Medals

Karolinska Institutet awards medals to people who have made special contributions to support KI. The medals are available in three categories: gold medal, grand silver medal and silver medal. Medals are awarded in connection with various academic ceremonies. The nominations are reviewed by the President, the Vice President, the University Director, the Academic Vice President for Research, the Academic Vice President for Doctoral Education, and the Academic Vice President for Higher Education.

Medals 2023

The 2023 Grand Silver Medals are awarded to Göran K Hansson och Jan-Inge Henter.
The 2023 Grand Silver Medals are awarded to Göran K Hansson och Jan-Inge Henter. Photo: Stefan Zimmerman och Rick Guidotti/Positive Exposure

The Grand Silver Medal

Göran K Hansson, professor of experimental cardiovascular research at the Department of Medicine, Solna, is awarded the Grand Silver Medal for his far-reaching contributions to cardiovascular medicine, Karolinska Institutet and the national and international discourse in medicine.

For three decades, Göran K Hansson has developed the now highly active research area of atherosclerosis immunology. He has made several of the seminal contributions that established atherosclerosis as an inflammatory disease – insights that have created a plethora of new possibilities for improved clinical protocols in cardiovascular prevention and therapy.

In addition to his leadership in cardiovascular medicine, Göran K Hansson has served on several boards and committees of Karolinska Institutet, including the Board for research (1995-2005), and he represented KI on the board of the Karolinska Hospital (2002-2003). He was one of the founding PIs of the Center for Molecular Medicine and he led the Linnaeus Centre for Research on Inflammation and Cardiovascular Disease, CERIC, from its start in 2008.

Göran K Hansson has also had central roles in the Nobel system for nearly 25 years. He served as the secretary general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences during 2015-2021, and he served on the board of directors of the Nobel Foundation for 13 years (2009- 2022), also as its vice chair.

In his positions at the Karolinska Institutet and beyond, Göran K Hansson has taken a prominent role in promoting science in society, including commentaries and editorials in the daily press, participating in debates and news programmes, maintaining an active blog about science, and appointing an independent expert panel at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences during the Covid-19 pandemic. He remains an exceptionally respected voice promoting reason and science in society.

Jan-Inge Henter, professor of clinical paediatric oncology at the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, is awarded the Silver Medal for his pioneering research in the field of histiocytic diseases, and for his achievements as Director of R&D.

Jan-Inge Henter defended his thesis entitled “Familial haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: A clinical, metabolic and immunological study of a lymphohistiocytic inflammatory disorder” at Karolinska Institutet in 1990. This was the start of strong and internationally acclaimed research into histiocytic diseases, in particular haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). This research led to new treatment strategies and an improved prognosis for children affected by these diseases. Jan-Inge Henter’s treatment protocol ended up saving most of these children and became the international standard. He subsequently played a key role in identifying the molecular basis of these conditions, which – when the mechanisms were clarified – turned out to be several different diseases caused by various immune system defects.

Jan-Inge Henter has played an active part in Karolinska Institutet’s activities throughout his career. He has served as Deputy Head of the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health (2007–2012) and Coordinator and Convenor of the Professors’ Collegium at Karolinska Institutet (2008–2012). He held the position of R&D Director at Karolinska University Hospital between 2012 and 2017.

Both Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet went through a turbulent period during Jan-Inge Henter’s tenure as Director of R&D. At the hospital, there was the planning and moving in of the New Karolinska hospital, NKS. Karolinska Institutet was undergoing extensive planning and renovation at the same time. Jan-Inge Henter played a key role in making it all work. His in-depth understanding of Karolinska Institutet’s teaching and research missions meant that he came to serve as a bridge between these two organisations. The major construction projects affected Karolinska Institutet’s ability to conduct research and education in the clinical environment. This period was also characterised by major organisational changes in healthcare. Jan-Inge Henter was able to make a major contribution to securing the future of KI’s courses and study programmes and clinical and translational research at the hospital during this turbulent time.

