Impact stories: Cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of medicine
In the years 2024-25, the Swedish Research Council has conducted a quality review of academic medical research in Sweden, focusing on excellence and societal benefit. Here are some of the case stories presented by Karolinska Institutet, focusing on technological breakthroughs that are transforming how we diagnose, treat, and understand diseases at the cellular level.
Starting the single-cell transcriptome-sequencing revolution
Professor Rickard Sandberg, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, and Professor Sten Linnarsson, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, have developed innovative techniques and protocols to analyze transcriptomes at the single-cell level and have advanced biological and biomedical research by making single-cell RNA sequencing widely accessible. This approach has enabled the systematic identification of cell types across tissues in humans and model organisms. It has also become essential for uncovering disease-specific cellular changes, including those within the tumor microenvironment.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, single-cell RNA sequencing was used to identify virus receptor- expressing cells and tracking immune response alterations, such as hyperactive macrophages and exhausted T cells, thus providing crucial insights into viral impact on tissues and mechanisms of spread. This technology will be used to uncover more precise mechanisms underlying health and disease and pave the way for groundbreaking diagnostic and therapeuticstrategies.
AI-driven precision diagnostics for enhanced cancer treatment and patient outcomes
Professor Johan Hartman at the Department of Oncology-Patholgy, and Senior Lecturer Mattias Rantalainen, Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, have developed Stratipath Breast — the first EU regulatory compliant (CE-IVDD) AI-based solution for breast cancer risk assessment which enables more precise and affordable diagnostic precision than traditional molecular testing. Developed through collaborative basic and translational research between KI’s pathology and AI experts, Stratipath’s deep learning technology analyzes digitized cancer tissue and provides timely insights for chemotherapy decisions.
This cloud-based diagnostic tool, already integrated into healthcare in several Swedish regions, eliminates expensive equipment and accelerates healthcare. With ongoing expansion, Stratipath democratizes access to precision oncology and fosters equitable healthcare while also saving time and resources.
Dopamine transporter PET Imaging for diagnosing Parkinson's disease
Professor Andrea Varrone and colleagues at Karolinska Institutet have developed a groundbreaking positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agent called Fluorodat to more accurately detect Parkinson’s disease and monitor its progression. Fluorodat markedly improves on older imaging techniques by offering clearer visualization of dopamine transporter proteins (DAT) without interference from common medications like antidepressants.
Since its clinical implementation in 2021, Fluorodat has replaced older SPECT-based imaging methods in some European hospitals and streamlined in-house production and delivered more timely diagnoses. As a result, clinicians can now better track Parkinson’s progression and provide patients with faster and more precise care while reducing healthcare costs.
Measuring drug-protein interactions with CESTA
Cellular Thermal Shift Assay (CETSA), developed by KI Professor Pär Nordlund and colleagues, has had a significant impact on early drug development globally as the first broadly applicable method to measure direct interactions of a drug with its target protein in intact cells. Therefore, the method solves a critical challenge in drug development, to make sure that a drug hits its anticipated protein target in a physiological context, as well as to optimize its binding to this target. Also, the method provides the means to identify off-targets and other cellular effects that contribute to a drug’s mechanism of action as well as toxicity. The method is now broadly applied in the pharmaceutical industry at different stages of drug development.
Uncovering cellular interactions and complexity in tissue biology
Professor Jonas Frisén’s group at Karolinska Institutet’s Department of Cell and Molecular Biology played a crucial role in developing the breakthrough technique of spatial transcriptomics. This method maps the spatial expression of all genes within a tissue and markedly enhances our ability to study cellular interactions in health and disease.
Early commercialization through Spatial Transcriptomics AB and its acquisition by 10x Genomics in 2018 as Visium Spatial Gene Expression facilitated global access to this technology. Widely adopted, spatial transcriptomics now accelerates biomedical research and advances personalized medicine, thereby influencing both science and economy.