News archive

KI Master’s, PhD, and early-career researchers are invited to apply for the Winter School on Brain Architecture for NeuroAI and Neurotechnology: A Systems Neuroscience Perspective, taking place at the Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche.

The BonnBrain Conference 2026 will take place in Bonn, Germany, from March 23–25, 2026 bringing together leading neuroscientists from across Europe and beyond to discuss the latest advances in brain research.

Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions, and some people recover with medications or therapies. However, for some individuals, treatment does not work, even after several attempts. This harder-to-treat form of depression is known as treatment-resistant depression (TRD). People affected by TRD often experience more severe and long-lasting symptoms, lower quality of life, and more physical health problems than other depression cases without TRD.

In a significant step for European collaboration in neuroscience and technological innovation, the Medical University of Innsbruck (MUI) has officially joined The European University of Brain and Technology – NeurotechEU.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, largely due to late detection, when treatment options are limited. Detecting the disease earlier and tailoring treatments more precisely are essential to improve survival and quality of life for patients.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women, with around 9,600 new cases diagnosed each year in Sweden. The breast cancer can spread to other parts of the body, and the first spread is usually to the lymph nodes that run from the breast to the armpit on the same side. Knowing whether the cancer has spread to these lymph nodes is crucial, as it helps determine the most appropriate treatment.

A new doctoral thesis by Giorgi Beridze, recently published at Karolinska Institutet, sheds light on the relationship between multimorbidity and kidney health in older adults. The research explores how kidney function is ascertained in older adults, how chronic diseases cluster into patterns and how these patterns influence kidney function and the risk of developing albuminuria—a condition marked by the presence of protein in urine, often an early sign of kidney damage.

Hi Anahita Amirpour, doctoral student at the Division of Nursing. On November 20 you will defend your thesis "Assessment and identification of cognitive changes after surgery in older adults". What is the main focus of the thesis?

The course catalogue for the spring semester of 2026 is now open for applications! Please note that the application period is three weeks, with the final application day being 5 November.

Self-promotion can often be a challenge, but speaking about oneself to secure a job, a place on a
study programme, or a scholarship carries even greater pressure.

Hi Kajsa Söderhielm, dcotoral student at the Division of Occupational therapy. On October 24 oktober you will defend your thesis ”Supporting person-centred, team-based stroke rehabilitation with ICT : implementation and evaluation of F@ce 2.0”. What is the main focus of the thesis?

A new thesis from Karolinska Institutet studied how mental health problems run in families. Using nationwide Swedish registers, the researchers followed millions of parents and their children over decades, revealing several important findings about how and why mental health problems pass from parents to children, and importantly, how to interrupt this cycle.

Hi Melissa Kotte, doctoral student at the Division of Nursing. On October 24, you will defend your thesis ”Reaching cancer survivors where they are : effects and experiences of live-remote exercise”. What is the main focus of the thesis?

Hi Magdalena Fresk, doctoral student at the Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care . On October 10 you will defend your thesis ”International classification of functioning, disability and health in the sickness certification process” What is the main focus of the thesis?

The NeurotechEU is gearing up for its annual hackathon!

On September 2, we held a kick-off for the Doctoral School in Health Sciences (FiH) with 14 doctoral students, including eight from NVS and the rest from six other departments.

Once again, the Aging Research Center (ARC) at Karolinska Institutet (KI) will host the course titled "Societal and Life-course Perspectives on Inequalities in Aging" this fall semester. The course is arranged in partnership with the Swedish National Graduate School on Ageing and Health (SWEAH, Lund University) and brings together students from various universities throughout Sweden.

A new thesis from Karolinska Institutet focuses on advanced statistical methods to better predict long-term patient outcomes, supporting healthcare decision-making. The application focused on chronic myeloid leukemia with the goal to inform clinical and policy insights.

In this episode we take a closer look at open science, why it matters, and how it can help us meet some of the major challenges facing research today. With growing concerns about research funding, especially recent cuts in the US that may affect core scientific infrastructure, the need for openness, collaboration, and resilient research practices has never been greater.

On 2 June 2025, a group of 19 doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers from ARC came together for a one-day retreat at the Skepparholmen conference venue in Nacka. The retreat theme was visual communication in research.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men globally. Diagnosing prostate cancer involves examining tissue samples under a microscope, a process that can be inconsistent and yield different results by different pathologists for the same sample, potentially affecting patient treatment. In some unclear cases, extra testing called immunohistochemistry (IHC) is used, but it adds cost, time, and lab work.

Hi Vilma Alanko, doctoral student at the Division of Clinical Geriatrics. On June 13 you will defend your thesis ”Translational studies on biological signatures, risk profiles, and prevention of dementia.” What is the main focus of the thesis?

Together with the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), KI organises a vaccinology course titled "Vaccines in a Changing World: Innovation and Access".

After cycling 90 kilometres through sunshine, hail and beech forests, Pernilla Alencar Siljehag arrived in Tomelilla with tired legs and a heart full of impressions. Together with the initiator Oskar Jonsson, she has cycled a leg of the tandem tour that takes researchers around southern Sweden to give lectures on ageing and health. She shares her reflections on the conversations along the way, the audience at the library, and why research journeys are sometimes at their best when on two wheels.

