Cancer Research KI
Cancer Research KI is an overarching umbrella organisation of cancer research at Karolinska Institutet, that includes more than 410 research groups. The aim is to combine cancer research with clinical oncology by bringing together top level cancer scientists from different disciplines, with the goal to aid generating new scientific discoveries that can be rapidly translated into clinical practice for the benefit of patients and society.
The Cancer Research KI missions
Educating
Resources
Cancerworkshop för patientorganisationer - Livskvalitet när man lever med cancer (in Swedish)
Watch the ninth edition of Cancer Research KI’s workshop for patients and patient organisations, organised in collaboration with RCC Stockholm-Gotland.
This webinar focuses on quality of life when living with cancer, bringing together perspectives from both research and clinical practice.
Featured speakers Helene Rundqvist, Marco Gerling, Helena Adlitzer and Peter Strang share their insights and experiences.
Presentation slides from the webinar are available for download under Attachments, and English subtitles are available.
En dag för cancerforskning 2025
The recording of the 4th edition of En dag för cancerforskning (in Swedish, with English subtitles) is now available to watch here.
The program featured captivating popular science presentations by leading researchers and patient representatives, including Päivi Östling, Roelinde Middelveld, Ioannis Ioakeimidis, Luigi de Petris, Andreas Lundqvist, Mats Marshall Heyman, Karin Mellström, Mathias von Beckerath, Thuy Tran, and Adam Stenman. Moderated by Cancerfonden Ambassador Pamela Andersson Alselind.
Cancerworkshop för patientorganisationer - Cancerformer vanliga hos män (in Swedish)
Cancer Research KI and RCC Stockholm-Gotland hosted the eighth cancer workshop for patient organizations, focusing on cancer types commonly affecting men. The seminar featured presentations on testicular cancer by Gabriella Cohn Cedermark, prostate cancer by Mikael Benson, research on genes and lifestyle by Anna Plym, and prostate cancer screening by Lisa Jelf Eneqvist. The moderator was Oscar Wiklander from Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital.
Webinar: Clinical Treatment Studies
In this webinar organized by Cancer Research KI in collaboration with Cancerfonden, you will hear three insightful presentations from Karolinska Institutet scientists who were awarded grants from Cancerfonden's special call on Clinical Treatment Studies, aimed at promoting clinical research within cancer
Translational Research: From Basic Science to Early Clinical Trials - Mattias Carlsten
Join Mattias Carlsten, Associate Professor and Head of Development, Education, and Innovation at the Cell Therapy and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation (CAST) unit, Karolinska University Hospital, as he delves into the latest advancements in translational research.
News
10th CCE Annual Meeting & Karolinska CCC Days 2026 - Advancing Cancer Research and Strengthening Partnerships together
On 23 and 24 March, Cancer Research KI together with KCCC hosted the 10th Cancer Core Europe (CCE) Annual Meeting and Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Days. The joint event allowed both KI members and CCE guests to benefit from a joint program designed to foster collaboration, enhance knowledge exchange, and maximize interaction. Participants had the opportunity to attend lectures, present and explore poster sessions, and engage beyond the regular pillar and task force presentations highlighting key achievements and next steps.
Read more about the meeting here
Why Cancer Care Needs More High‑Quality De-escalation Research
On 5-6 March 2026, Cancer Research KI was part of the organisation for the1st Innovating Cancer Care Through De-escalation Studies Symposium, held at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam, as part of the joint action EUnetCCC. The symposium gathered 125 participants, including clinicians, researchers, patient representatives, policymakers, and professionals from pharma and biotech, representing 25 countries. The symposium explored key challenges and requirements for starting successful de-escalation trials and launched the EUnetCCC De-escalation Study Network. The event also identified obstacles to implementing de-escalation research in clinical practice, which should be addressed through joint efforts. Patients were invited to participate in the symposium both as speakers and as part of the panel debate and Q&A session.
You can read more about the symposium here
Cancer Research KI PI Retreat 2026 Recap
On 16–17 February 2026, 80 principal investigators from 13 KI departments, representing both the Solna and Flemingsberg campuses, gathered at Sånga Säby Conference Hotel for the 3rd Cancer Research KI PI Retreat. The two‑day programme featured scientific presentations, rapid‑fire elevator pitches, and focused discussions on key themes shaping today’s cancer research environment: Patient perspective and involvement in research, Gender perspective: inequalities in research, Infrastructure at KI and SciLifeLab: leveraging existing strengths and planning future needs, Funding landscape and opportunities, with insights from Barncancerfonden, Cancerfonden, and Radiumhemmet’s Research Funds.
