News archive

During the annual Inauguration of new Professors at Karolinska Institutet on Thursday, October 3rd, President Annika Östman Wernerson presented the 2024 prize for innovation and utilization to Jacob Hollenberg, Mattias Ringh and Leif Svensson. The trio received the award for their work in designing, technically developing, scientifically evaluating and subsequently implementing and operationalizing a system with volunteer lifesavers who are alerted via an app to sudden cardiac arrests.

Ulf Hedin, Professor of Vascular Surgery at Karolinska Institutet, and Christian Gasser, Professor of Biomechanics at KTH, are jointly leading a new research project focusing on technology to enable individual treatment of fatal forms of stroke and carotid artery disease. The project is now being granted research funding of SEK 4.5 million per year for five years by MedTechLabs.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in Sweden, with about 10,000 new cases diagnosed annually. Despite advancements in diagnostics and treatments, managing prostate cancer remains challenging due to its often silent progression and the complexities surrounding early detection.

A new study from Karolinska Institutet and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences has identified an RNA molecule that is important for skin wound healing. The research, published in Nature Communications, may have implications for the treatment of hard-to-heal wounds.

Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun share this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. They are being awarded for their discovery of microRNAs, which play a crucial role in the development of complex organisms. Research is underway at Karolinska Institutet on how these small molecules can be applied clinically.

The Swedish Society of Medicine (SLS) awards Martin Schalling, Professor of Medical Genetics at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, with the Ingvar Prize 2024.

Svenska Läkaresällskapet (the Swedish Medical Society, SLS) has decided to award Jana de Boniface, adjunct professor at Karolinska Institutet and senior physician and surgeon at the surgery and oncology clinic, Capio St. Göran's Hospital, with their prestigious Jubilee Prize. The awardee is rewarded with SEK 175,000 and the SLS century medal in silver.

The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has decided to award the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation.

A new donation professorship in prevention is being established at Karolinska Institutet. It will be named Prince Daniel's Professorship in Cardiovascular Prevention and will be awarded to researcher and obstetrician Ylva Trolle Lagerros, who took up the position on 1 October. The aim is to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in Sweden.

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Charles University studying liver fibrosis have made an exciting new discovery, now published in EMBO Molecular Medicine. Their latest findings could pave the way for innovative approaches to treating this challenging condition.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed a new comprehensive mapping of genetic activity for understanding the causes of chronic pain. The study, published in Nature Communications, opens way to more efficient non-addictive treatment for chronic pain and potentially headache disorders.

Welcome to Shifeng Lian's presentation of his thesis ”Biomarkers for early detection and prognostic prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma”.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and the University of Gothenburg have identified a biomarker that could become an important tool for healthcare in assessing patients with acute COVID-19 infection. The researchers have studied interleukin (IL)-26, a signaling substance in the immune system, which has been shown to reflect the severity of the disease, viral load, and the need for hospital care.

Johan von Schreeb, professor of Global Disaster Medicine at Karolinska Institutet, is awarded the KTH Great Prize 2024 "for his efforts to reduce suffering in the world".

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified a new potential risk marker for cardiovascular disease in women. A new study shows an association between low levels of an anti-inflammatory antibody and the risk of heart attack and coronary heart disease. The study is published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology.

Karolinska Institutet (KI) is renewing its educational collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and will soon launch two new courses. The courses are possible thanks to support from The Kamprad Family Foundation. The focus is on courses that provide participants with the skills and tools they need to work with healthcare interventions in low-resource contexts, humanitarian disasters and health crises, both globally and locally.

National centre for suicide research and prevention (NASP) recently participated in the periodic EXPERIENCE Consortium Meeting, held on September 19-20, 2024, in Rome, Italy. Hosted by Tor Vergata University of Rome, the meeting brought together members of the consortium to review the progress of the EXPERIENCE project, a groundbreaking initiative exploring the use of Virtual Reality (VR) in clinical settings.

