News archive

Karolinska Institutet’s international recruitment drive for 21 Assistant Professors has once again attracted a great deal of global interest. A total of 2,035 applications from 1,171 unique applicants have been received from 81 countries. The results remain at a very high level following last year’s record outcome and confirm KI’s strong appeal amongst the world’s most promising young researchers.

Different autoimmune diseases often share genetic risk factors, but not through a single common genetic vulnerability. In a new study published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers from Karolinska Institutet and collaborating institutions show that autoimmune diseases instead form genetic clusters that largely reflect the tissues or organs they affect.

Fredrik Lanner researches the developmental stages of the human embryo and how embryonic stem cells can be used for future therapies. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 8 October.

Experiences from her work as a psychologist in child and adolescent psychiatry sparked a growing research interest in how support for young children and their parents can be improved. When the opportunity to pursue doctoral studies arose, Anna Edenius decided to take the step into research and will soon defend her thesis.

Björn Wiman, Stockholm, Professor at Karolinska Institutet and former Senior Consultant in Clinical Chemistry at Karolinska University Hospital, has died at the age of 84. He is survived by his wife, Annika, his children, Daniel and Emelie, and his grandchildren.

The Nordic Network on Dementia Diagnosis NIDD would like to welcome you to our fifth conference for memory clinics in the Nordic countries. After previous conferences in Oslo, Reykjavik, Kuopio and Stockholm, we hope to see you again in Oslo this fall.

Karolinska Institutet has adopted a new strategy for gender equality and equal opportunities for the period 2026–2030. The strategy is an important part of KI’s work to create an inclusive study and working environment where all students and staff have equal opportunities to develop, contribute and build their careers.

Five researchers at Karolinska Institutet have been awarded the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant, one of Europe's most important research grants for researchers at the beginning of their careers. The grant is seen internationally as an acknowledgement of scientific excellence, originality and a promising future as a research group leader.

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet’s Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS) made a strong contribution to this year’s IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics, one of the world’s largest conferences on ageing research. Around 3,500 researchers attended the event, which focused on the theme Ageing Well in a Globalized World.

Despite treatment, many patients with Addison’s disease still live with health problems. Sophie Bensing researches how their care can be improved. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 8 October.

Why do women and men develop Alzheimer’s disease differently? In her thesis, Aphrodite Demetriou, PhD student the Division of Neurogeriatrics, NVS, explores how sex hormones, particularly estrogen, may influence the development of the disease. Using both animal models and miniature human brain models grown from stem cells, she has uncovered new insights that could contribute to more personalised treatments for Alzheimer’s disease in the future.

People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who have several close relatives with colorectal cancer are significantly more likely to develop the disease themselves. This is demonstrated by a new Swedish registry study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Gastroenterology. The findings raise the question of whether future cancer screening guidelines should place greater emphasis on the number of cancer cases in a patient's family.

A new treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) has demonstrated good safety and tolerability in a phase 1b study published in the journal PNAS. The treatment is based on the patients’ own red blood cells, which are used to train the immune system to tolerate substances that are mistakenly attacked in the disease. The study was conducted at University Hospital Zurich in collaboration with researchers at Karolinska Institutet.

Qi Chen, postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Women's and Children's Health, has been awarded the Dimitris N. Chorafas Prize 2026. The prize of USD 10,000 is intended for recent PhD graduates or doctoral students in their final year of doctoral studies. The aim is to encourage young, promising researchers. In her thesis, she demonstrates how modern analytical methods can provide new insights into how children's immune systems develop and respond to illness.

Karolinska Institutet, in collaboration with Folktandvården Stockholm, has shown in the first clinical comparative study of its kind that reactions in the mouth differ between tobacco-free nicotine pouches (also known as nicotine pouches) and traditional tobacco-based snus. Reactions associated with the use of traditional snus increased noticeably with higher consumption. No clear correlation of this kind was observed with the use of nicotine pouches.