Anna Nilsson is the new vice-director on Cancer Research KI's board
Anna Nilsson, Professor of Paediatric Oncology at Karolinska Institutet (KI) and Senior Consultant at Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital, has been appointed Vice Director of the Board of Cancer Research KI (CRKI). The organisation brings together cancer research from more than 400 research groups across the university and works to ensure that new knowledge benefits patients.
Stockholm cancer meeting will scale up European research fight
10th CCE Annual Meeting & Karolinska CCC Days 2026: From prevention to precision medicine, researchers aim to translate scientific breakthroughs into better patient outcomes across Europe.
Hundreds of cancer researchers from across Europe will gather at Karolinska Institutet on 23-24 March to discuss ways of promoting collaboration in cancer research, and how to leverage the strengths of the numerous cancer consortia, alliances and networks that exist in Europe. The event is organised by Cancer Research KI and Cancer Core Europe (CCE). You can read the full article at Euractiv website here.
Events, Seminars and Workshops
Photo: iStockNavigating the Regulatory Landscape at Ease: Support at KI for Ethics Applications, 12 May 2026
Do you have research activities that require ethical approval? Do you want to share research data between KI and the hospital or with collaboration partners? Are you conducting clinical trials or translational research that involves patient samples? In that case, this webinar is for you!
On 12 May 2026, Cecilia Martinsson Björkdahl from the Compliance and Data Office at Karolinska Institutet will present the support available at KI for researchers navigating ethical and legal questions in their daily work. You can submit your questions to Cecilia when registering.
The webinar will be moderated by Marco Gerling.
Photo: n/aAcademic collaborations with the pharma industry: How to Do It Right! 20 May 2026
Academic collaborations with the pharmaceutical industry can help turn promising research discoveries into new therapies, technologies, and real-world patient benefit. But successful partnerships require the right partners, clear expectations, and mutual trust.
This seminar brings together representatives from Anocca, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), MSD, NEOGAP, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital to share practical insights into how academia, healthcare, and industry can collaborate effectively.
More information and registration can be found here.
Photo: n/aRadiumhemmets Forskningsfonder Funding Opportunities for Patient-Centered Research, 4 June 2026
Would you like to learn more about Radiumhemmets Forskningsfonder and how they support patient-centered clinical cancer research? In this webinar, Radiumhemmets Forskningsfonder will present their annual calls and the funds’ main areas of support, including research project grants, academic positions and protected research time, infrastructure support, and travel, course and conference grants. The webinar will provide practical information about the application process and common mistakes to avoid when applying.
The webinar will also feature from Hildur Helgadottir, Ann Nordgren and Felix Haglund de Flon whose projects have been supported by Radiumhemmets Forskningsfonder.
More information and registration can be found here.
Photo: CRKIXXIII Cancer Research KI Retreat
Registration is now open for the upcoming XXIII Cancer Research KI Retreat, which will take place on 28-29 September 2026. Secure you spot by registering here!
Photo: n/aCCE Summer School in Translational Cancer Research, October 4-9, 2026
We are pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for the Cancer Core Europe (CCE) Summer School in Translational Cancer Research, which will take place in Algarve, Portugal, from October 4-9, 2026.
The CCE Summer School offers in-depth training for early-career scientists and clinicians, providing cross-disciplinary insight across the entire cancer research continuum, with a particular focus on personalized cancer medicine. The program includes lectures and interactive workshops by leading experts, as well as opportunities for participants to present their research. A key aim of the Summer School is to foster exchange and networking between participants from preclinical and clinical backgrounds across international institutions.
Application deadline: April 26, 2026
Photo: n/aSave the date: En dag för cancerforskning, 19 Nov 2026
Save the date for the 5th edition of En dag för cancerforskning will take place on 19 Nov 2026!
Information about the programme and speakers will appear here closer to the event
Grant Announcements
Photo: Getty ImagesTherapeutic Catalyst Grant
Cancer Research UK Therapeutic Catalyst Awards were launched in late 2021 and have been a great success. The scheme operates as a collaborative venture between research scientists and drug discoverers within Cancer Research Horizons to accelerate the translation of novel ideas for therapeutic discovery. Awards can be up to £250,000 to support a 12–18-month proposal. There are 3 rounds of applications per year held in February, June and October.
Next expression of interest deadline: 29 May 2026
Photo: Getty ImagesChildhood Cancer Therapeutic Catalyst
Childhood Cancer Therapeutic Catalyst accelerates the translation of discovery research into novel therapeutics. It seeks projects with strong potential to deliver novel therapeutics for children and young people with cancer. This scheme aims to de-risk early projects to facilitate further drug discovery research, funding, or partnering.
Successful projects will receive up to £250k for up to 18 months.
Next expression of interest deadline: October 2026