Ylva Trolle Lagerros

1998 Medical Degree, Uppsala University

1999 Master of Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health

2006 PhD, Karolinska Institutet

2011 Associate Professor, Karolinska Institutet

2017 Specialist in Internal Medicine

2024 Professor, Karolinska Institutet

Improved cardiovascular prevention by combining population-based epidemiological research with clinical intervention studies

The main purpose of my research is enhanced understanding of cardiovascular risk factors and how we can improve cardiovascular health. Epidemiology is my solid base to disentangle how for example lifestyle or medication is associated with health and future disease. There are lots of opinions and advice about for example obesity, physical activity, sleep, diet and other parts of lifestyle. My aim is that the research that we conduct in our research group, render in knowledge which can be transferred into practical use for self-care or health care.


Obesity – from mitochondria to large epidemiological studies

Globally, obesity is a more important public health issue than hunger. I have conducted epidemiological studies in the field of obesity; clinical trials and intervention studies, but also more preclinical work about mitochondrial capacity before and after weight loss, as well as qualitative studies about for example weight regain after obesity surgery.


Physical activity and diet – important parts of lifestyle

I have conducted studies on the role of physical (in)activity and diet and their association with disease. To be able to study physical activity or diet in large populations, valid and reliable methods are key, and thus, I have conducted a number of studies to develop and test different methods to assess physical activity and diet.


Digitalization of healthcare

Modern technology has become a natural part of everyday life. During the last couple of years, I have been working with new technology in a number of studies, for example evaluating the experience of digital vs physical primary care. We have also evaluated app-support to improve lifestyle in patients with diabetes type 2 or pre-diabetes through randomized controlled trials in primary health care. We are studying how chat is used by patients and health care personnel and we are piloting virtual reality in health care.
We need to establish scientific knowledge coupled with clinical expertise to integrate modern technology into the daily processes of healthcare for improved self-care and health care.

13 of my PhD students have defended, of whom I was the main supervisor for 7 and co-supervisor for 6.

Ongoing PhD supervision as main supervisor

1. Main supervisor, Madeleine Hummel, registered June 2016
2. Main supervisor, Oskar Swartling, registered August 2018
3. Main supervisor, Daniel Söderberg, registered June 2021
4. Main supervisor, Helen Eke, registered March 2022

Ongoing PhD supervision as co-supervisor

1. Co-supervisor, Wafa Kamal, registered June 2018
2. Co-supervisor, Linnea Sjöblom, registered March 2022
3. Co-supervisor, Jenny Wrackefeldt, registered September 2023

4. Co-supervisor, Ida Palmqvist, fall 2024