Marie Arsenian-Henriksson

Candidate in KI’s academic election 2026 – the role of Dean/Vice Dean for Research

I am happy to be one of the candidates for Dean of Research! My three intensive years in this role have provided me with a deep understanding of KI:s operations, and I have played an active and driving role in a number of strategically important issues that I am eager to further develop and advance. Please find my answers to three key questions followed by my motivation.

What motivates me to apply for this position?

I am motivated by a strong desire to contribute to KI:s continued development as an internationally leading medical university with high academic quality, strong collaboration with the healthcare system (Region Stockholm), and a research environment which enables both groundbreaking basic research as well as clinically relevant breakthroughs. My three interesting, enjoyable and rewarding years as Vice President for Research have given me deep insights into KI:s complex organization and the opportunity to influence key issues as career pathways, increased numbers of positions for clinical scientists, the process of the major international 2025 Assistant Professor (BUL ) call, a new initative on interdisciplinary research networks, and the ongoing review of postdoctoral working conditions, and have left me well positioned to together with KI:s leadership rapidly translate strategy into action and address both current as well as future challenges. I am especially motivated by issues concerning clear career pathways, good conditions for early career researches, sustainable research environments, and strengthened collaboration with Region Stockholm, and I see the role of Dean of Research as an opportunity, together with KI:s Leadership, to take responisibility for prioritized questions and for KI:s long-term research quality and attractiveness.

Which questions or areas do I want to prioritize?

I will listen to the priorities identified by the fcaulty while at the same time working to ensure open and competitive calls for positions at all levels to attract the best candidates, and advocating for the introduction of a state-guaranteed minimum salary level for professors to maintain national and international competiveness. I also want to contribute to the continued development of KI:s new Journal List (KI-JL), which the Committee for Research is responsible for, as one of the cornerstones of the activity-based resource allocation system, as well as to regular follow-up and revision of the new research alloaction model. Furthermore, I will work to create incentives for clinicians to engage in research earlier in their carreers, improve opportunities to pursue a research career in parallel with clinical duties, and develop and strengthen KI:s strategic initiatives in data-driven research, Artificial Intelligence (AI), open science, as well as Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) and precision medicine in collaboartion with Region Stockholm.

How do I plan to promote collaboration and participation within KI?

I want to strengthen participation and colllaboration through regular visits to deparments and open dialogue meetings, where the concerns of the faculty are captured and integrated into the ongoing work, and to create a closer link between eduation and research. I will clearly communicate current priorities and career requirements, support efforts to improve working conditions and strengthen support for postdoctoral researchers and early-career faculty together with the KI Postdoc Association (KIPA) and Junior Faculty (JF), as well as continue to develop KI:s structures for research collaboration. In addition, I want to deepen our collaboration with Region Stockholm and continue to drive improvements and development initatives and processes in the relevant bodies in which the Dean participates [the Committee for Research (KF), the Faculty Board (FN), the Research Council (one of the collaboration bodies of KI–Region Stockholm), the Group for Strategic Competence Development (GSK), the Region Stockholm Strategy Group (SSR), the Strategy Group for the Research Bill (which, among other questions, manages the KI-wide calls for Assistant Professor (BUL) positions), and the Internationalisation Board] in close dialogue with KI leadership and the collegium.

Motivation for my candidature

I am motivated by a strong desire to continue to contribute to KI:s continued development as an internationally leading medical university with high academic quality, strong collaboration with the healthcare system (Region Stockholm), and a research environment which enables both groundbreaking basic research as well as clinically relevant breakthroughs. I want to contribute to creating a closer link between education and research, where we together shape a university with strong attractiveness for students, teachers, and researchers. Research should be conducted with an innovative mindset to enable fundamental discoveries and scientific breakthroughs, both in clinical and experimental research. Going forward, KI must continue to be an internationally leading university that attracts students and researchers from around the world and actively promotes sustainable development and equal opportunities. It is essential that KI can retain creative researchers and outstanding teachers and recruit a new generation of professors. KI also needs a highly competent administration that provides the best possible support for students, teachers, and researchers. We must continue to create a safe working environment and more secure funding for our researchers so that more time can be devoted to producing excellent research and education. All employees should experience job satisfaction and confidence in the future. A future KI should foster an open and inclusive culture where students and staff thrive, are challenged, and develop in order to reach their full potential.

