Research at Karolinska Institutet
Karolinska Institutet accounts for the single largest share of all academic medical research conducted in Sweden. The research spans the entire biomedical field – from basic experimental research to clinical studies in collaboration with the health care system. Pioneering research is conducted here in, for example, cancer, neuroscience, immunology, epidemiology, nursing and global health.
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Resources in brief
Core facilities
Research at our departments
Karolinska Institutet has 22 departments devided into three department groups or main campuses. Find brief descriptions of the research conducted at each department and links forward to their webpages.
Research centres
A research centre aims to create a dynamic collaboration and share resources within a certain field of research. Research centres at KI can be either collaborations between departments or with other organisations.
SciLifeLab
SciLifeLab is a collaboration between multiple Swedish universities, and a national research infrastructure. One of the core missions of SciLifeLab is to provide technologies facilitating the large-scale analysis of biological processes at the molecular level.
Meet our researchers
Kidney specialist with a passion for education
Annika Östman Wernerson is Professor of Renal and Transplantation Science and has a passion for pedagogical research. On 1 March 2023, she also became Karolinska Institutet's new President. One of the goals she has in her new role is to streanghten the internal dialogue between management, staff and students.
He wants to create order in chaos
When others run away from bad things, Johan von Schreeb can be found dashing towards them. He has a wealth of experience in bringing order to chaotic situations – but as an administrator, he’s a complete disaster. Meet the professor who wants to control the health crises of the future.
Three times the ERC Advanced Grant
Meet Patrik Ernfors, a researcher who wants to understand how the experience of pain is affected by our state of mind. Recently, he was awarded the prestigious ERC Advanced Grant – for the third time.
Inauguration of 21 new professors
Ageing in people with haemophilia, exosomes, and the importance of oral health – these are some of the areas that the new professors at Karolinska Institutet are interested in. In mid-October every year, it is time for the inauguration ceremony in Aula Medica.
In depth articles and features
How false vaccine rumours take hold
Rumours spread faster than ever nowadays thanks to social media, and it is easy to get carried away. Some people are also inherently more vulnerable to conspiracy theories. However, sceptics’ concerns should be addressed, not dismissed, say researchers who are studying people’s willingness to take different kinds of vaccines.
The proteins that fix (almost) everything
Proteins can make any inventor green with envy. It is proteins that make the body work. But when these same super-substances make mistakes, we may get sick with things like cancer or Alzheimer's disease. The job of researchers is to sort out the proteins when they malfunction.
The language of the eyes
You can drown in someone's eyes, or they might burn a hole right through you. The gaze is a shortcut to people's inner world, something researchers try to exploit to learn more about, for example, autism. Read an in-depth article about the language of the eyes from our popular science magazine Medicinsk Vetenskap.
Can climate worry be used constructively?
About half of the Swedish population feels a strong climate worry. This is normal because the climate threat is real, says researcher Fabian Lenhard, who is starting a study on climate change. The research project will be attempting to channel worry about climate change into sustainable development.
How screen habits affects children's health
Screen time is often associated with poor health in young people, but it is more complicated than that, say researchers. We are affected, but differently and not just negatively. What we do on our phones – and what we do when we are not using them – also plays a role in our well-being.
Spotlight on sepsis - the hidden killer
Spotlight on antibiotic resistance
Spotlight on precision medicine
Spotlight on health inequities
Useful on research at KI
Animal research
Animal research is strictly regulated and comes under both Swedish and EU legislation on animal welfare.
Collaboration worldwide
International collaborations are crucial for KI to fulfill our mission and strive towards better health for all.
Doctoral education
World-class research and specialised research environments create a breeding ground for PhD studies at KI.
New doctoral theses
Each year, around 350 doctoral students at KI will present their thesis to their peers in science.
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
In his will, Alfred Nobel appointed Karolinska Institutet to award the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Research subjects wanted
By participating you will be helping to make progress in research, which may lead to new or more effective treatments.
Top publications list
Current articles to which our researchers have contributed and that have been published in selected top-ranked journals.
University Library
Find papers, advice about bibliometrics and publishing strategy, academic writing workshops, and much more.
Working at KI
KI's vision is to be one of the leading medical universities in the world. Our committed and competent employees make this possible.
KI in numbers
Find KI's key indicators for the last years. Did you, for example, know that about 50% of our research is financed with external grants and awards?