Spotlight on autoimmunity
There are about 80 autoimmune diseases – when the immune system attacks the body's own tissues. Many of these diseases are very rare, but some are public health issues. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet are trying to understand what happens when the body becomes its own worst enemy.
When the body attacks itself
In a number of diseases, the body is its own enemy – its own immune system attacks its own tissue. But why does the body do that? And what do these diseases have in common? Meet some of the researchers who are seeking answers.
Autoimmunity around the body
There are about 80 autoimmune diseases. In most of them, the immune system attacks a more or less limited part of the body. But sometimes several organs are attacked at the same time. These autoimmune diseases are called syste
Rare disease provides broader knowledge
Dramatic gender differences in autoimmunity
Nils Landegren is a doctor and researcher specialising in autoimmunity. He has started a research project to investigate why autoimmune diseases are so much more common in women.
He is hunting for autoimmunity in psychiatry
Could schizophrenia be an autoimmune disease? Yes, perhaps in some cases, says Mats Persson, clinical psychiatrist and associate professor of immunology at CMM at Karolinska Institutet.
Photo: Fotograf Ulf SirbornResearch into Sjögren's syndrome saves children's hearts
The rheumatic disorder Sjögren's syndrome can cause life-threatening heart block in foetuses. Marie Wahren-Herlenius explains why this happens – and how the right treatment at the right time can save lives.
Photo: Privat"I don't trust the health care"
Eva Rafner has Addison's disease, but was close to death before she was diagnosed. With the right treatment, she was able to continue working full time until she was 55 years old
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It took Monica Holmner several years to be diagnosed with systemic sclerosis. Read the story about how the disease affects her.