News archive

The meeting focused on efforts for communication support, a new project office, and a project for managing research data. There was also time for questions and answers about the project to modernise working methods and the workplace.

Professor Jan Henriksson elected fellow of new global physiology academy

Luan Vo recently marked an important milestone in his PhD journey by successfully completing his half-time review. His project, titled "Evaluating Private Sector Engagement through an Intermediary Agency Model for Enhanced Tuberculosis Care and Prevention in Viet Nam", explores innovative ways to strengthen TB care. In this interview, he reflects on his progress so far and shares his goals for the road ahead.

The Communications and Public Relations Office has appointed one communicator per office within the Professional Services. The communicators will help coordinate and strengthen PS’ communication, both within and between offices. By extension, this is a step towards improving internal communication and dialogue throughout KI.

The new Project Office will coordinate and streamline major projects within KI's Professional Services (PS). The aim is to create better conditions for prioritisation, resource planning and implementation of development projects.

Air pollution is one of the most significant health threats in the world. In Sweden, air quality is improving, but in other parts of the world, the trend is going in the wrong direction. At the same time, research shows that even very low levels of pollution, below legal limits, harm our health.

Suganthi Jaganathan researches air pollution in India. Among other findings, she has shown that poor air quality caused 16.6 million deaths in India over a ten-year period.

Toxicologist Hanna Karlsson investigates the health effects of the tiniest particles in the air. Those found in Barcelona’s harbour appear to be more inflammatory than others.

A protein from the bacterium Helicobacter pylori has been shown to block the formation of harmful protein aggregates - known as amyloids - that are linked to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and type 2 diabetes, among other diseases, and bacterial infections. This is the result of a new study published in the journal Science Advances.

Anne-Sophie Merritt, a researcher at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, has investigated how much air pollution people are exposed to depending on their mode of transport.

One plus one does not equal two - it is more. Researchers have developed a method to analyse the toxic effects of mixed air pollutants. The method reveals greater health damage from poor air quality than analyses of individual substances suggest.

On 13 May, the KI President made the decision to appoint Jonas Fuxe as professor of molecular pathology at the Department of Laboratory Medicine. The appointment is valid from 1 June 1 2025.

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.

We are now heading towards summer and holiday times! Here is some important FyFa information from Professional Services regarding service hours, handling of invoices, et cetera.

As the summer vacations are approaching, it is important for all staff in Neo to have information about the staffing of the service team and who to contact regarding various issues in Neo.

Two researchers at the Centre for Cluster Headache at Karolinska Institutet have been awarded two stipends and one grant to support their innovative research on cluster headache. The awards, granted by the International Headache Society, the Swedish Headache Society, H. Lundbeck AB, and Pfizer, aim to advance the understanding and treatment of headache conditions.

This intensive blended learning course equips PhD researchers with the entrepreneurial mindset, skills, and tools needed to transform scientific discoveries into viable innovations.

Global Bridges is a unique program that offers junior healthcare science researchers at Karolinska Institutet (KI) the opportunity to invite an international scholar to Stockholm for a week of academic exchange and collaboration. Since its inception, the program has been held six times between 2013 and 2022, welcoming 37 international scholars from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America, alongside 48 junior researchers from KI.

A new study from Karolinska Institutet involving over a million women links difficult childhood experiences to the risk of being diagnosed with endometriosis later in life. The study shows a link between childhood exposure to violence and a twofold increase in the risk of developing this gynaecological disease.

Professor Niklas Björkström at the Institution of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH), Karolinska Institutet, is awarded the Eric K. Fernströms prize for younger, especially talented and promising researcher for "his outstanding research on natural killer (NK) cells in humans."

Researchers at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge, have presented new research on how some people with HIV can control the virus without treatment. The results show that gut bacteria and a specific dipeptide can play an important role and open up new ways to prevent HIV.

A new Swedish registry study shows that women who are affected by cervical cancer are not only at risk of mental health and financial difficulties themselves – their children and partners also appear to be negatively affected. The study is published in the prestigious scientific Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Infants who survive serious health problems in the first few weeks of life have a higher risk of dying during childhood and adolescence compared to children who were healthy as newborns. This is according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

This spring, GPH has undergone an organisational update, which includes the establishment of several new teams and changes in research group leadership. See a summary below.

