Experimental Traumatology Research Unit

The research unit's mission is to conduct research in experimental traumatology and defence-related medicine, and to maintain and further develop strategic national and international collaborations and research networks in military medicine.

Part of the:
Photo of ambulance
Defence-related medicine
two hans shaking Photo: Unsplash
Collaboration

Defence-related medicine

The Experminetal Traumatology Unit is part of the newly established platform for research and education in defence-related medicine. The aim is to strengthen Sweden’s medical preparedness and defence capabilities, as well as to promote long-term knowledge development and accelerate innovation in the field of defence-related medicine. The development of the platform is carried out in close collaboration with the Swedish Armed Forces, Försvarsmakten.

Repeated Blast-Induced Neurotrama Research Initiative - ReBINT
Man with bandage around his head. Photo: Pixabay
Initiative

Repeated Blast-Induced Neurotrama Research Initiative - ReBINT

The Experimental Traumatology is launching ReBINT, a comprehensive research effort to investigate the effects of mild traumatic brain injury from repeated blast overpressure exposure (BOP).

Can you stop a bleed?
Cecilia Odlind and Mattias Günther. Photo: Andreas Andersson. Photo: Andreas Andersson
Podcast

Can you stop a bleed?

The increase in gun violence and Sweden's changing security situation has prompted researcher Mattias Günther and his team to reorient their research. In episode #140 of KI's podcast Medicinvetarna, he tells us how to reduce deaths from severe bleeding - and how best to protect yourself.

Stopping a bleed can save lives
Photo of blood vessels with red color. Photo: Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash
Radio interview

Stopping a bleed can save lives

Mattias Günther, an anaesthetist at Södersjukhuset and researcher at Karolinska Institutet, is interviewed in Radio Sweden P1's Kropp och Själ (Body and Soul) and explains, among other things, how to stop heavy or hard-to-reach bleeding using a balloon called REBOA.

Our research

A hole in a protective vest is visible in the centre of the image.
Bulletproof vest that has been shot at with handguns. Photo: Mattias Günther

Our work focuses on advancing the understanding and treatment of severe injuries relevant to both military and civilian medicine.

Through close collaboration with the Swedish Armed Forces and international partners, we develop experimental models that simulate realistic trauma scenarios — from blast-induced brain injury to complex hemorrhagic shock.

Our mission is to translate laboratory findings into practical solutions that save lives and improve long-term outcomes after trauma.

Projects

  • ReBINT (Repeated Blast Induced Neurotrauma Research Initiative) focuses on understanding how repeated exposure to blast overpressure causes brain injury. Using a unique experimental blast model based on military-grade explosives, the project investigates the underlying mechanisms of blast-induced neurotrauma (BINT), from cellular damage and biomarker discovery to behavioral and neurodegenerative consequences. The goal is to identify biological indicators for early diagnosis, improve protective equipment such as helmets, and develop novel medical and rehabilitative interventions. By simulating realistic military blast environments in a controlled laboratory setting, ReBINT bridges experimental neuroscience with applied defense medicine, contributing to better protection and treatment for both military personnel and civilians exposed to explosion-related trauma.
  • TRIDENT (Trauma Resuscitation, Intervention, and Emergency Damage Control for Preventing military Avoidable Deaths) addresses the leading causes of preventable battlefield mortality—uncontrolled bleeding and airway obstruction. Through advanced large-animal trauma models that replicate complex, battlefield-relevant injuries, TRIDENT explores innovative resuscitation strategies including intramuscular vasopressin administration, permissive hypotension, and the use of whole blood and freeze-dried plasma. The project also investigates trauma care under extreme cold conditions and evaluates protective equipment such as helmets and body armor. With integrated neurointensive monitoring—covering parameters like ICP, brain oxygenation, temperature, and microdialysis—TRIDENT enables precise physiological insight to optimize field-adapted protocols. The overarching aim is to enhance survival and neurological outcomes in both military and civilian trauma care.

Scientific collaborators

Publications

All publications from group members

Staff and contact

Group leader

All members of the group

Government and Parliament governance

The Armed Forces must order research and development work, as well as conduct their own studies and trials, for the focus and development of military defence.

Förordning (2007:1266) med instruktion för Försvarsmakten

The research and development activities that the Armed Forces order must contribute to long-term capability development and strengthen the Armed Forces' ability to face future threats.

Research and development contribute to knowledge to be able to grasp strategic decisions, set appropriate requirements and provide the necessary equipment. The Armed Forces must strengthen research and development within defence areas and, to create conditions for future direction, continue to strive to maintain freedom of action.

Fö2017/01724/MFI 2017-12-18

About us

The Swedish Armed Forces have a long-standing tradition of advanced medical research. The unit for Experimental Traumatology was originally established by the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI).

In 2008, the unit was strategically transferred to Karolinska Institutet, by decision of Commander-in-Chief Håkan Syrén, to provide a platform for improved collaborations with national and international medical research institutes, and to further develop Swedish academic military medicine research.

The successful establishment of the unit at Karolinska Institutet enabled for continuous, competitive research in military medicine and traumatology.

Today, the unit maintains active research in many focus areas of military medicine and traumatology, which are continuously advanced in close collaboration with the Armed Forces.

In addition, the unit performs strategic external analyses in military medicine and traumatology and maintains close collaborations with national and international research networks and science and technology organizations, including the European Defence Agency.

The unit acts as an external advisor in traumatology for agencies including the Swedish Police authority and the Swedish Defence University.

Experimentell traumatologi-gruppen: Från vänster till höger Andreas Brännström, Albin Dahlquist, Jenny Gustavsson.
From left to right Andreas Brännström, Albin Dahlquist, Jenny Gustavsson. Photo: Mattias Günther

Contact us

Postal address

Department of Neuroscience
Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm

Visiting address (visitors, couriers, etc.)

Karolinska Institutet
Biomedicum, B8
Solnavägen 9, SE-171 65 Solna

Delivery address (goods, parcels, etc.)

Tomtebodavägen 16, SE-171 65 Solna

Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solnavägen 9

Dissertations

2025

Tomas Karlsson (10 October 2025): Prehospital advanced airway and ventilation management (PHAAM) in experimental trauma

2024

Niclas Wisén (18 June 2024): Stress in military settings

2021

Andreas Brännström (2021-05-28): Translational studies on mechanical hemostasis and coagulopathy in trauma

2017

Lizan Kawa (2017-03-10): Experimental, mild blast-induced traumatic brain injury : focus on the monoamine and galanin systems

2015

Mattias Günther (2015-06-12): Oxidative stress in experimental traumatic brain injury

2012

Elham Rostami (2012-09-28): Traumatic brain injury in humans and animal models

2007

Dan Gryth (2007-12-14): Hemodynamic, respiratory and neurophysiological reactions after high : Velocity behind armor blunt trauma

2004

Mattias Sköld (2004-10-08): On VEGF and related factors in neurotrauma

2002

Anders Sondén (2002-06-14): Shock wave effects on the vascular endothelium

2001

Andreas Wladis (2001-10-12): Hypothermia and trauma

News archive