We congratulate Bertil Hamberger, Professor Emeritus at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, who has been awarded the Swedish Surgical Society’s Honorary Award 2026 for his lifetime achievements in surgical research. A well-deserved distinction and a fine recognition of his outstanding contributions to Swedish surgery.

HER-MIND at Karolinska Institutet invites applications for seed funding to support innovative pilot projects led by early-career researchers in women's mental health. Scope includes, but is not limited to, reproductive and perinatal mental health; psychiatric symptoms and disorders across the female life course; and biological, genetic, neurodevelopmental, environmental and social factors relevant to brain development and women's mental health.

Emeritus Professor Martin Ritzén, prominent researcher, paediatrician and former Chair of the Nobel Assembly, passed away on 18 July 2026 in Umeå at the age of 89.

By studying epigenetic changes in leukaemia cells, Sören Lehmann hopes to contribute to more effective and personalised treatments. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 8 October.

Becoming pregnant again soon after giving birth is associated with risks for both mother and child. A study led by Karolinska Institutet and published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health shows that approaches and guidance developed jointly by midwives and mothers can increase the proportion of women who choose effective contraception after childbirth, but also that organisational barriers limit opportunities for equitable care.

Patients with type 2 diabetes who have high blood glucose levels, low body weight, or a history of ketoacidosis are at increased risk of developing this serious condition when treated with so-called SGLT2 inhibitors. A study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet also shows that the risk persists throughout the entire course of treatment.

From 1 September, the Centre for Health Crises is strengthening its expertise in the important field of primary care in health crises through the appointment two expert coordinators in the area. Faraidoun Moradi and Hani Khalifa are both specialist doctors in general medicine and have on a range of issues related to general medicine and crises, disasters, and particularly vulnerable groups for a long time. They are now looking forward to becoming part of the Centre’s work.

If you missed the Centre for Health Crises’ seminar on management and preparedness for Ebola outbreaks, it is now available to watch online. The seminar combined experiences and lessons from the ongoing Ebola outbreak in DR Congo with insights into Sweden's preparedness to receive Ebola patients. Most importantly, it explored what these two perspectives can learn from each other.

Many people with severe asthma continue to experience significant symptoms and persistent inflammation despite treatment with modern biologic therapies. This is shown by a large European study involving more than 13,000 patients from 22 countries. The researchers emphasise the importance of identifying patients at risk of developing more severe disease at an early stage.

In a new thesis, Callum Regan, PhD student at the Divsion of Physiotherapy, NVS, explores how physical activity and sedentary behaviour affect disease risk, and how a personalised mobile app can support healthier habits. The findings highlight the benefits of daily activity for cardiovascular and overall health.

Many children who are assessed for speech and oral motor difficulties also face challenges with chewing ability, sensory processing and early development. This is shown in a new doctoral thesis from Karolinska Institutet. The findings may contribute to earlier detection and more accurate assessments of children’s needs.

How can the healthcare services save more lives after trauma and cardiac arrest? Malin Jonsson Fagerlund’s research group intends to find out. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 8 October.

Tofersen, marketed under the name Qalsody, is a new treatment for ALS that has now been approved for patients with SOD1-ALS, the second most common cause of ALS, at Karolinska University Hospital. The decision is a long-awaited breakthrough in the field of ALS.

Older adults living with several chronic diseases, a condition known as multimorbidity, may respond differently to interventions aimed at preventing disability, depending on the combination of diseases they have. A new study, published in Nature Aging and led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome, suggests that looking at patterns of multimorbidity, rather than individual diseases alone, could help make prevention more personalised.

KI has signed a new agreement for the supply of fruit baskets with Företagsväxter, based in Knivsta. The agreement comes into effect on 3 September and covers fruit and milk only. Företagsväxter has previously provided services to KI and the range is fully organic.

On 25 August, Daniel Bergman presented his individual study plan (ISP) titled Next-Generation Point-of-Care Diagnostics for Vulnerable Populations: Advancing Urinary Tract Infection Detection and Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance. In this short interview he describes the main focus of his doctoral studies.