GPH have a close collaboration with the Centre for Epidemiology and Community Medicine (CES), Region Stockholm, where several of our research groups are based. Like GPH, CES conducts public health research and education as well as strategic public health work, intending to contribute to good and equal health for the population. Henna Hasson, Director of CES, shared some insights on the collaboration and activities this spring. Here are some of the highlights.

Ann Liljas has been appointed as the research group leader for Equity and Health Policy (EHP), succeeding Bo Burström, who has stepped down from the role. Bo will remain active in the research group. Read more about Ann's thoughts on the new role, vision and expectations.

NordForsk has recently granted funding to five new research projects aimed at developing sustainable health and care systems for older people in the Nordic region.

Patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19 exhibit cardiac systolic dysfunction and small vessel disease at long-term follow-up. This is according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital published in Jama Network Open.

The European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) has named Professor Emeritus Olle Söder as the recipient of the 2025 Andrea Prader Prize – the highest international honour in the field of paediatric endocrinology.

From the 13th of October to the 16th, Final-year Master’s students in the field of neurotechnology, PhD candidates, post-doctoral and early-career researchers are invited to attend 3 days of training at the Université de Lille and one optional day dedicated to a cultural visit.

This blended course introduces the field of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, with a focus on Heart Rate Variability (HRV). Students learn to measure, interpret, and apply psychophysiological signals to improve mental performance and well-being.

Degree ceremonies for students on KI’s Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes were held on 5 and 6 June, and as tribute was paid to the graduates, an atmosphere of joy, expectation and pride filled Aula Medica.

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.

Mats J Olsson, professor at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience (CNS), has accepted an extension of his appointment as Head of the Department.

Congratulations Lars L Gustafsson at the Department of Laboratory Medicine, receiver of Karolinska Institutet’s Grand Silver Medal for tremendous contributions.

The Lancet has announced a new commission aimed at reorienting frailty in clinical practice, public health, and policy. Davide Liborio Vetrano is one of two experts from Karolinska Institutet, who are involved in this important initiative.

Nina Bošković from the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit (GUT), at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH) defends her thesis titled "Oxygen levels regulating Embryonic Genome Activation", on 13 June, 2025. Main supervisor is Juha Kere (MedH).

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?

Karolinska Institutet awards grants from a large number of foundations and from donations. The foundations & donations award research and travel grants.

On May 27–28, over 270 researchers, clinicians, and students gathered at the scenic Djurönäset conference center for the StratNeuro Retreat 2025

The latest Planetary Health Report Card (PHRC) has been recently released, in which health profession students evaluate planetary health content at their universities. KI has improved its scores in most areas, especially in support for student-led sustainability initiatives.

Fredrik Piehl, Professor of Neurology at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet and researcher at Karolinska University Hospital, has been named Neuroprofile of the Year 2025.

It will soon be time for the long-awaited summer holidays for many. To ensure the holiday and operations run smoothly, there are a few things for you as an employee to consider.

The prestigious Nordic Anders Jahre Award for 2025 goes this year to two researchers at Karolinska Institutet. Professor Sten Eirik Wælgaard Jacobsen is to receive the Anders Jahre Award for Medical Research for his work on normal and leukemic blood stem cells. William Nyberg is honoured with the Anders Jahre Award for Young Researchers for his work on the development of T-cell immunotherapy for cancer.

Administrative news for staff and affiliates at the Department of Neuroscience (June 2025).

On 25 September, it’s time for the most energizing event of the year - the KI Fun Run at Campus Solna! Whether you walk, jog, or run you’ll be part of our shared challenge: to beat last year’s total distance. Registration is now open!

Karolinska Institutet has been invited by STINT (The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education) to nominate three candidates to participate in the exchange programme for teaching staff called Teaching Sabbatical.

Donghao Lu, Unit of Integrative Epidemiology has been appointed as lector.

Protocols from IMM are available via your computer in the folder P:IMM_Information/Protokoll

The rapid transformation we are now seeing in the healthcare sector brings a growing need for municipally provided health promoting and preventative activities, and, consequently, for research and education. On 3 June, KI signed collaboration agreements with Solna City and Upplands-Bro municipality, marking an important step towards reinforcing such strategic partnerships between the university and local government.