Popular science about MBB research
Want to know more about the research at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics? Below you can find a compilation of popular science articles about our research.
Cells from human foetuses are important for developing vaccines – but they’re not an ingredient
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops recently issued a statement advising Catholics to opt for the Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines over the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, if possible, because human embryonic cells collected from an aborted foetus were used to develop the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Using human embryonic cells from aborted foetuses in vaccine development has been controversial for some faiths. Given the severity of the pandemic and the necessity that a significant percentage of the population must be vaccinated to protect public health, most faith communities have publicly stated it is morally acceptable to receive any of the authorised vaccinations, even those that used cells that have been replicated from those originally taken from aborted foetuses in their development. These replicated cells are known as cell lines.
Human embryonic cells have been used to develop safe and effective vaccines since the 1960s and have played varying roles in the rapid development of six of the eight authorised COVID-19 vaccines.
Podcast: What do all cells do?
There are thousands of different types of cells in the body that perform different functions. In fact, many of them are not yet known. In KI's popular science podcast "Medicinvetarna", Sten Linnarsson talks about a large mapping project that will lead to an atlas of all the body's cells, which he is participating in.
Listen to the Medicinvetarna episode: Vad gör alla celler? (in Swedish)
Hope in sight for a dreaded disease
In a short period of time, knowledge regarding the neuromuscular disease ALS has increased dramatically. Now, researchers and doctors have their hopes set on new treatments being developed, and for the first time there is now talk of being able to stop the disease within the foreseeable future.
Hope in sight for a dreaded disease
The art of folding DNA
DNA origami involves ways in which DNA can be used to build nanoscale constructions. Björn Högberg has improved this technique and uses it for both basic research and the development of clinical applications.
Now we get to keep tabs on our cells
According to recent estimates, the human body consists of 37 billion cells. In the international initiative Human Cell Atlas, researchers want to map each cell type in the entire body. Sten Linnarsson at Karolinska Institutet is participating in the project.
Now we get to keep tabs on our cells
Selenium: A vital toxin for humans
A rare trace element from the bedrock turned out to be a prerequisite for human life. Since the discovery of selenium 200 years ago, researchers have tried to understand more.
Selenium: A vital toxin for humans
Óskar Fernández-Capetillo: He wants to have fun
Happy people work better, according to Óskar Fernández-Capetillo, who argues that research should be enjoyable. In addition, he hopes to help patients with both cancer and ALS. Meet the Professor who avoids falling in love with his projects – but adores research.
Óskar Fernández-Capetillo: He wants to have fun
Scaffolds designed to engineer tissues
Molly M Stevens, Professor of Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, is the Head of the new Division of Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine at KI. By combining knowledge in material design and biology, her research group generates new technologies for repairing the body.
Scaffolds designed to engineer tissues
Molly Stevens: “We can make plasters for the heart”
Molly Stevens: “We can make plasters for the heart”
The calcium waves in the cell
As a doctoral student, Per Uhlén, Professor of Dynamic Imaging of Intracellular Signalling at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, discovered that the calcium concentration in cells can fluctuate at a certain frequency, roughly like a radio signal. He is now trying to understand the meaning of these signals for the healthy and diseased body.
He wants to find the vulnerability in cancer
Jiří Bártek, Professor of Cancer Biology at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics researches the checkpoint systems that monitor cell division in our bodies.
He wants to find the vulnerability in cancer
Cross boarder cancer research (in Swedish)
Drömmen om att forska fram nya behandlingsmetoder mot cancer föddes när Thomas Helleday som tonåring tog sommarjobb som sjukvårdsbiträde på Danderyds sjukhus. Han hamnade på hematologiavdelningen, där många patienter var svårt sjuka och döende i leukemi.
Gränsöverskridande cancerforskning
The Google of Proteomics (in Swedish)
Så kallade pathways, signaleringsvägar, är ett välkänt begrepp inom den biologiska forskningen och har nu även blivit det inom proteinforskningen för att förklara viktiga skeenden.
New inflammation research increases opportunity for treatment (in Swedish)
De explosionsartade framstegen inom genteknologin har bidragit till möjligheterna att identifiera de molekylära mekanismerna i komplexa inflammatoriska sjukdomar. Dessa orsakas till omkring 60 procent av genetiska faktorer och till cirka 40 procent av miljöfaktorer. Kunskapen om vilka faktorer i miljön som triggar den inflammatoriska processen är begränsad, däremot vet man betydligt mer om den bakomliggande genetiken.
Ny inflammationsforskning ökar möjlighet till behandling
New research gives hope for remedy (in Swedish)
Kunskapsexplosionen inom Parkinson har resulterat i bättre djurmodeller, snabbare testsystem och nya möjliga behandlingar. Forskarna har därför gott hopp om att kunna finna en bot mot sjukdomen.