Vinnova is investing in precision medicine and awarding grant funding to six innovation environments. Two of them are at Karolinska Institutet, and both focus on treating cancer. The aim of the grants is to fund efforts to bring greater precision to the diagnosis and treatment of common diseases.

The Swedish Society of Medicine (SLS) awards researchers John Pernow and Aida Collado Sánchez at Karolinska Institutet with the Alvarenga Prize 2024. The laureates are rewarded for a research article on a study that shows a new cause behind vascular complications in type 2 diabetes and possible future treatment to prevent this.

Hi Katarina Holmberg, doctoral student at the Division of Nursing. On October 11 you will defend your thesis ”Symptom burden, preparedness, self-efficacy and self-care in allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation”. What is the main focus of the thesis?

The very idea of a vaccine is to prevent a disease from occurring. By exposing the body to a small part of an infectious agent that causes a disease, but doing so in a killed or weakened form, the body develops a defense against the disease. In a sense, vaccines can be argued to be the ultimate form of preparedness, as they prevent the disease from occurring in the first place, or at least mitigate it.

We all recognise the scene from countless horror movies and thrillers. A new, unknown virus is spreading. Panic ensues! Suddenly, the streets of New York are filled with people in yellow hazmat suits with big helmets, carrying stretchers where people lie writhing in terrible agony. But what is does it really look like when we prepare for and manage communicable diseases? The Centre for Health Crises’ expert coordinator knows more.

Kyla McKay, researcher in MS epidemiology and affiliated with the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, has been awarded the Bjarne Ahlström Minnesfonds pris in “Clinical Neurology - especially inflammatory mechanisms affecting central or peripheral nervous system function”.

There are five places left on our doctoral course and you still have the chance to apply!

Vaccination coverage for COVID-19 is high in both people with and without mental illness, according to a large multinational study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and published in Nature Communications. However, Swedish registry data revealed that individuals with unmedicated mental illness have lower vaccination levels.

Some health crises occur suddenly and intensely, for example in the event of an armed attack or an earthquake. Others come more stealthily. One of the clearest and most worrying examples of an insidious health crisis is antibiotic resistance, which will be addressed at a high-level meeting of the United Nations in September.

Addgene is a non-profit organization that serves as a global plasmid repository, facilitating the sharing of molecular biology tools among researchers worldwide. Those scientists whose plasmid has been ordered 100 times or more are congratulated with a “Blue Flame Award”.

A recent study published in Nature Communications by researchers at Karolinska Institutet offers new insights into the development of ovarian follicles, which are vital for female fertility as they contain oocytes.

Correct and functioning diagnostics are a basic prerequisite for knowing what is happening and what it is we are dealing with, both in everyday life, but not least in a health crisis. Therefore, the need for adaptable and scalable laboratory and diagnostic capabilities is central to rapid and adequate management in many health crises, whether infectious diseases or chemical spills.

Priorities for intensive care in times of crisis are something that has interested the Centre for Health Crisis Expert Coordinator Märit Halmin for some time. She is the guest editor of a special issue of Läkartidningen on the subject, where she writes alongside several other experts in the field.

Healthcare is a societal function that needs to function both in everyday life and in a health crisis. In any health crisis, be it a natural disaster, war in an unstable Europe or a new pandemic, the number of patients in need of care will increase. Among them, a certain proportion will be critically ill in need of intensive care. This will require difficult decisions and prioritisation from their doctors.

The KI Biobank in Solna turns 20 this year. No fewer than 8.5 million samples from 750,000 individuals are preserved in its freezers. “The biobank is absolutely crucial to meeting tomorrow’s research needs,” says Sanela Kjellqvist, head of the KI Biobank.

Preparedness Week 2024 has started. The theme for the year is "Get started" and around the country, municipalities, regions, civil society organizations and many more are investing in information and communication campaigns. But what exactly is preparedness?

