Funding from the Wallenberg foundations
Over the years, the Wallenberg Foundations, especially the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW), Sweden's largest private research funder, have made major investments in both grants to individual researchers and projects in a wide range of KI's research areas. In 2023, the Wallenberg foundations jointly contributed with SEK 207 million to research at Karolinska Institutet.
One of KAW's main strategic initiatives at KI is SciLifeLab. Together with the Swedish government, KAW is the largest funder of this national research infrastructure, in which KI is a partner. The other two major Wallenberg Foundations that support KI's research are the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation and the Amalia and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation. The Wallenberg Foundations have allocated around SEK 42 billion to Swedish research since 1917, of which SEK 11.4 billion in the last five years.
Project grants from KAW
Funding by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation for research projects at KI with high scientific potential.
Camilla Engblom, Department of Medicine, Solna. Awarded SEK 26 million over a period of five years in 2024.
Project: Spatially resolving tumor and immune clonal niches in human breast cancer
Patrik Ernfors, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded SEK 34 million over a period of five years in 2024.
Project: New chronic pain mechanisms: Spatiotemporal dynamics of dysregulated proteins in inflammatory pain
Björn Högberg, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded SEK 26 million over a period of five years in 2024.
Project: Next Generation Spatial Membrane Biology
Jon Lundberg, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology. Awarded SEK 31 million over a period of five years in 2024.
Project: Novel Nitric Oxide Signaling Modalities for Cardiovascular Therapeutics
Charlotte Thålin, Department of Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital. Awarded SEK 25 million over a period of five years in 2024.
Project: T-MAP: Translating the Functional Role of Mucosal IgA Clonal and Glycoprofiles to Effective Humoral Mucosal Protection
Eduardo Villablanca, Department of Medicine, Solna. Awarded SEK 26 million over a period of five years in 2024.
Project: A Spatially Functional Atlas of the Healing Intestinal Barrier: Implications for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Anna Wredenberg, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded SEK 24 million over a period of five years in 2024.
Project: Expressing mtDNA – from basic mechanisms to pathophysiology in humans
Marie Wahren-Herlenius, Department of Medicine, Solna, awarded SEK 39.1 million over a period of five years in 2022.
Project: Sex matters in autoimmune disease.
Marcus Buggert, Department of Medicine, Huddinge, awarded SEK 32.2 million over a period of five years in 2022.
Project: Immunology Human Organ Donor Programme (IHOPE).
Francois Lallemend, Department of Neuroscience, awarded SEK 32 million over a period of five years in 2022.
Project: Proprioceptive control of motor action sequences.
Maria Kasper, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, SEK 32 million over a period of five years in 2022.
Project: Metabolic control at the stem cell’s point of no return.
Kirsty Spalding, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, awarded SEK 31,000,000 for a five-year period in 2020.
Project: Adipose tissue senescence and metabolic disease in man.
Qiang Pan Hammarström, professor at the Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, awarded SEK 39,200,000 for a five-year period in 2020.
Project: Developmental trajectories for human B-cells.
Marie Carlén, Department of Neuroscience, awarded SEK 32,200,000 for a five-year period in 2020.
Project: Brain circuits in decision-making.
Emma Andersson, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, awarded SEK 40,100,000 for a five-year period in 2020.
Project: Decoding cell fate with lineage-tracing in utero transduction.
Rikard Holmdahl, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded SEK 36.5 million over a five-year period in 2019.
Project: Changing the view on autoimmune disease based on positional cloning of the Ncf1 gene.
Maja Jagodic, Department of Clinical Neuroscience. Awarded SEK 28 million over a five-year period in 2019.
Project: Epigenomic states underlying aggressive inflammation and brain tissue loss in Multiple Sclerosis.
Gonçalo Castelo Branco, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded SEK 34 million over a five-year period in 2019.
Project: Insights on the role of oligodendroglia in the origin and progression of multiple sclerosis.
Anna Wredenberg, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded SEK 36 million over a five-year period in 2019.
Project: Mitochondrial Methyltransferases – from discovery to disease.
Wallenberg Clinical Scholars
The Wallenberg Clinical Scholars programme strengthens Swedish clinical research by means of identifying the best clinical researchers, providing them with good conditions to undertake their work, and facilitate the impact of research results in the scientific and healthcare communities. Each researcher obtains SEK 15 million for a period of five years, with possibility of extension for another five years.
Mikael Rydén, Department of Medicine, Huddinge. Awarded in 2020.
Project: Why do fat cells change when someone becomes overweight?
Olle Kämpe, Department of Medicine, Solna. Awarded in 2019.
Project: Why does the immune system attacs and destroy specific tissues in the body in patients with autoimmune diseases?
Per Svenningsson, Department of Clinical Neuroscience. Awarded in 2016. Extended in 2021.
Project: Wants to slow the progress of Parkinson’s disease
Wallenberg Scholars
This program focuses on Sweden’s leading senior researchers. It was implemented because researchers need long-term funding without the distraction of pressure to secure external grants in order to carry out world-class research. One key principle is that the grants can be freely used for research for five years with no restrictions.
