Healthcare Sciences and Ageing

Good health in the future through the development and application of the best possible medical education is the guiding star for Anna Kiessling’s work – for both research and quality work at Karolinska Institutet.

Anders Thorell’s research evaluates techniques of gastrointestinal surgery, leading to new clinical recommendations. He also studies mechanisms behind the effects of weight-loss surgery.

Many elderly patients suffer from both physical conditions and cognitive impairments. Dorota Religa studies how the care of this patient group can be improved. Her research covers both pharmacological and organisational issues.

Bodil Lund is a dentist who is researching how the dental care services can help to stem antibiotic resistance by making more prudent use of antibiotics. Her work also includes the diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular (TMJ or jaw joint) problems.

Marie Klingberg Allvin’s work involves strengthening midwifery, often in low-resource countries, in order to give women access to better healthcare. She believes in the integration of research and education – something that is also included in her new professorship.

KI’s educational programmes should be world-leading both in their content and educational methodology. Terese Stenfors is studying how medical learning processes operate and works with the integration of research into KI’s own education.

Gert Helgesson's research concerns everything from how researchers present their data to the difficult decisions doctors must make on life and death.

Yvonne Wengström studies how care can support patients’ well-being during treatment for cancer. This she does in dialogue with the patients themselves.

Erika Franzén is engaged in research on exercise that improves balance and gait for people with Parkinson’s disease. Her pro-gramme HiBalance, which poses significant physical challenges to the patients, has proven to be both effective and much appreciated.

Susanne Guidetti develops methods and interventions for rehabilitating people who have had a stroke and for supporting older people. Her interventions are based on person-centred care, digital support and activities where the individual’s own priorities are in focus.

Eric Westman combines brain imaging with machine learning to search the whole brain for the mechanisms behind neuro-degenerative disorders. An important element of his research is to identify different subtypes of diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

A mobile app for postoperative follow-up care leads to better patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs. Ulrica Nilsson investigates how e-health solutions can improve perioperative care.

Mental disorders, such as depressive and anxiety disorders, can lead to long-term sick leave – but excessively prolonged sick leave can also aggravate the illness. Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz conducts research on the links between mental disorders and social insurance.

We become weaker as we get older. For those who suffer from severe muscle loss at an early age, the consequences in everyday life are often significant. Thomas Gustafsson is researching the causes of these changes and how they can be counteracted.

Johan Lundin is using mobile digital solutions and artificial intelligence to make diagnostics accessible, safe, and accurate in low-income countries. The tools he is developing can also reduce the workload of doctors and laboratory personnel in high-income countries.

Louise Nygård is a Professor of Occupational Therapy. Her research is about coping in a society demanding technical competence when you suffer from dementia or cognitive impairment.

The health benefits of exercise are well known, but healthcare needs to become better at actually using physical activity as a treatment. This is the opinion of Maria Hagströmer, who is engaged in research concerning the relationship between physical activity and health.

Inger Kull is engaged in research focusing on children and young people’s allergies and the patient’s transition from paediatrics to adult care. Much of her research is linked to the BAMSE Project she co-founded 26 years ago.

Olof Sköldenberg’s research aims to contribute to better treatment and diagnosis of injured joints – especially hip joints. In recent years, among other activities, he has investigated how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used as support in the analysis of orthopaedic X-ray images.

Johan Fritzell is studying how socio-economic factors affect how healthy we are and how long we live.

Kristina Johnell researches drug use in the elderly population, what consequences it has and how it can be improved.

Lena Nilsson-Wikmar’s research is centred on how teaching methods can be developed as a means to improving student learning.