Medals 2010-2022

Gold Medal

2016 - Torsten Wiesel and Rune Fransson

2015 - Harriet Wallberg

2012 - Lennart Nilsson

2010 - Ingvar Carlsson, Paul Greengard, Bengt Samuelsson, Markus Storch, Hans Wigzell and H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf

Grand Silver Medal

2022 - Jan Andersson, Stefan Einhorn and Ingrid Lundberg

2021 - Gunnar Grant and Rune Toftgård

2020 - Ove Hagelin, Richard J. Heald, Hans Jörnvall, Lars Olson and Nancy Pedersen

2019 - Anita Aperia, Sten Grillner, Bertil Hamberger and Mai-Lis Hellénius

2018 - Laura Fratiglioni, Håkan Eriksson and Bertil Fredholm

2017 - Marc Bygdeman and Tore Curstedt

2016 - Anders Ekbom, Ingemar Ernberg, Agneta Nordberg, Bengt Norrving and Elisabeth Olsson

2015 - Gunnel Biberfeld, Britta Wahren and SGO Johansson

2014 - Staffan Normark, Lars Klareskog and Hans Rosling

2013 - Gösta Gahrton, Folke Sjöqvist and Bengt Winblad

2012 - Peter Aspelin, Dimitris N. Chorafas, Suad Efendic and Nina Rehnqvist Ahlberg

2011 - Hans-Olov Adami, Lars Ekholm, Jan-Åke Gustafsson, Kerstin Hall and Tomas Hökfelt

2010 - Margareta Almling, Margareta Blombäck, Kerstin Hagenfeldt, Ulf Hjertonsson, Gunnar Höglund, Eva Klein, Georg Klein, Sten Linder-Aronson, Jan Lindsten, Anna-Stina Malmborg, Erling Norrby, Sten Orrenius, Nelson Sewankambo, Göran Stiernstedt and Yi-Xin Zeng

Silver Medal

2022 - Lena Borell, Göran Dahllöf, Rolf Kiessling and Marianne Schultzberg

2021 - Maria Masucci, Christina Helging Opava, Åke Rökaeus and Jan Ygge

2020 - Kristina Alexandersson and Roland Möllby

2019 - Lena von Koch and Björn Klinge

2018 - Fredrik Brolund and Lotta Widén Holmqvist

2017 - Lars-Olof Wahlund and Eva Mattsson

2016 - Gunnar Lennerstrand and Elisabeth Kjellén

2014 - Outi Hovatta and Björn Vennström

2013 - Hugo Lagercrantz, Sten Lindahl and Marie Åsberg

2012 - Kerstin Brismar, Bertil Daneholt, Johan Forsslöf and Karin Harms-Ringdahl

2011 - Agneta von Bahr, Inger Huldt, Kerstin Lagerström and Arne Öhman

2010 - Tomas Cronholm, Staffan Cullheim, Marja Lind Tuomela, Ester Mogensen, Per Olsson and Birger Winbladh

The Silver Medal

The medal can be awarded to a person who has made excellent efforts to support the activities of Karolinska Institutet’s mission – not only its education and research but also its outreach activities as well as its working environment/core values and implementation.

One or more medals are awarded in conjunction with the ceremony for Diligence and Devotion. The Silver Medal is primarily intended for internal recipients, yet it can also be awarded to external recipients.

The Gold Medal

The medal can be awarded to a person who has made unparalleled efforts to support the activities of Karolinska Institutet – not only its education and research but also its outreach activities as well as its working environment/core values and implementation.

One or more medals are awarded upon an occasion determined by the President. The Gold Medal is primarily awarded to an external recipient, yet in very special cases it can also be awarded to internal recipients.

Recipients of Gold Medals may not be simultaneously appointed as honorary doctors at Karolinska Institutet, however, previously appointed honorary doctors at Karolinska Institutet can be awarded a Gold Medal and vice versa.

The Grand Silver Medal

The medal can be awarded to a person who has made tremendous efforts to support the activities of Karolinska Institutet’s mission – not only its education and research but also its outreach activities as well as its working environment/core values and implementation.

One or more medals are awarded in conjunction with the installation ceremony in Aula Medica. The Grand Silver Medal is primarily awarded to external recipients, yet in special cases it can also be awarded to internal recipients.

Anne Thyrfing
22-05-2023