News archive

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.

Hi there Isabelle von Saenger! On 13 June, you will defend your doctoral thesis entitled “Care and financial support in ageing families: the changing shape of inequality”. Can you tell us more about what it explores?

Helena Erlandsson Harris has been appointed new Head of Department at the Department of Medicine, Solna (MedS). The decision was signed by Dean Carl Johan Sundberg on 22 May 2025.

The Bridging Grant is a funding initiative through which StratNeuro provides support to promising researchers with outstanding scientific merits, offering them the opportunity to further consolidate and strengthen their research.

A new investigation from Karolinska Institutet shows that the majority of food and beverage advertisements that adolescents are exposed to on social media promote unhealthy products. The investigation is part of a new report from UNICEF Sweden and the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation.

Research on uveal melanoma - the most common form of eye cancer in adults - at St. Erik Eye Hospital and Karolinska Institutet has been ranked fifth in the world according to the 2024 ScholarGPS ranking.

Thomas Frisell is a Principal researcher and docent in epidemiology at the Department of Medicine, Solna, and coordinates health data counseling in Clinicum. As a method-oriented epidemiologist, he is particularly focused on study design, biostatistics and how we can best use registries and other health data sources for clinical and epidemiological research.

Five people are to receive Karolinska Institutet’s Grand Silver Medal, and a further two KI’s Silver Medal. These two classes of medal are awarded to people who have made tremendous or excellent efforts, respectively, in support of KI’s activities and will be presented this year at the installation ceremony on 9 October.

The Foundation for Child Research at Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital recently hosted a ceremonial event to present this year’s Hugo Lagercrantz Award alongside the fall research grants. It was an inspiring gathering that celebrated both groundbreaking research and emerging scientific talent in paediatrics.

Shengyuan Zeng from the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Unit (GUT), at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH) defends her thesis titled "Investigation of epigenome changes in quiescent fission yeast cells", on 5 June, 2025. Main supervisor is Karl Ekwall (MedH).

Junior researchers are invited to apply for funding to strengthen collaboration or to establish new collaboration with partners in low- and middle-income countries in Africa in 2026.

Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Center (Karolinska CCC) will be the first center in Sweden to receive renewed accreditation. This milestone marks an important step in further strengthening the collaboration between Karolinska University Hospital and KI. Childhood cancer is now also part of Karolinska CCC.

As a cardiologist and former head of the cardiac intensive care unit at Karolinska University Hospital, I have seen the serious consequences of ignoring gender differences in medical research and clinical practice. Some international leaders now want to stop research on sex and gender, which is not only a step backward but also a direct threat to patients' lives and health in our field.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified three types of nerve cells connected to the intestinal villi, suggesting that previously unknown neural networks regulate fluid balance in the gut. The findings, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, could lead to a better understanding of diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Clinicum methodological advice, aimed at researchers at KI or Region Stockholm, has, since its inception, supported over 300 researchers with methodological advice. Clinicum is currently hosted by the Department of Medicine, Solna (MedS), but support is provided by approximately 60 experienced methodology specialists from several departments at Karolinska Institutet (KI).

Newsletter for staff and affiliates at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, June 2025.

Despite many digital tools showing promising results in research aimed at supporting patients in lifestyle changes, self-care, and monitoring of common chronic diseases, they rarely make it into routine healthcare. A new correspondence article in Nature Medicine presents six concrete recommendations to help accelerate the path from research to real patient benefit.

On May 29-30, the KI Housing office will be closed for the Ascension Day holiday.

The Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services (SBU) recently provided a commentary on a review conducted at the Aging Research Center (ARC) in collaboration with affiliated researchers. The review focused on interventions to support informal caregivers—family members or close friends who care for older adults without formal compensation.

The Spanish TV channel 3 Cat has produced a report in Sweden about the new tobacco and nicotine market. The report, which is now completed, is comprehensive and covers various aspects, including the perspective of researchers as well as that of the tobacco industry.

People with an autism diagnosis are at a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease early in life, a large-scale study from Karolinska Institutet published in JAMA Neurology reports. The researchers believe that the two conditions can share underlying biological mechanisms.