About SFOepi

Vision and goal

Karolinska Institutet's vision for SFOepi is to further develop the unique resources for epidemiological research in Sweden by integrating biobanks, results from large population studies, computerized patient systems and new data sources such as multigenerational and prescription registers. This approach will ensure that Swedish epidemiological research maintains its high level, and that Swedish medical research gains increased competitiveness in an international perspective.

SFOepi’s goal is to be a bridge between basic research and clinical research by improving the understanding of underlying biological mechanisms and underlying environmental factors that lead to ill health.

Strategies and operations

1. to increase cooperation and coordination between KI's institutions and departments active in the subject area of epidemiology and biostatistics and their tasks in research, development, teaching and cooperation with the surrounding society

   → SFO Epidemiology's governance structure creates connections and networks between the six involved institutions at KI: MEB, IMM, the Department of Clinical Epidemiology at Medicine Solna, the Aging Research Center at NVS, GPH and the Department of Clinical Research and Education Södersjukhuset

2. to recruit and facilitate the continued career of promising researchers in epidemiology/biostatistics at junior and intermediate level 

   → 90% of the allocated funds go to investments in open competition and with external reviewers, partly in collaboration with KI's central calls for junior and mid-established researchers.

3. to support education (at graduate level) and other competence-enhancing activities in epidemiology (and since 2015: also biostatistics) in terms of application, method adaptation, and teaching

   → "Small grant" mechanism for interdisciplinary but method-oriented workshops in epidemiology and biostatistics, open to everyone at KI.