Key priorities:

Career pathways and recruitment. Establish clear and transparent career pathways from postdoc to professor. Recruitment should be competitive in order to attract the best candidates. Ensure open calls for positions at all levels (Assistant Professor (BUL), Associate Professor/Lecturer, Professor). Introduce a guaranteed minimum level of professor salaries funded through government base funding to maintain national and international competitiveness.

Attractiveness and work environment. Clearly communicate what is required for a future career at KI. Further improve the working conditions for postdocs and early-career scientists. Support young researchers in their career development, in managing challenges, and in navigating the dynamic research landscape.

Conditions for research.

The research bill offers major opportunities that call for focused leadership, prioritizing recruitment, academic excellence, interdisciplinary synergy, collaboration, and the long-term strengthening of research environments through close collaboration between the Dean, the Committee for Research, the Faculty Board, and KI leadership. Fully utilize the potential of new research facilities and infrastructure. Work to ensure reasonable rents and overhead costs for both small and large research groups. Continuously develop the KI Journal List (KI-JL), currently being developed by the Committee for Research, as a guide for journal selection and as a basis for resource allocation. Ensure regular follow-up and revision of the new resource allocation model. Maintain a balance between breadth and excellence to support groundbreaking research, medical relevance, and clinical applicability.

Collaboration and innovation. Further develop and strengthen our collaboration with Region Stockholm, which is essential for strong medical research. Collaboration with neighboring universities (KTH, Stockholm University, Stockholm School of Economics, Uppsala University) and with biotech and industry should be strengthened. Conditions for entrepreneurship and innovation should be enhanced. KI should continue to take a leading role in pandemic preparedness and innovation.

Clinical and experimental research. Improve conditions for clinical research through better access to health and patient data and incentives for clinicians to engage in research earlier in their careers. Strengthen opportunities to pursue a research career in parallel with clinical practice. Raise the profile of KI:s research in nursing science and prevention. Develop and strengthen KI:s investments in data-driven research, Artificial Intelligence (AI), ATMP, and precision medicine together with Region Stockholm. Basic research has historically been a catalyst for major breakthroughs and represents a flagship strength at KI; it should therefore continue to be safeguarded and supported under favorable conditions.

About me

Following studies in biochemistry and molecular biology at Uppsala University and Sussex University, UK, I starting my PhD trianing at KI under the supervision of Georg Klein, focusing on the MYC oncoprotein. After completing my PhD in 1993, I spent three years as a postdoctoral researcher at Hannover Medical School, Germany, with Bernhard Lüscher as my mentor. I returned to KI in 1997 and established my research group with support from a Research Assistant position and later a Senior Investigator Award from the Swedish Cancer Society. From 2006 to 2016, I served as Head of the Department of MTC.

After stepping down from this role, I undertook a seven-month sabbatical in the laboratory of Professor Robert Eisenman at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, USA. During 2023 and 2024, I completed shorter sabbaticals in the laboratory of Professor William Weiss at UCSF. I have also served, among other roles, as Faculty Representative on the KI Board (2017-2019) and as a member of the KI Recruitment Board (2022-2023). I currently hold a Guest Professorship at Stellenbosch University and previously at Lund University (2019-2025). Since 2023, I have served as Academic Vice President for Research at KI.

I have served as an expert reviewer for numerous national and international funding agencies, professorial appointments, scientific journals, and consortia. I have also organized several scientific conferences; one of the most recent was the Stockholm MYC Conference 2024, where leading international researchers in the MYC field presented and discussed their findings. 

The following section provides a selected overview of appointments, assignments, and leadership roles.

Previous Academic Positions and Periods of Appointment

2007-2010                 University Lecturer, MTC, KI

2006-2016                Department Head MTC, KI

2005-2007               Scientific Secretary, Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation (50%)

2005-2007               Senior Scientist (50%)

2003-2006               Deputy Department Head MTC, KI

2002-2004               Two-year extension of Assistant Professorship, awarded by the Swedish Cancer Society

1998-2000                Director of Undergraduate Studies, the Biomedicine program at MTC, KI

1997- 2002               Four-year Assistant Professorship, awarded by the Swedish Cancer Society

1993- 1996                Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Molecular Biology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. Financial support Swedish Research Council (then MFR), Sweden and Mildred Scheel Foundation, Germany. Mentor: Professor Bernhard Lüscher.