Researchers have developed a gel inspired by cow slime for patients suffering from disc herniation.

The Center for Resuscitation science at Karolinska Institutet, in collaboration with Duke University, USA, participated in a research exchange on the use of drones as first responders in cases of cardiac arrest. During a symposium in Gothenburg, researchers and emergency services from both Sweden and the US shared their experiences and discussed future possibilities to improve prehospital rescue systems using drone technology.

Join us on 24 September 2024, at the World Trade Centre in Stockholm for the Doctoral Student and Supervisor Day, a day dedicated to co-creation, co-design, and participatory research. Engage with leading experts like Dr. Joanne Woodford and Dr. Elin Inge, delve into innovative homecare projects with Docent Ida Goliath and Dr. Sarah Wallcook, and discuss the crucial role of feedback with Dr. Lena Engqvist Boman.

Some of the world’s most prominent Alzheimer’s researchers congregated recently in Stockholm for the tenth anniversary of the prestigious Goodes Prize. The programme included a seminar day and a study visit to Karolinska Institutet followed by a social event in Stockholm City Hall.

For the third year in a row, Karolinska Institutet has been placed on the list of Sweden's 100 most attractive employers according to students and young academics. This is in fierce competition with, among others, Ikea, Google, Spotify and Astra Zeneca. This is shown by the annual Young Professional Attraction Index.

When the research company Verian presents this year's reputation index for universities and colleges, KI has increased by four points. With an estimate of 70, KI is well above the average of 63.

The European University of Brain and Technology would like to invite you to come present your research at the next NeurotechEU meeting in Istanbul, Turkey!

Merkel cell carcinoma is an aggressive and often fatal form of skin cancer. Weng-Onn Lui intends to find out how the Merkel cell polyomavirus influences tumour growth and the development of treatment resistance. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 3 October.

Our understanding of autism has changed significantly in the past years. Previously viewed as a rare childhood disorder with a focus on deficits and pathology, autism is now recognized as a common, lifelong and heterogenous condition characterized by a broad spectrum of strengths and challenges. With increasing numbers of autistic adults and in particular females, a better understanding of autism in young adulthood for autistic females and males is warranted.

David Freiholtz, PhD student in the Thoracic Surgery group at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, has been awarded the Senning Scholarship for 2024.

The scholarship was presented during the Scandinavian Thoracic Meeting in Gothenburg by the Swedish Association for Thoracic Surgery in memory of Åke Senning. The scholarship aims to support the most deserving thoracic surgery-focused research project of the year.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and AstraZeneca have discovered that gene expression in adipose stem cells varies according to sex and type of adipose tissue in mice. These findings may pave the way for future therapeutic interventions to increase the body's fat storage capacity and improve metabolism.

The Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED) supports high-quality clinical research at Campus Flemingsberg. The allocation of their project grants for 2025-2027 was finalized this summer.

Welcome to Yuxia Wei's presentation of her thesis ”Risk factors and prognosis of diabetes with and without an autoimmune component”.

Errors during cell division can lead to conditions such as cancer and infertility. Jan Ellenberg studies the molecular processes of cell division in order that these diseases can eventually be prevented and treated. Meet one of the new professors of Karolinska Institutet who will participate in this year's installation ceremony at Aula Medica on 3 October.

Ernest Arenas, professor at Karolinska Institutet, passed away on September 15th at the age of 62. Dr. Arenas was widely known both within and outside Sweden as one of the pioneers in Parkinson’s disease research, with a strong commitment to developing better treatment strategies through cell replacement therapy.

Is your immune system functioning as it should? The question is not as simple to answer as one might think. Professor Petter Brodin is trying to understand more about it. At the same time, he hopes to help patients that are severely affected with post-COVID and other conditions where the regulation of the immune system is not working.

In a new study from the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM), an alternative method for assessing the cancer potency of air pollution is presented, focusing on mixtures of organic pollutants in particles.