Karolinska Institutet (KI) and the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) have continued their tradition of academic collaboration by organizing a joint course for doctoral students once again this year. Held at the UTokyo Hongo Campus in Japan, the course titled "Bioinformatics Analysis and Visualization of Medical Genomics Data (H7F5633)", led by Dr. Carsten Daub, brought together 11 students from KI and 16 from UTokyo.

Within the national quality assurance system, universities are responsible for initiating and organising external reviews of their educational programmes. KI has decided that all education must undergo an external review every eight years, and this year it is the doctoral education’s turn. KI has only one doctoral education, in medical science, so all departments are affected.

The tandem tour is a popular science initiative where researchers cycle through southern Sweden, giving lectures on ageing and health at libraries and community centres. The aim is to reach a broader audience, foster dialogue, and spark interest in the role of research in society. The tour, organised in collaboration with the graduate school SWEAH, runs from 4–27 May 2025 and is made possible thanks to support from the Sten K Johnson Foundation.

Hi Anna Rennie, doctoral student at the Division of Clinical Geriatrics. On June 9 you will defend your thesis ”Does white matter matter? Neuroimaging in dementia with Lewy bodies and related conditions.” What is the main focus of the thesis?

The Department of Physiology and Pharmacology celebrated 75 years since its royal inauguration on the Solna campus during 2024. But FyFa's history goes further back than that - and looks forward to many years of community and outstanding research and teaching. On 23 April, the department celebrates with a full day of lectures and a Dragons’ Den.

Hi there Clare Tazzeo! You will defend your thesis entitled "Investigating the interplay between frailty and healthcare utilization in older adults" on 26 May 2025. Could you tell us a little more?

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.

On March 1st, Kristina Aspvall took over as the new Director of Research school for clinicians in psychiatry.

This week, the third edition of the book “To start a research career within medicine and health” ("Att börja forska inom medicin och hälsa") is released. Author is Jonas F Ludvigsson, pediatrician and professor at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the book is aimed at doctoral students and prospective researchers in medicine and health.

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.

In this episode of the KIB podcast we dig deeper into the academic perspective on AI: How do students use and reflect upon the use of AI in their studies – and how should they?
• How can I use AI to support me in my learning process?
• What’s happening to our brains? (Or to the intended learning outcome?)
• Is it cheating if I ask “my friend Bob” the AI to write my essay?

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?

A new thesis from Karolinska Institutet aims to advance our understanding of the bidirectional relationship between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and chronic kidney diseases (CKD) through large-scale epidemiological studies utilizing real-world data.

KI NeurotechEU steering group is pleased to announce the availability of limited competitive funds for KI faculty, staff and/or students to conduct collaborative interactions within the field of Neurotechnology.

We have room for three more participants on the doctoral course “3073 Philosophy of Science and the Concept of Health” (1.5 credits).

The geroscience hypothesis focuses on extending the healthy lifespan by targeting aging mechanisms. Recent advances in biomarkers for biological aging give rise to tools for measuring aging and assessing treatments. Alzheimer’s disease, a major health issue, may benefit from common drugs and early interventions.

Hi Elinor Nemlander, doctoral student at the Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care. On January 31 you will defend your thesis ”Early cancer detection through symptoms and signs”. What is the main focus of the thesis?

Histopathological evaluation of tumour specimens has long been essential in diagnosing breast cancer and guiding clinical decision-making. However, one of the key challenges in routine diagnostics include the inter-observer and inter-lab variabilities present in the assessment of prognostic markers that could lead to under- and over-treatment of patients.

Last month, Karolinska Institutet launched the first-ever Sustainable Health and the 2030 Agenda PhD course, organized by the Department of Global Public Health (GPH) and the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health (CESH). Offered within the framework of the Doctoral Programme in Health Care Science (PUF-V), the course received incredible feedback and enthusiasm from participants. It is now planned to be offered again in Autumn 2025.

Hi Charlotta van Eggermont Arwidson, doctoral student at the division of nursing. On January 23 you will defend your thesis ”New Beginnings, New Challenges: Health & Housing of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in their Early Post-Migration Period in Sweden.” What is the main focus of the thesis?

The library's open events (including the workshop series for researchers and doctoral students) have become more and more presentation or webinar orientated, shorter or longer sessions, with or without Q&A. Under the heading KIB Talks, we have gathered our wide range of workshops, presentations, Q&As, etc. in our various areas of expertise.

For the first time, the course 'Sustainable Health and Agenda 2030' is being offered here at KI. It is part of the Doctoral Programme in Health Care Science (PUF-V).

One in ten adults in society suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD), a disease characterized by progressive loss of kidney function. Altered kidney function can impact on the risk/benefit of many medications. People with advanced chronic kidney disease have to be careful about the medications they take because their kidneys don't work as well as they should. Some medications are not safe for them to take at all while others require dose adjustments or strict monitoring for safety.

On a gray November day, a happy bunch of GPH PhD students visited the Hagströmer Library, KI’s world-class collection of historic medical literature chronicling the emergence of medicine and health sciences in Europe as they exist today.

At GPH, we currently have 115 doctoral students. Recently, three of our PhD students - Carl Otto Schell, Kritika Dixit, and Bakare Ayobami Adebayo, successfully completed their doctoral studies. In this section, they share their experiences as doctoral students at GPH, discuss their research, the challenges they faced, and their plans for future.

A new thesis from Karolinska Institutet shows the significant societal economic burdens posed by two chronic inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases; eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and microscopic colitis (MC). Both diseases cause long-term inflammation in the digestive system and can lead to additional health problems.