1985-1993                 PhD Student, Department of Tumor Biology, KI

Leadership, Administrativem and Committee Work

Present Assignments  (selected)

Academic Vice-President for Research, 2023-present

The KI Committee for Research, 2023-present (chair 2023-present)

The KI The Strategic Recruiment Group (GSK), 2025-present

The Strategic Group for the Research Bill, 2025-present

The KI Strategic Group for VR Associate Professor Applications, 2025-present

The KI Internationalization Board, 2023-present

The Committee for KI Honorary Doctorates and KI Medals, 2023-present

The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain, 2020-present  

The Board of Directors the Ericson and Sagen Foundation, 2010-present (chair 2010-present)

The Board of Directors the Georg and Eva Klein Foundation, 2005-present (chair 2010-present)

The Boards of the Fernström and Hagelén Foundations 2023-present

Previous Assignments (selected)

The KI Recruitment Board, 2022-2023; Election Committee New KI President 2021; The Board KI (Konsistoriet) 2019-2021; The Nomination College for Election of KI leadership (Nomineringsförsamlingen), 2018-2023 (vice-chair from 2018, chair from December 1, 2019); The Consultive College for Election of KI leadership (Hörandeförsamlingen), 2018-2023 (chair from February 2020); Strategic Assignment Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund 2018-2021; The Board Cell Nova, Stockholm, 2018-2025; Committee KI Honorary Doctorates 2015-2020; Research Board the Swedish Cancer Society 2014-2020; Research Strategy Group Swedish Cancer Society 2017-2019; KI Infrastructure Integration Group 2012-2015; MTC Future Faculty chair 2010-2019; Planning Group Biomedicum (the only scientist) 2009-2011; Steering Group Biomedicum 2009-2016; Expert Commission of Inquiry on Infectious Disease Control SOU 2009:55 2008-2009; Steering Group KI Center Global Health 2007-2018; Steering Group National Network for Neural Childhood tumors (NBCNS) 2007-2015; MTC Department Head 2006-2010; KI Strategy Group for Diversity, chair 2004-2007.

My Lab focuses on targeting metabolism and the MYC oncoproteins for precision medicine for cancer therapy. We study childhood neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma as well as adult clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) inquiring the link between neural differentiation and lipid metabolism for identification of novel target molecules. We recently discovered hypoxia-inducible lipid droplet-associated protein (HLPDA) as a specific ccRCC biomarker and are now pursuing its role in ccRCC progression. Another line of research concerns the c-MYC oncoprotein activated in around 70% of human cancer and as such an attractive though challenging therapeutic target. To this end, we have in a truly interdisciplinary endeavour in close collaboration with Professor David Lane and Dr. Dilraj Lama at KI and Professor Michael Landreh at Uppsala University identified and are exploring a druggable switchable region in the c-MYC transactivation domain for precision medicine.

Main Teaching Qualifications, Teaching, and Supervision

Teaching

   •       Director of Undergraduate Studies, MTC, Biomedicine Programme (1998–2000)

   •       Pedagogic courses at KI: University Teacher Course (1999, 4 days);

                Teacher of the Future (2001–2002, 25 ECTS)

   •       MTC Teaching Conferences (2006–2014, 1 day/year)

   •       Ongoing teaching: Biomedicine Programme & PhD courses (1998–present)

   •       Organizer: one-week postgraduate course on Cancer Metabolism (2018–present)

Current Students

   •       PhD Students: Elisa Garde Lapido, (defense 2027), Jiansheng Wang (defense 2027), Hannes Juretzka (registered 2025)

   •       Master Students: Michela Guerrieri, Celina Kinder

   •       Research Assistant: Hanna Tamas

   •       Co-supervisor: Neo Qi Ying (NTU & KI), Elina Fredlund & Stina Andersson (Lund University)

Previous Supervision

   •       PhD students (main supervisor): 9

   •       PhD students (co-supervisor): 10

   •       Assistant Professors: 6 (2 now PIs at KI)

   •       Postdocs/Guest Researchers: 25

   •       Rotation, Exam, Bachelor & Master Students: ~140 (4-6/year)

Notable Alumni

   •       Nikita Popov (PhD 2004), Professor, Tübingen University, Germany (2018)

   •       Margareta Wilhelm, former Postdoc/Assistant Professor, Professor at KI (Dec 2025)