News archive

The Swedish Parliament has now decided on the new high-cost protection special dental care reimbursement – also known as ten-tooth care. It will come into effect on 1 January 2026.

1,000 written exams – that is how many were coordinated by the Examination service in KI's shared examination halls in 2025.

Artificial Intelligence that detects breast cancer, enables medical imaging in low-resource countries and that identifies the patients who require advanced treatment even at the point of diagnosis – these are just a few examples of AI research at Karolinska Institutet that is impacting an entire world. Parts of this work were presented during the conference AI@KI, Advances in Artificial Intelligence at Karolinska Institutet, on 2 December.

From 1 January, no storage of lithium-ion batteries or electric bicycles with batteries is permitted anywhere on KI's premises. This is due to the increased risk of fire.

A new edition of the book "Essential Guide to Blood Coagulation". The first edition was published in Swedish in 1997. Since 2010, the book has been published in English and has become a valued source of quick information about coagulation conditions, investigation and treatment.

December 22-23 and December 29-30 we are limited staff working and some days we are only working remotely but those days you can contact us by phone, e-mail or Teams.

Strategic research initiatives and KI's image and ranking were the focus of the Professional Services' digital staff meeting on 2 December. The staff at the University Library KIB also sent a greeting ahead of its' integration with Professional Serviceson 1 January.

This year, four young and promising researchers at KI have been selected to receive five-year basic research grants from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. This funding provides young researchers with the opportunity to contribute groundbreaking new knowledge by tackling long-term and difficult research questions.

Johanna Berg, PhD and an emergency physician in Malmö, recently defended her thesis on improving trauma care in India. From software development to global health research, her journey bridges clinical work and health systems. Learn what drives her passion and why her best advice is to make time for reflection.

In the United States, universities and independent research are under attack by the country’s president. “A similar trend is unfolding in several countries and could eventually affect Sweden too,” says Karolinska Institutet’s President.

What did we learn during the pandemic and how do we prepare for the next one? That was the theme when representatives from academia, healthcare, authorities, politics and media met during two intensive half-days to look back, but above all to look ahead. Most agreed that we have learned a lot and now have greater crisis awareness, but also that there is still much to do if we want to tackle the next health crisis even better.

Four students in the master's program in public health sciences have been awarded a Minor Field study grant, which is a Sida-funded stipend for first-cycle and second-cycle students who want to conduct field studies in low- and middle-income countries to collect data or materials for their theses. Congratulations!

After a spinal cord injury, cells in the brain and spinal cord change to cope with stress and repair tissue. A new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in Nature Neuroscience, shows that this response is controlled by specific DNA sequences. This knowledge could help develop more targeted treatments.

How do everyday health issues affect new blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease? A study from Karolinska Institutet, in Alzheimer's & Dementia, suggests that factors like kidney function, cholesterol, and diabetes can influence some of these biomarkers—though the most promising marker remains reliable.

The popular NeurotechEU Internship Program at the University of Bonn is returning in the Summer of 2026 — and KI bachelor's and master's students can now apply!

Welcome to the Lucia celebration in Biomedicum on Monday, December 15th at 3:00 PM in the atrium.

Jinghua Wu from the Center for Infectious Medicine (CIM), at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH) defends her thesis titled "Functional studies of pathogen-specific T cell responses in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia", on 5 December, 2025. Main supervisor is Marcus Buggert (MedH).

Cecilia Radkiewicz was appointed docent in Cancer and Oncology on November 18, 2025.
She combines a postdoctoral position in Professor Jesper Lagergren’s research group for upper gastrointestinal surgery at Karolinska Institutet with clinical work as Associate Senior Physician in Oncology at Capio Sankt Göran’s Hospital.

Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University and Region Stockholm intend to establish a new centre for medical radiation science in Stockholm. By combining the universities' cutting-edge expertise in key research areas with healthcare sector expertise, it is a gathering of forces to develop the cancer treatment of the future.

Bahira Shahim, researcher and cardiologist at Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, has been awarded the annual SEK six million Prince Daniel’s Grant for Promising Young Researchers by the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation. Her work has the potential to change the way of treating a common heart valve disease, which can cause sudden cardiac death and heart failure.

Kun Arifi Abbas recently held his ISP seminar, outlining his upcoming doctoral research on improving emergency and critical care in East Java, Indonesia. Inspired by his daily work on the frontlines, Abbas aims to identify challenges, propose solutions, and enhance healthcare quality at both hospital and national levels.

On 25 November, the eleven master's students who were awarded KI scholarships for the global master's programmes were celebrated at a ceremony in Aula Medica. KI's president Annika Östman Wernerson gave a speech, and the programme managers also took part in the ceremony.

At the start of the autumn semester, the Global Child Health & SDGs group gathered for an inspiring retreat at Zinkensdamm Urban Garden conference center in Stockholm, with participants joining both in person and online. The day offered a unique opportunity to reflect on achievements, explore emerging challenges, and strengthen collaboration within the group.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the RIKEN Center for Brain Science in Japan have identified two receptors in the brain that control the breakdown of amyloid beta, a substance that accumulates in Alzheimer’s disease. According to the researchers, the study could pave the way for future drugs that are both safer and cheaper than current antibody treatments.

