Olivia Biermann
Affiliated to Teaching/Tutoring
E-mail: olivia.biermann@ki.se
Visiting address: Tomtebodavägen 18A, 17177 Stockholm
Postal address: K9 Global folkhälsa, K9 GPH Alfvén, 171 77 Stockholm
About me
I am a health policy and systems researcher with a PhD in Medical Science from Karolinska Institutet and work experience from the World Health Organization. My mission is to do research that is relevant and useful for informing decision-making in health, and to build capacity for research and research use. I was named an Emerging Voice for Global Health in 2018. I am currently affiliated to the Department of Global Public Health at Karolinska Institutet.
Previously, I was a postdoctoral researcher at Karolinska Institutet (2021-2024), focusing on the political economy of adolescent mental health and well-being. During that time, I served as a Lancet Commissioner, co-leading a workstream on the topic as part of the second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing. During my PhD at Karolinska Institutet (2017-2021), I was also a Fellow at the Boston University-Rockefeller Foundation Commission on Health Determinants, Data, and Decision-making.Prior to my academic activities, I worked for three years as a full-time consultant in knowledge translation and evidence-informed policy-making at the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (2014-2017) where I provided technical support to the Evidence-informed Policy Network (EVIPNet) Europe. I worked and studied in Bangladesh, Ecuador, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nicaragua, South Africa, Uganda and Vietnam. In addition, I served as President of the non-governmental organization Foundation Human Nature, supporting community-based rural health and development work in Ecuador, Ghana, Nepal and Rwanda.
Research
Within the field of health policy and systems research, I conduct qualitative and mixed-methods research, as well as reviews. I am particularly interested in the gaps between evidence and policy, and policy and implementation.
My PhD thesis was entitled "Global policy to local implementation: experiences from active tuberculosis case-finding in high-burden countries" and is available for download here: https://openarchive.ki.se/xmlui/handle/10616/47542. The work was part of the Horizon 2020-funded IMPACT TB.
Teaching
- I teach health systems and policy in the following programmes:
* Master's Programme in Global Health, Karolinska Institutet
* Master's Programme in Health Economics, Policy and Management, Karolinska Institutet
* Master's Programme in Public Health, Lund University
Articles
- Article: BMJ OPEN. 2025;15(8):e103199Lundeberg EE; Biermann O; Kuhlin J; Kulane A; Annerstedt KS; Forsman LD
- Article: LANCET. 2025;405(10493):1945-2022Baird S; Choonara S; Azzopardi PS; Banati P; Bessant J; Biermann O; Capon A; Claeson M; Collins PY; De Wet-Billings N; Dogra S; Dong Y; Francis KL; Gebrekristos L; Groves AK; Hay SI; Imbago-Jacome D; Jenkins AP; Kabiru C; Kennedy EC; Li L; Lu C; Ma J; Mcgovern T; Mensa-Kwao A; Mojola SA; Nagata JM; Olumide A; Omigbodun O; O'Sullivan M; Prost A; Requejo JH; Shawar YR; Shiffman J; Silverman A; Song Y; Swartz S; Tamambang R; Urdal H; Ward JL; Patton GC; Sawyer SM; Ezeh A; Viner RM
- Article: BMC PUBLIC HEALTH. 2025;25(1):1509Biermann O; Claeson M; Derko M; Mikaelsdotter C; Nordenstam A; Peterson SS
- Article: BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION. 2025;25(1):434Niemi M; Alvesson HM; Hellden D; Biermann O; Henje E; Nordenstedt H; Sundberg CJ; Alfven T
- Article: SOCIAL PSYCHIATRY AND PSYCHIATRIC EPIDEMIOLOGY. 2024;59(4):585-598Abdalla SM; Koya SF; Rosenberg SBB; Stovall IBB; Biermann O; Zeinali Z; Cohen GHH; Ettman CKK; Galea S
- Article: GLOBAL HEALTH ACTION. 2023;16(1):2173853Biermann O; Nordenstam A; Muwonge T; Kabiri L; Ndeezi G; Alfven T
- Article: GLOBAL HEALTH ACTION. 2023;16(1):2190649Amorós Molina Á; Helldén D; Alfvén T; Niemi M; Leander K; Nordenstedt H; Rehn C; Ndejjo R; Wanyenze R; Biermann O