Gonçalo Castelo-Branco, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. The grant was awarded in 2024. Project: Improved diagnostic methods and development of new treatment approaches for multiple sclerosis (MS) using novel molecular technologies.
Petter Brodin, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health. The grant was awarded in 2024. Project: Understanding how individual differences in the function of the immune system are established early in life.
Qiang Pan Hammarström, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. The grant was awarded in 2024.
Project: Mapping the complex molecular mechanisms involved in B-cell production of antibodies against bacterial infections (immunoglobulins).
Gunilla Karlsson Hedestam, Department of Microbiology, Tumor, and Cell Biology. The grant was awarded in 2024.
Project: Understanding the human immune system, with a focus on the receptors of B and T cells and the hereditary factors underlying certain autoimmune diseases.
Thomas Helleday, Department of Oncology-Pathology. The grant was awarded in 2024.
Project: Developing a new type of therapeutic method for treating diseases and aging.
Sten Eirik W. Jacobsen, Department of Medicine, Huddinge, and Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. The grant was awarded in 2024.
Project: Identifying mechanisms that rapidly increase platelet formation, with the goal of translating this knowledge into clinical treatments, especially in cases where chemotherapy leads to a drastic decrease in platelet count.
Jens Hjerling Leffler, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. The grant was awarded in 2024.
Project: Studying how small changes in a large number of genes contribute to the development of the hereditary disease schizophrenia, as well as the biological mechanisms affected by these changes.
Rickard Sandberg, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. The grant was awarded in 2024.
Project: Investigating how the proteins used by brain cells to communicate with each other (synaptic proteins) impact brain function.
Kirsty Spalding, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. The grant was awarded in 2024.
Project: Exploring how fat cells influence cancer development and contribute to the development of new and more specialised cancer treatments.
Juleen Zierath, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery. The grant was awarded in 2024.
Project: Studying how physical activity and a high-calorie diet affect the internal cellular clock to improve metabolism in type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Nils-Göran Larsson, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded in 2021 and a second time in 2024.
Project: Mitochondrial regulation of physiological processes and mitochondrial diseases
Marie Carlén, Department of Neuroscience. Awarded in 2019 and a second time in 2024.
Project: New light technology sheds light on the cause of mental illness
Camilla Svensson, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology. Awarded in 2019 and a second time in 2024.
Project: Searching for the source of chronic pain
Ernest Arenas, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded in 2019 and a second time in 2024.
Project: Develop new methods to genetically control the formation of dopamine-producing neurons
Sten Linnarsson, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded in 2019 and a second time in 2024.
Project: Build a mathematical model describing and predicting gene activity over time in the human brain
Randall S. Johnson, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. Awarded in 2019 and a second time in 2024.
Project: Find strategies for manipulating the sensitivity of the immune system to oxygen, with the aim of improving current and future cancer therapies
Joanna Rorbach, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded in 2019 and a second time in 2024.
Project: Protein manufacture in the cell powerhouse.
Per-Olof Berggren, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery. Awarded in 2012.
Project: How our nerves regulate insulin secretion
Carlos Ibáñez, Department of Neuroscience. Awarded in 2012.
Project: Nerve cells and metabolism is regulated by growth factors
Johan Ericson, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. Awarded in 2011.
Project: Stem-cell research to fight Parkinson’s and depression
Patrik Ernfors, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded in 2010, in 2016 and 2024.
Project: Tracing the origin of tumors to find a cure for brain cancer
Jonas Frisén, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. Awarded in 2009 and a second time in 2024.
Project: Great age variation in human cells
Wallenberg Academy Fellows
Wallenberg Academy Fellows is the largest private initiative to support young researchers in Sweden. It is a new career programme aimed at promising researchers in all disciplines. The programme provides long-term funding and enables the best researchers to focus on their research and it contributes to the internationalization of the Swedish research environment. Young researchers are awarded SEK 5 to 9 million to be divided over a period of five years. Awardees at KI:
Elif Eroglu, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology. Awarded in 2023.
Project: Will make the heart heal damaged areas after a heart attack
Alessandro Furlan, Department of Neuroscience. Awarded in 2023.
Project: Will explore new neural pathways that may influence our weight
Niklas Mejhert, Department of Medicine, Huddinge. Awarded in 2023.
Project: Why does adipose tissue stop working in cases of abdominal obesity?
Stefanos Stagkourakis, Caltech, USA (Karolinska Institutet). Awarded in 2023.
Project: How are human instincts governed and what makes us overreact?
Hugo Zeberg, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology
Project: How does Neanderthal ancestry affect the risk of disease?
Marcus Buggert, Department of Medicine, Huddinge. Awarded in 2021.
Project: How does our body protect itself against virus?
Björn Reinius, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded in 2021.
Project: How is gene expression balanced between chromosome copies?
