Published: 30-09-2013 00:00 | Updated: 13-02-2014 12:37

The Hållsten Research Foundation makes a unique effort to support young researchers

In a unique and directed effort, the Hållsten Research Foundation is donating a total of 16 million SEK to Karolinska Institutet to be distributed over four years to young researchers at research associate level.

The Board of Research at Karolinska Institutet and the Hållsten Research Foundation have now agreed on the four young researchers - Hållsten Academy Fellows - to be financed by this donation.

"It's crucial that young, promising researchers are offered an attractive environment with proper resources early in their careers," says Professor Anders Hamsten, Vice-chancellor of Karolinska Institutet. "This makes this donation strategically important for Sweden as a research nation and for Karolinska Institutet as one of the world's leading universities. We are therefore very grateful for this support from Bertil and his family."

Following an academic career and leading positions in public and private organizations, Bertil Hållsten has been active as an advisor and portfolio manager, with investments in research-based companies within the life-science sector. Ten years ago he established the Hållsten Research Foundation that over the years has made significant contributions to Swedish medical research, especially through the Swedish Brain Foundation.

"Medical research is a lot about taking the long term view," says Bertil Hållsten. "All top researchers have had periods in which they might have found it hard to find the right conditions and resources for their work. Therefore I am really enthusiastic about the ability to be able to support some of these young and deserving researchers and I look forward to follow the progress in their exciting research, as they one day, might be among those making the really big scientific breakthroughs."

The four new Hållsten Academy Fellows are:

Pontus Almer Broström and Christian Göritz, Department of of Cell and Molecular Biology

Mikael Altun and Igor Adameyko, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.