- Article: PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH. 2022;2(12):e0001205Jarde A; Siqueira N; Afaq S; Naz F; Irfan M; Tufail P; Aslam F; Todowede O; Rakhshanda S; Khalid H; Lin Y; Bierman O; Elsony A; Elsey H; Siddiqi N; Siddiqi K
- Article: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. 2022;32(6):976-981Winters M; Biermann O; Bohlin G; Bergman M; Brouneus F; Zeebari Z; Nordenstedt H
- Article: BMJ OPEN. 2021;11(10):e049900Dixit K; Biermann O; Rai B; Aryal TP; Mishra G; Teixeira de Siqueira-Filha N; Paudel PR; Pandit RN; Sah MK; Majhi G; Levy J; van Rest J; Gurung SC; Dhital R; Lonnroth K; Squire SB; Caws M; Sidney K; Wingfield T
- Article: JOURNAL OF URBAN HEALTH-BULLETIN OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE. 2021;98(SUPPL 1):4-14Biermann O; Mwoka M; Ettman CK; Abdalla SM; Shawky S; Ambuko J; Pearson M; Zeinali Z; Galea S; Mberu B; Valladares LM
- Article: JOURNAL OF URBAN HEALTH-BULLETIN OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE. 2021;98(SUPPL 1):15-30Mwoka M; Biermann O; Ettman CK; Abdalla SM; Ambuko J; Pearson M; Rashid SF; Zeinali Z; Galea S; Valladares LM; Mberu B
- Article: IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE. 2021;16(1):54Biermann O; Tran PB; Forse RJ; Vo LNQ; Codlin AJ; Viney K; Caws M; Lonnroth K
- Article: BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH. 2021;21(1):295Biermann O; Dixit K; Rai B; Caws M; Lonnroth K; Viney K
- Article: PLOS ONE. 2021;16(3):e0247568Biermann O; Kluppelberg R; Lonnroth K; Viney K; Caws M; Atkins S
- Article: REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. 2021;18(1):20Pokhrel D; Bhattarai S; Emgard M; von Schickfus M; Forsberg BC; Biermann O
- Article: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. 2020;30(5):854-855Bekker M; Ivankovic D; Biermann O
- Article: BMJ OPEN. 2020;10(6):e036285Biermann O; Atkins S; Lonnroth K; Caws M; Viney K
- Journal article: WELLCOME OPEN RESEARCH. 2020;5:19Dixit K; Rai B; Aryal TP; Mishra G; de Siqueira-Filha NT; Paudel PR; Levy JW; van Rest J; Gurung SC; Dhital R; Biermann O; Viney K; Lonnroth K; Squire SB; Caws M; Wingfield T
- Article: WELLCOME OPEN RESEARCH. 2020;5:19Dixit K; Rai B; Prasad Aryal T; Mishra G; Teixeira de Siqueira-Filha N; Raj Paudel P; Levy JW; van Rest J; Chandra Gurung S; Dhital R; Biermann O; Viney K; Lonnroth K; Squire SB; Caws M; Wingfield T
- Article: TROPICAL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE. 2018;4(1):E3-3Oh KH; Rahevar K; Nishikiori N; Viney K; Choi H; Biermann O; Kim HJ; Nou C; Kim S; Zhu G; Zhang H; Xu C; Bounmala S; Senchanthixay M; Purevdorj E; Khaltar U-O; Paguirigan R; Amoguis H; Vu XP; Dang XK
- Article: HEALTH RESEARCH POLICY AND SYSTEMS. 2018;16(1):50Mihalicza P; Leys M; Borbas I; Szigeti S; Biermann O; Kuchenmuller T
- Journal article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH GOVERNANCE. 2018;23(2):120-133Biermann O; Kuchenmüller T; Panisset U; Leys M
- Article: GLOBAL HEALTH ACTION. 2016;9:32237-11Biermann O; Eckhardt M; Carlfjord S; Falk M; Forsberg BC
- Article: BMC RESEARCH NOTES. 2016;9:151Leppänen A; Biermann O; Sundberg CJ; Tomson T
- Article: BUNDESGESUNDHEITSBLATT-GESUNDHEITSFORSCHUNG-GESUNDHEITSSCHUTZ. 2015;58(1):16-22Rutberg H; Eckhardt M; Biermann O
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All other publications
- Editorial comment: LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH. 2025;13(3):e403-e404Biermann O; Schleiff M; Romao DMM; Mikaelsdotter C; Alfven T; Wanyenze RK; Peterson SS; Kuchenmueller T
- Corrigendum: PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH. 2023;3(7):e0002186Jarde A; Siqueira N; Afaq S; Naz F; Irfan M; Tufail P; Aslam F; Todowede O; Rakhshanda S; Khalid H; Lin Y; Biermann O; Elsony A; Elsey H; Siddiqi N; Siddiqi K
- Letter: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TUBERCULOSIS AND LUNG DISEASE. 2022;26(12):1194-1196Biermann O; Wingfield T; Thapa B; Babajide O; Zeinali Z; Torres I; Abdalla SM; Galea S
- Review: COCHRANE DATABASE OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS. 2022;3(3):CD010890van't Hoog A; Viney K; Biermann O; Yang B; Leeflang MMG; Langendam MW
