Karin Sundström

I am a 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 human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers through virological research and improved cervical screening and HPV-vaccination practices. Other chief interests include the development of biomarkers for female cancers including ovarian cancer. 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 Susanne Kruger Kjaer of the Danish Cancer Society, and the large MERMAID III initiative to prevent ovarian cancer

I previously served as Research Coordinator for NIASC, a Nordic-Baltic Center of Excellence in eHealth where I was involved with projects on machine learning, text mining of medical records, and next-generation sequencing into metagenomics, for the improved prediction of screening-detectable cancer forms. I also have a keen interest in education at basic and advanced level and I lecture regularly at a number of programs at Karolinska Institutet.

2022-2023 Swedish Cancer Society Project grant
2020-2022 Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED) Junior grant
2020-2021 Grant from the Swedish Medical Society
2019 Grant from Clas Groschinsky's Memorial Foundation
2016 Jonas Söderquist Award for basic research in virology or immunology.
2011 Awarded grant from Robert Lundberg Memorial Foundation for research on tumour-related diseases.
2010 Research-Internship (“Forskar-AT”), to gain a medical license AT at Karolinska University Hospital combined with funding for 1 year research time.
2009 MD-PhD scholarship for four-year doctoral studies, awarded by the Board for Postgraduate Education’s Faculty Funds, Karolinska Institutet.
2008 Winner of Idea Competition 2008. Arranged by Unit for Bioentrepreneurship, Karolinska Institutet.
2008 Distinction for Excellent Scientific Project, awarded by the Committee for Elective Studies (KVP), Karolinska Institutet
2007 Honorary Mention, McKinsey Award 2007. For “having shown a significant performance with good study results, good cooperation ability and great power of initiative”.
2013 PhD in medical science, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
2009 MD, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
2005 BA in History of Art, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.

My research revolves around the following areas:
- Register-based optimization of cervical screening and HPV-vaccination
- Biomarker research into new tests for cervical precancer/cancer, and ovarian cancer
- Novel eScience/Big Data methods for enhancement of screening algorithms
- Epidemiology and prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) 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)
Rasha Polcer (co-supervisor)
Former co-supervisor of another 6 doctoral students, who have now defended their theses.

Master thesis supervision:
2017, Jan-June. Supervisor of 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:
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.