herrgård via our membership in WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).

Every year in August, managers together with safety representatives review our physical work environment in a round. The aim is to identify whether there are any risks for us in our work. Each risk is assessed on the basis of how serious it is and what consequences it may have - can we continue our operations? An action plan is then drawn up for the risks that need to be addressed. The measures carried out in 2023 are presented here.

The European Research Council (ERC) awards a Starting Grant to promising young investigators in a variety of research fields, to kick off their careers. Alessandro Furlan, Assistant Professor at the Department of Neuroscience, who investigates how the brain and body work together to regulate critical physiological processes, is one of the early-stage scientists to be awarded this five-year grant.

Regular erections could be important for maintaining erectile function, according to a new study on mice published in Science by researchers at Karolinska Institutet. “We discovered that an increased frequency of erections leads to more fibroblasts that enable erection and vice versa, that a decreased frequency results in fewer of these cells,” says principal investigator Christian Göritz.

On January 23, President Annika Östman Wernerson decided to name a lecture hall on Campus Solna after Christina Larsdotter. The decision was made after preparation by KI's advisory board for naming matters.

In February, Vice President Martin Bergö visited Makerere University in Uganda, a long-term partner of Karolinska Institutet. As the chairman of the steering committee for the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health (CESH), a collaborative initiative between Karolinska Institutet and Makerere University, he met his counterparts at the university and the college of health sciences, toured research sites, discussed global health challenges, and met with alumni and partners.

Both programs have been running since 2020 at the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health - a collaboration between Karolinska Institutet and Makerere University in Uganda.

Incorporating a mix of campus-based and digital teaching methods comes with numerous advantages. It not only promotes efficiency in various settings but also enhances collaborative efforts, including diverse forms of group work. Now you can find guidance and recommendations for digitally-mediated teaching.

While the most extreme heatwaves have the greatest short-term impact on mortality, it is the mildest heatwaves that kill most lives over time. This is because mild heatwaves are more common. This is according to a new study published in Environment International that has mapped the health risks of heat waves in India.

No increased risks for babies, and for some serious neonatal complications lower risks. This is the result of the largest study to date on the safety of newborn babies whose mothers were vaccinated against COVID-19 during pregnancy. The study is a collaboration between Swedish and Norwegian researchers and is published in the journal JAMA.

Today, the president decided that the University Administration (UF) will change its name to Professional Services (GVS).

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet, together with partners in the Horizon Europe-funded EuCARE project, have shown that the reduced mortality from COVID-19 is not necessarily due to the fact that later variants, such as Omicron, have been less severe. Rather, the reduced mortality seems to be due to several other factors, such as immunity from previous vaccinations and previous infections. The study is published in the latest issue of Lancet Regional Health Europe and is funded by EUH2020.

Doctoral students & researchers: The calendar is up to date and filled with seminars and workshops!

Anna Nordlander has been awarded the 2023 Karolinska Institutet Culture Prize for her House of the Body initiative (Kroppens Hus), which unites art, culture and science in an innovative approach to public health education.

Karolinska Institutet (KI) and Region Stockholm prioritize central investment in core facilities for research. The Infrastructure Board and the Research Council provide funding resources in regular cycles. Operating funds for the next four years, 2025-2028, have been announced in 2024.

During 2023 you have all contributed both to the environment and to the important work done by Médecins Sans Frontières

Master and doctoral students of KI in (bio)medicine, pharmacology, biotechnology and life sciences – join us to explore and address global challenges posed by infectious diseases.

A research internship enables doctors on an internship to combine their regular clinical internship (in Swedish Allmäntjänstgöring - AT) with up to 12 months of research at KI. Apart from being eligible for an internship, candidates must also at the time of the application, hold a medical degree and either as a registered doctoral student at KI or a PhD engaged in research at KI.

Professor Emeritus Leif Bertilsson at the Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, has passed away at the age of 80.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in young persons in Sweden and globally. The last decades have seen an increasing proportion of the youth population engaging in university level education. The university period usually coincides with other important life events such as moving away from home. Early adulthood is furthermore a period when severe mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, may become symptomatic.

A new study published in Nature Communications gives insights into the underlying mechanisms of the formation of protein clumps in Alzheimer’s disease. The study, led by researchers from Karolinska Institutet, could pave the way for new treatments for this devastating neurodegenerative disorder.

Karolinska Institutet is part of the AD-RIDDLE consortium, a project dedicated to increasing health professional’s capabilities to detect, diagnose, prevent, and treat Alzheimer’s disease. Funded by the EU Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) and the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the project was launched in January 2024, includes 24 partners, and will run over five years.

Tips from KI Grants Office regarding current calls

Elin Törnqvist and Maxine Waters are the new union presidents of Medicinska Föreningen (Medical Association) and Odontologiska Föreningen (Odontological Association). We asked them a few questions one month into the job.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed a method to study liver function and disease without requiring invasive procedures. After transplanting liver cells into the eye of mice, the cornea can be used as a window into the body to monitor liver health over time. The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.

This spring, the university management will be visiting KI’s departments in a series of meetings, and the 6 March the university management will visit GPH for a departmental meeting with the GPH management group. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss how to strengthen dialogue and collaboration and work forward.