- Review: JOURNAL OF URBAN HEALTH-BULLETIN OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE. 2021;98(SUPPL 1):69-78Biermann O; Koya SF; Corkish C; Abdalla SM; Galea S
- Doctoral thesis: 2021Biermann O
- Review: PLOS ONE. 2020;15(10):e0240696Biermann O; Phuong BT; Viney K; Caws M; Lonnroth K; Annerstedt KS
- Review: HEALTH RESEARCH POLICY AND SYSTEMS. 2020;18(1):93Scarlett J; Forsberg BC; Biermann O; Kuchenmueller T; El-Khatib Z
- Editorial comment: BMJ GLOBAL HEALTH. 2020;5(7):e003015"Together we move a mountain": celebrating a decade of the Emerging Voices for Global Health networkSrinivas PN; Henriksson DK; Gordeev V; Decoster K; Topp SM; Abimbola S
- Editorial comment: BMJ GLOBAL HEALTH. 2020;5(6):e002504Tran PB; Hensing G; Wingfield T; Atkins S; Sidney Annerstedt K; Kazibwe J; Tomeny E; Biermann O; Thorpe J; Forse R; Lonnroth K
- Review: BMJ OPEN. 2019;9(12):e031284Biermann O; Lonnroth K; Caws M; Viney K
- Editorial comment: BMJ GLOBAL HEALTH. 2019;4(3):e001746Storeng KT; Abimbola S; Balabanova D; Mccoy D; Ridde V; Filippi V; Roalkvam S; Akello G; Parker M; Palmer J; Abejirinde I; Abimbola S; Adebiyi B; Affun-Adegbulu C; Ahlgren JA; Ahmad A; Akello G; Al-Awlaqi S; Aloys Z; Amul GG; Arthur J; Asaduzzaman M; Asgedom AA; Assarag B; Atchessi N; Atkins S; Badejo O; Baeroe K; Molleh B; Balabanova D; Bazzano A; Behague DP; Beisel U; Belaid L; Bernays S; Bhuiyan S; Biermann O; Birungi H; Blanchet K; Blystad A; Bodson O; Bonnet E; Bose S; Bozorgmehr K; Brear M; Burgess R; Byskov J; Carillon S; Cavallaro FL; Chabeda S; Chandler C; Chapman R; Chikuse FF; Chinwe JI; Cislaghi B; Closser S; Colvin CJ; Cresswell J; da Cunha Saddi F; Daire J; Dalglish S; de Brouwere V; de Sardan J-PO; Delvaux T; Desgrees du Lou A; Diallo BA; Diarra A; Dixon J; Doherty T; Dumont A; Eboreime E; Engelbrecht B; Erikson S; Faye A; Filippi V; Fischer S; Fournet F; Fox AM; Francis JM; Gautier L; George A; Gilson L; Gimbel S; Glenn J; Gopinathan U; Gordeev VS; Gradmann C; Graham JE; Gram L; Greco G; Grepin K; Guichard A; Gupta PT; Guzman V; Haaland MES; Haggblom A; Hagopian A; Hammarberg K; Handschumacher P; Hann K; Hasselberg M; Hawkes S; Howard N; Hurtig A-K; Hussain S; Hutchinson E; Idoteyin E; Infanti JJ; Irwin R; Islam S; Joarder T; John P; Johnson E; Johri M; Justice J; Kabore C; Kadio K; Kamwa M; Kelly AH; Kenworthy N; Kittelsen S; Kloster MO; Kocsis E; Koon A; Kumar P; Lal A; Lange I; Lanthorn H; Lees S; Lexchin J; Lie AL; Limenih G; Litwin-Davies I; Lodda CC; Lonnroth K; Manton J; Manzi A; Manzoor M; Marchal B; Marten R; Matsui M; Mbewe A; Mc Sween-Cadieux E; McGoey L; McNeill D; Mendenhall E; Mendez CA; Mirzoev T; Mohammed S; Moland KM; Molyneux S; Mumtaz Z; Murray SF; Nambiar D; Nelson E; Nieto-Sanchez C; Norheim OF; Nouvet E; Obare F; Okungu V; Onarheim KH; Ostebo MT; Ouattara F; Ozawa S; Pai M; Paina L; Palmer J; Parashar R; Parker M; Paul E; Peeters K; Pennetier C; Penn-Kekana L; Peters D; Pfeiffer J; Pot H; Prashanth NS; Preston R; Puyvallee ADB; Rahmalia A; Reid-Henry S; Ridde V; Roalkvam S; Rodriguez DC; Ronse M; Sacks E; Samb OM; Sanders D; Sarkar N; Sarriot E; Scheel IB; Schwarz T; Scott K; Seeley J; Seward N; Shannon G; Shearer J; Shelley K; Sherr K; Shiffman J; Simard F; Singh NS; Soors W; Springer RA; Storeng KT; Strong A; Sundby J; Taylor S; Tetui M; Topp SM; Tsofa B; Turcotte-Tremblay A-M; Undie C-C; Van Belle S; Van Heteren G; van Rensburg AJ; Sriram V; Venkatapuram S; Wagenaar BH; Wallace L; Walugembe DR; Wariri O; Whiteside AOBE; Yakob B; Zakayo S; Zitti T; Zwi A
- Book chapter: THE PALGRAVE INTERNATIONAL HANDBOOK OF HEALTHCARE POLICY AND GOVERNANCE. 2015;p.Tomson GR; Biermann O
- Book chapter: THE PALGRAVE INTERNATIONAL HANDBOOK OF HEALTHCARE POLICY AND GOVERNANCE. 2015;p. 171-187Tomson G; Biermann O
Employments
- Affiliated to Teaching/Tutoring, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, 2024-2027
- Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, 2021-2024
Degrees and Education
- Degree Of Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, 2021