Björn Lindström, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Nederländerna (nominated by KI). Awarded in 2021.
Project: What enable us to learn from others to form a culture?
Sébastien Talbot, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology. Awarded in 2021.
Project: Wants to block the ability of tumours to inhibit our immune system.
Petter Brodin, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, and SciLifeLab. Awarded in 2019.
Project: How does the environment influence infants’ immune systems?
Pia Dosenovic, Rockefeller University, USA (recruited to KI). Awarded in 2019.
Project: Studies B cells for the development of new vaccines
Qiaolin Deng, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology. Awarded in 2019. Prolonged in 2020.
Project: Why do things go wrong when germ cells are formed?
Itziar Martinez-Gonzalez, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands (recruited to KI). Awarded in 2019.
Project: Does the same immune cell cause both eczema and asthma?
Simon Elsässer, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, also at SciLifeLab and the Ming Wai Lau Centre. Awarded in 2019.
Project: How are genetic switches inherited?
Katja Petzold, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded in 2019.
Project: A technique for studying biomolecules in living cells
Emanuela Santini, Department of Neuroscience. Awarded in 2017.
Project: Repetitive behaviours in autism
Carmen Gerlach, Department of Medicine, Solna. Awarded in 2017.
Project: More effective vaccines and therapies against cancer
Joanna Rorbach, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics. Awarded in 2017.
Project: Mitochondrial ribosomes to be mapped in atomic detail
Laura Baranello, Deaprtment of Cell and Molecular Biology. Awarded in 2016.
Project: Developing gentler cancer treatments
Olaf Bergmann, Deaprtment of Cell and Molecular Biology. Awarded in 2016.
Project: A damaged heart will be helped to heal
Niklas Björkström, Department of Medicine, Huddinge. Awarded in 2016.
Project: The liver’s natural killer cells – how do they work?
Claudia Kutter, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology. Awarded in 2016.
Project: How does liver cancer develop?
Fredrik Lanner, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology. Awarded in 2016. Prolongation grant awarded in 2021.
Project: Stem cell treatment for common eye disease
Yenan Bryceson, Department of Medicine, Huddinge. Awarded in 2014. Prolongation grant awarded in 2019.
Project: New ways of diagnosing rare diseases
Eduardo Villablanca, Department of Medicine, Solna. Awarded in 2014. Prolongation grant awarded in 2019.
Project: Explores mechanisms behind chronic bowel disease
Learn more about KAW
Photo: KAWA century of research support
In its pursuit of excellence and pursuing long-term goals, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation has awarded billions of Swedish kroner to researchers at Karolinska Institutet over the years.
The Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation
The Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation (MMW) foundation supports research primarily in clinical medicine, law and social sciences.
Donation to the Centre for Health Crises
In the spring of 2022, the foundation donated SEK 15 million to Karolinska Institutet's newly established Centre for Health Crises. The funding will be used to start up the center over a two-year period.
Torkel Klingberg, Department of Neuroscience
Project: Using AI to understand early math learning.
Gramt: SEK 7 million over a period of four years, awarded in 2020.
Marc Guitart-Masip, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society
Project: Quantifying prior beliefs for affective decision-making and their relations to symptoms of depression
Grant: SEK 6 million over a period of four years, awarded in 2020.
Wallenberg Clinical Fellows
With this three year programme, the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation aim to stimulate research conducted by young physicians, and to identify tomorrow’s clinical research leaders of Sweden. The grants includes funding of a research position up to 80 percent of a fulltime employment, and the funding of direct costs for research up to SEK 700.000 per year.
Marie Holmqvist, Department of Medicine, Solna. Awarded in 2020.
Project: Cancer in systemic rheumatic disease – occurrence, genetics, prediction and consequences.
Jakob Wikström, Department of Medicine, Solna. Awarded in 2019.
Project: Endoplasmic reticulum stress in chronic leg ulcers: a new treatment strategy?
Petter Brodin, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health. Awarded in 2017.
Project: Environmental factors, such as virus, bacteria and foods, in the formation of the immune system in newborns.
Carl Sellgren Majkowitz, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology. Awarded in 2017.
Project: Cellular models to find better treatments for schizophrenia and bipolar disease.
Sara Gredmark Russ, Center for Infectious Medicine. Awarded in 2016.
Project: Immune activity in tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) – improved diagnostics, treatment and strategies for vaccination.
The Amalia and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation
The foundation supports research projects of high scientific potential, especially in social sciences and humanities, as well as projects in learning and information technologies and projects for children and youth activities.
Sven Bölte, Department of Women's and Children's Health. Awarded in 2015.
Project: Inclusion and quality of life through social skills training in schools for children with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and their peers; from clinical to community settings. Granted funding of SEK 1 million.
Clara Hellner Gumpert, Department of Clinical Neuroscience. Awarded in 2014.
Project: Early interventions among young people at risk; Internet-based treatment of non-suicidal self-injury. Granted funding of SEK 1.2 million.