Organised by "Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, in collaboration with Karolinska Institutet and Boğaziçi Üniversitesi, this Autumn School offers scientific and technical training in microsurgical techniques.

The purpose of this training is to increase knowledge about the salary-setting process and how to conduct the Result- and salary dialogs at KI. This training is provided by the HR Office at the Professional Services and is aimed for those who are salary-setting managers in both research, education and administration.

The fund awards grants for pediatric research, primarily focusing on metabolic disorders.

Researchers can now order services from Aurevia AB to support their clinical drug trials, medical device investigations, and other clinical studies.

In May, Gloria Sinato joined the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge, as a doctoral student. Her principal supervisor is Peter Swoboda.

With the support of a Minor Field Studies (MFS) grant, master's student in Public health Nabilah Amalina Rozi travelled to Indonesia to explore how young people perceive mental health and the support they need. Her study highlights the importance of involving youth in conversations and decisions that affect their lives.

Breast cancer is often classified as either estrogen receptor-positive (hormone-sensitive) or not. However, a new study from Karolinska Institutet suggests that this simplified classification may overlook important biological differences between patients that could affect treatment decisions. The results are published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.

KI-QUAL has received SEK 1.9 million from KI’s fund for interdisciplinary research networks to strengthen collaboration among qualitative researchers. The funding will support workshops, a conference and a summer school for doctoral students.

No rest, no creativity! Now as I welcome you back from your holidays, I hope that you’ve had a summer of recuperation and stimulation, and perhaps had some fresh insights or met interesting new people.

Eleni Aklillu, professor of global health pharmacology at GPH, has been named among ten EDCTP-supported leaders driving progress in global health research and innovation. The feature highlights Professor Aklillu's longstanding contributions to pharmacovigilance, clinical pharmacology and regulatory science, as well as her leadership in strengthening research and regulatory capacity across Africa.

On Sunday 23 August, around 50,000 people marched through the streets of Stockholm during the major climate demonstration, organised by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, Rebellmammor, Rebellpappor and Researchers’ Desk. Over 280 organisations took part in the demonstration, including several KI researchers and staff members.

Inflammation, altered gene regulation, and exposure to substances in tobacco smoke may all contribute to the development of cluster headache. This is demonstrated by two new studies from Karolinska Institutet, which improve our understanding of the biological mechanisms behind this painful condition.

A combination of training, quality improvement and leadership support in hospitals across four countries in sub-Saharan Africa is linked to fewer stillbirths and deaths among newborns during the first 24 hours of life. This is shown by a study led by Karolinska Institutet and published in Nature Medicine.

Professor Wendell Lim, this year’s Ulf von Euler Lecturer, seeks to understand how cells communicate and control their functions. By mapping the molecular signals that enable cells to respond to their environment, he aims to understand and influence biological processes with greater precision. His research could contribute to the development of new treatments for cancer and other diseases.

Francesca Grassi from Center for Hematology and Regenerative Medicine (HERM) at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH) is defending her thesis titled: "Targeting DCPS in acute myeloid leukemia : from target validation to biomarker-driven patient stratification", on 2 September 2026. Main supervisor is Julian Walfridsson.

Discover how wearable neurotechnology is transforming neuroscience, healthcare, and human-computer interaction. In this hands-on international hackathon, you will collaborate with participants from different disciplines, explore cutting-edge brain monitoring technologies, and develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges using EEG and fNIRS.

Three projects have been awarded funding as part of the collaboration between the Stockholm Trio and the University of Tokyo. One of the projects is led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet, and all three involve participation from KI.

If you have recently started working at KI, welcome to the introductory day for all new employees. For international employees, the introduction focuses on research support and shorter sessions tailored to living and working in Sweden. If you work within the Professional Service (GVS), you can also take part in an introduction to GVS.

Florian Rosenberger, Assistant Professor at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics (MBB), has been awarded a prestigious SciLifeLab Fellowship. The fellowship comes with substantial research funding, and access to the SciLifeLab community, creating new opportunities for collaboration and scientific development.