High-intensity interval training boosts fitness and muscle endurance more effectively than traditional home exercise programmes in people recently diagnosed with inflammatory muscle disease. That is the conclusion of a new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in eBioMedicine.

The InFuturum meeting in Stockholm gathers together Sweden’s seven ALF regions for a discussion on the future of education, research and care with a focus on common challenges, from health data to changing global trends.

Gonçalo Castelo-Branco and Sten Linnarsson from the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics are on the Clarivate list of highly cited researchers in 2025.

As part of the Swedish government’s long-term strategy and action plan to counteract and reduce virus outbreaks and pandemics, the Swedish Research Council is undergoing a ten-year national research programme in Viruses and Pandemics. In the latest funding round, researchers at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, have been granted over 20 million SEK.

It is not only the brain that is governed by a sophisticated network of nerves – the gut is too. And the gut can influence our mental wellbeing – just as the mind can affect the gut. Researchers are now exploring how psychological treatments such as CBT and hypnosis can ease digestive problems, and whether gut bacteria might even shape how the brain works.

A new test shows promising results for detecting latent tuberculosis infection in resource-limited settings. This is according to a study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

In October 2025, the Faculty Board decided to allocate funding to NVS in a university-wide initiative to promote collaboration between environments with either a strong research profile or a strong education profile. Three of the department’s study programmes have been granted funding under this initiative.

Welcome to Andreas Rödlund's presentation of his thesis ”Understanding implementation mechanisms : a cluster-randomized controlled trial in schools”.

In the annual grant rounds from the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation, several researchers in the KI-NET4TB, the Network for tuberculosis research, received important funding.

Patients with diabetes have an increased risk of complications after stent implantation, according to a study from Karolinska Institutet published in Diabetes Care. The study, which includes over 160,000 patients, emphasises the importance of tailoring treatment strategies for this specific patient group.

The IT Office has decided to phase out and discontinue the VPN Light service, which has been available for computers outside the central client service Karyon. The decision is part of KI's efforts to strengthen security within our IT infrastructure and is effective immediately. The service will be completely phased out on 31 May 2026.

We congratulate the seven researchers at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, who have been awarded grants from the Swedish Cancer Society (Cancerfonden) for the period 2026-2028. Together, the MBB researchers are awarded grants of 25,6 million SEK.

This year, KI has two digital cards with winter motifs where you can write your own Christmas greeting. It is also possible to send the cards to a printing service for those who want paper cards.

Adult Psychiatry Region Gävleborg has for some time been working on strengthening its efforts in suicide prevention training for staff. The region has now taken a new step in its suicide prevention work — all employees within Adult Psychiatry will complete the programme “Psyk-E bas suicid”, a professional education developed by Karolinska Institutet.

On October 21–22, Ulf Hedin, Professor of Experimental Vascular Surgery at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, visited Stanford University in San Francisco.

In a new study published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research, a research team at Karolinska Institutet has performed a large-scale genetic screen to uncover the hidden roles of tiny proteins, so-called microproteins. Cell stress and protein misfolding are involved in many diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, and the study could one day contribute to new therapeutic strategies.

SFO-V announces funds for Research in Health Care Sciences, for researcher in SFO-Vs four core areas for 2026.
The call will be open for applications via Prisma, December 1th 2025 to January 15th 2026.

The Torsten Söderberg Foundation recognises outstanding achievements in medicine through its annual grants. Two researchers from the Department of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet have been awarded grants in medicine to support their innovative research into brain health and infectious diseases.

As part of the Swedish Research Council's latest call, David Marlevi was awarded a Starting Grant within Natural and Engineering Sciences. The grant was the only starting grant in Natural and Engineering Sciences awarded at KI.

Between five and ten percent of the population has dyslexia. A new report from Karolinska Institutet summarizes the latest research and current state of knowledge.
“Our society places high demands on reading and writing skills,” says Martina Hedenius, PhD in Speech and Language Pathology and first author of the study. “Receiving the right support and response early on is an important factor for success for individuals with dyslexia.”

Department of Dental Medicine visit to Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine and SDU School of Stomatology, Jinan China.

On November 12, 2025, the conference Research Dissemination Conference: 20 Years of Collaboration in Stroke Rehabilitation was held at Makerere University, School of Public Health, Uganda. The event was organized by researchers from NVS/Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Health, Karolinska Institutet and the Africa Medical and Behavioral Sciences Organization to share experiences from two decades of successful collaboration in education, research, and development of stroke rehabilitation.

Researchers, clinicians, students, and patient representatives gathered at Karolinska Institutet for the 2025 KI Pain Network Conference, a full-day event dedicated to the latest advances in pain research and care.

Hello Bea Uusma, who received the August Prize in the non-fiction category for "Vitön", the continuation of the similarly August Prize-winning book "The Expedition: My Love Story" which was published in 2013. Both are about Bea Uusma's attempt to finally solve the mystery of how the members of the Andrée expedition died on Vitön in 1897. Bea Uusma is an affiliated researcher at the Unit for the History and Cultural Heritage of Medicine at Karolinska Institutet.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet, Columbia University and the University of San Francisco, have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism by which dopamine, a key brain chemical vital for movement and motivation, can affect brain activity indirectly, by boosting serotonin. The study was recently published in Sciences Advances.

Don’t miss the chance to nominate qualified candidates and help shape KI’s future. Here, Vice President Martin Bergö explains why your contribution matters.