Göran Pershagen

Göran Pershagen

Professor, Senior
Telephone: +46852487137
Visiting address: Nobels väg 13, 17177 Stockholm
Postal address: C6 Institutet för miljömedicin, C6 Miljömedicinsk epidemiologi Ljungman, 171 77 Stockholm
Part of:

About me

  • I am professor since 1987 at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, and was senior physician 1991-2022 at the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Region Stockholm. My main activities include research, risk assessment and teaching at international, national and regional level. I was chair and director of the Institute of Environmental Medicine 2000-2009

    Education
    - MD 1979
    - PhD 1982
    - Docent (assistant professor) 1983

Research

  • My research is focused on health risks associated with exposure to air pollution and noise as well as on risk factors for asthma and allergy. Molecular biomarkers are extensively used to assess interactions between environmental and hereditary factors as well as to characterize exposure and health effects.

    The research is based on a number of high-quality epidemiological studies, including several birth cohorts. An important goal is to identify various causes of disease associated with environment and lifestyle as a basis for preventive measures. In addition to allergic diseases my research is focused on cardiovascular diseases and cancer, as well as on metabolic and respiratory disorders.

    Financing
    - European Union
    - Swedish Research Council
    - Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

    International collaboration partners
    - Utrecht University
    - Helmholtz Center Munich
    - ISGlobal Barcelona
    - Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute Basel

Articles

All other publications

Grants

  • Environmental and occupational noise exposure in relation to incidence of type 2 diabetes, including assessment of important mediators and interacting factors
    Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2024 - 31 December 2026
    Large parts of the population are exposed to traffic noise, particularly in urban areas, and high noise levels occur in many workplaces. The aims of this project are to estimate exposure-response relationships for incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) related to long-term exposure to road traffic, railway and aircraft noise, as well as occupational noise. Furthermore, mediation by sleep disturbances and overweight/obesity is investigated, as well as interactions with air pollution and clinical biomarkers, to elucidate important etiological pathways. The project is based on pooled analyses of nine Scandinavian cohorts, totally including more than 300 000 individuals. Detailed longitudinal exposure to traffic noise from different sources, air pollutants and greenness, as well as occupational exposures, are estimated with state-of-the-art methods and supplemented with questionnaire and registry data on risk factors as well as clinical measurements. Incidence of T2D is assessed by combining information from medical examinations, high quality registers, questionnaires and biomarker measurements. Population attributable risks are estimated by combining population data on exposure with information on exposure-response relationships. In several aspects the project is unique and addresses questions which have never been studied before. Our results will provide important guidance for prioritization of preventive measures to promote health sustainable urban development and safe workplaces.
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2020 - 31 December 2022
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2016 - 31 December 2019
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2014 - 31 December 2016
  • Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 December 2012 - 31 December 2015
  • Swedish Research Council for Environment Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning
    1 January 2012 - 31 December 2012
  • Swedish Research Council for Environment Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning
    1 January 2011 - 31 December 2013
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2011 - 31 December 2015
  • Cardiovascular effects of air pollution and noise
    Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
    1 January 2010 - 31 December 2012
  • Swedish Research Council for Environment Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning
    1 January 2009 - 31 December 2009
  • Swedish Research Council
    1 January 2009 - 31 December 2010

Employments

  • Professor, Senior, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 2025-2025
  • Professor, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 2021-2024

News from KI

Events from KI