Karin Sundström

I am a senior cancer epidemiologist and research group leader with a strong focus on molecular epidemiological studies conducted in the excellent Swedish register and biobank infrastructure.

My main interest is in the elimination of female gynecological cancers:

1) Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers through virological research and improved cervical screening and HPV-vaccination practices.

2) Endometrial cancer, through research on epigenetics/methylation, and improved diagnostics of post-menopausal bleeding.

3) Ovarian cancer, through research on risk factors and potential chemoprevention.

As such, I am involved with several projects in clinical biobanks of cytology and histology, which are strong resources for comprehensive studies on biomarkers for female disease. I collaborate with Professor Martin Widschwendter of the University of Tirol on methylation tests for female cancers and Professor Susanne Kruger Kjaer of the Danish Cancer Society, and the large MERMAID III initiative to prevent ovarian cancer. I am also an Honorary Fellow at University College of London (UCL), where I collaborate with Professor Pam Sonnenberg.

Apart from molecular epidemiological studies, I have worked on in silico projects within machine learning and text mining of medical records, for the improved computer-assisted prediction of screening-detectable cancer forms. 

I have a keen interest in education at basic and advanced level and I lecture regularly at a number of programs at Karolinska Institutet, includingcourses for Residents at Karolinska University Hospital (SK). I was formerly the Study Director of the Master program for diagnostic cytology at Karolinska Institutet and was Project Manager for the development of the new Master program for biomedical laboratory science at KI.

• Research focus
  - Register-based optimization of female cancer prevention
  - Biomarker research into new tests for cervical precancer/cancer, endometrial and ovarian cancer
  - Novel in silico/computer-assisted methods for enhancement of screening algorithms
• Key collaborations
  - Cervical cancer and HPV infection, through the ACCES Project
  - Deep sequencing of HPV16 infections
  - New cervical screening tests, through the BRIGHT project (Biobank- and register-based implementation of gynecological health technologies)
  - Biomarkers for ovarian cancer (MERMAID III)
  - Female Cancer Prediction Using Cervical Omics to Individualise Screening and Prevention
  - The Nordic Information for Action eScience Center (NIASC), a Nordic Center of Excellence in health-related eSciences.

Postdoctoral supervision:
Dr. Jiangrong Wang

Doctoral supervision, ongoing:
Olof Grönlund (main supervisor)
Qingyun Yao (main supervisor)

Franziska Thimm (main supervisor)
Rasha Polcer (co-supervisor)
Former co-supervisor of another 7 doctoral students, who have now defended their theses.

Other student supervision:

2025. Kamila Abdullayeva, guest doctoral student from University College London.

2019. Master student in Diagnostic Cytology Leila Kije Jatta's thesis
2017. Public Health Sciences/Public Health Epidemiology student Teresa Kreusch's master thesis: “The association with cervical screening attendance — A Swedish national register-based cohort study”.

Pedagogics/Teaching:

2022- ongoing Lecturer in several courses at KI and KUH

2019-2021 Study Director for the KI Magister program in Diagnostic Cytology (60 HEC)
2016 Course in university level pedagogics, at KI, 7.5 university credits
2015 - 2016 Member of the KI Medical program’s Teachers’ Collegium for Primary Care (Primärvårdskollegium)
2009 - 2016 Lecturer within Scientific Development (Vetenskaplig Utveckling), a course in principles of science and evidence-based medicine for medical students.
Active lecturer on semester 1, 6 and 10 during 2014-2015. Formally responsible for the VetU-tuition semester 6, during 2014-2015.