Over SEK 35 million for research on childhood cancer at KI

“Children need treatments that not only cure them, but also give them the conditions for a long and healthy life. That is why investments in more precise, targeted and gentle methods that can replace or complement current treatments are absolutely crucial” says Kim Ramme, research director at the Foundation, in a press release.

Each year, the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation (Barncancerfonden) allocates funds to research projects in this field. Of this year's total of SEK 145 million, just over SEK 35,3 million will go to researchers at Karolinska Institutet.

 Research in the field of childhood cancer is making significant progress, particularly in precision medicine, immunotherapies, and advanced tumour biology. Furthermore, this research is greatly benefiting from rapid technological developments in areas such as DNA sequencing, high-resolution proteomics, spatial biology and AI-driven analysis methods.

The five KI projects to receive the largest grants

• Translational neuroblastoma research 
  Per Kogner, professor at the Department of Women's and Children's Health, has been awarded SEK 6 million for a three-year project.
• Proteogenomics for the development of immunotherapies for children with leukaemia
  Janne Lehtiö, professor at the Department of Oncology and Pathology, has been awarded SEK 3,9 million over three years.
• Precision diagnostics of CNS tumours with rapid methylation profiling
  Emma Tham, associate professor at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, has been awarded SEK 3 million over three years.
• Molecular and epidemiological studies of prognostic and aetiological factors in childhood cancer
  Ann Nordgren, adjunct professor at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, has been awarded SEK 3 million over three years. 

• More effective chemotherapy for leukaemia patients
  Sean Rudd, researcher at the Department of Oncology and Pathology, has been awarded SEK 3 million over three years.