NEW STUDY. In collaboration with researchers in the Netherlands and Belgium, researchers at the University of Gothenburg have now shown that overexpression of the gene for ALKAL2 activates a chain of other cancer-driving genes and how this leads to neuroblastoma. The results indicate that increased gene dosage of ALKAL2 may become a new biomarker and open up the potential for treatment with ALK inhibitors for certain forms of childhood cancer.…
Researchers can begin applying to use SCAPIS data from March 17
RESEARCH. The launch of unique SCAPIS is approaching. SCAPIS is a bank of data, blood samples and bioimages from 30,000 participants that will be openly available for researchers throughout the country and eventually the world. “Our vision is to find the individuals at risk of cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease so that they can receive treatment earlier,” says Göran Bergström, director of SCAPIS, professor at the University of…
New studies support blood test for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease
NEW STUDIES. In three recent publications in Molecular Psychiatry, Brain and JAMA Neurology researchers from the University of Gothenburg provide convincing evidence that an in-house developed blood test for Alzheimer’s disease can detect the disease early and track its course, which has major implications for a potential use in clinical practice and treatment trials. “This is an extremely dynamic research field right now, thanks to the technological development and seminal scientific progress in the past…
Low fitness linked to higher psoriasis risk later in life
NEW STUDY. In a major register-based study, scientists at University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have now demonstrated a connection between inferior physical fitness in young adults and elevated risk of the autoimmune disease psoriasis. For the male recruits to compulsory military training who were rated as the least fit, the risk of developing psoriasis later was 35 percent higher than for the fittest. The study was based on data on more…
Recipients of the 2020 Bollan Stipend
GRANTS. Ebba Samuelsson, Andrea Persson, Malin Lindén, and Karin Starnberg are the four recipients of the 2020 Bollan Stipend. The four are active at Sahlgrenska Academy and their stipend will be used in different platforms at Core Facilities. In her will, Elisabeth “Bollan” Lindén donated SEK 2.4 million to the University of Gothenburg to establish the stipend. The stipend awards a total of SEK 250,000 annually to up to five…
Where antibiotic resistance comes from
NEW STUDY. By comparing thousands of bacterial genomes, scientists in Gothenburg, Sweden have traced back the evolutionary history of antibiotic resistance genes. In almost all cases where an origin could be determined, the gene started to spread from bacteria that, themselves, can cause disease. While human DNA is only passed down from parent to child, bacteria also have the habit of sharing some of their genes across species. This often applies to…
Louise Adermark awarded consolidator grant from the Swedish Research Council
YOUNG RESEARCHERS. The use of e-cigarettes and other non-tobacco nicotine products is increasing, and researcher Louise Adermark wants to find out more about the mechanisms behind nicotine addiction. She also wants to develop practical strategies to help users quit. She has now received a consolidator grant from the Swedish Research Council of twelve million SEK. Nicotine is not an illegal drug, and normally it does not turn the lives of…
Drug combination increases susceptibility to cytostatic treatments in cases of severe neuroblastoma
NEW STUDY. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg now suggest a possible cure for children with hard-to-treat forms of neuroblastoma using a new combination of drugs. In a new study in the journal Cancer Research, they describe how a two small molecule-based drug combination likely inhibit the tumor’s growth. Neuroblastoma is the most common form of childhood cancer, derived from the peripheral nervous system, i.e., the part of the nervous…
COVID-19: Stricter regulations at GU from 22 December
From 22 December, all teaching and examination will take place digitally, the libraries will only be open for loans and work will be performed from home. Exceptions may be made if there are special reasons. The decision is valid until 24 January 2021. Please see the news on Staff Portal on the links below: COVID-19: Stricter regulations at GU from December 22 Extended decision on DISA exam written remotely
The board of the Västra Götaland region approves of the Sahlgrenska Life concept
REGION VÄSTRA GÖTALAND. On December 16, the Board of the Västra Götaland region decided to approve the Sahlgrenska Life concept. This means that the project is now progressing according to plan. The goal of Sahlgrenska Life is to connect Sahlgrenska University Hospital with the University of Gothenburg’s operations on Medicinareberget. In order to realize the vision behind Sahlgrenska Life, new construction is necessary. The project includes three new buildings and…
Christopher Holmberg and Linda Åhlström receive this year’s Pedagogical Award
EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. The exam in quality development and improvement knowledge for our nursing students in their final semester has recently changed from a standard turn-in group assignment to an exam that also assesses the group’s work process using Active Learning Classrooms (ALC). The teachers behind this change, Christopher Holmberg and Linda Åhlström, have now received Sahlgrenska Academy’s 2020 Pedagogical Award. You may not nominate yourself for the award, and the…
Merry Christmas from Agneta Holmäng and Henrik Hagberg
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS. Dean Agneta Holmäng and Pro-Dean Henrik Hagberg extend their warmest wishes for a very Merry Christmas to the entire staff. This has been a strange year where, despite the prevailing pandemic, Sahlgrenska Academy has still been able to make progress with external collaborations. We will remember 2020 as a very strange year, the likes of which we will hopefully never have to experience again. On top of all…
Proportionally more male bosses negative toward depression
NEW STUDY. A higher proportion of male than of female managers have negative attitudes toward depression, a University of Gothenburg study shows. The more senior the managerial positions, the bigger the share of men with negative attitudes; the same, moreover, applies to women in senior managerial jobs. The study, published in BMC Public Health, is based on an online questionnaire addressed to managers. Of the 2,663 respondents, 901 were women and 1,762 men. The research focuses specifically on attitudes toward depression, a very common mental disorder. The results show that 24 percent…
Construction information Medicinareberget – casting of the foundation ready before Christmas
CONSTRUCTION INFORMATION. Akademiliv provides information on the construction of Natrium on Medicinareberget for the period weeks 51-02 (December 15 – January 15). The current information about constructions on Medicinareberget is distributed with special mailings and in Akademiliv every four weeks. As far as the information mailings are planned, you will receive these mailings with information January 18, February 15, March 15, April 12, May 10, June 7 and August 16.…
Digital PhD day on crisis and research
DOCTORAL STUDENTS. This year’s PhD Day concerned how a global crisis affects health and research. During the lunch break, doctoral students had an opportunity to share their experiences of the pandemic with Vice Dean Martin Lagging, who is responsible for PhD studies at Sahlgrenska Academy. PhD Day had been scheduled for this spring but had to be postponed due to the pandemic. Hosts for the completely online event were Salma…
No mortality increase with paclitaxel-coated balloons and stents in peripheral arterial disease
NEW STUDY. An interim analysis from the Swedish Drug-Elution Trial in Peripheral Arterial Disease (SWEDEPAD) has now been presented. It shows that, for patients with lower limb occlusive arterial disease, paclitaxel-coated balloons and stents do not bring about the rise in mortality previously reported. The study, led by the University of Gothenburg and published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), is expected to resonate internationally. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is common, especially in older people, and causes poor blood…
Henrik Sjövall: Farewell for now – professional development in the time of the Coronavirus
COLUMN. The pandemic has brought about a major digital transformation in teaching. This has even had an impact on how we run the supplementary program for physicians with a medical degree from outside of the EU. In this column, Henrik Sjövall details his experiences of the measures put in place due to COVID-19. Regular readers of Akademiliv may recall that I have been working on the supplementary program for physicians…
More support for induction at 41 weeks’ pregnancy, especially for first time mothers
NEW STUDY. There is growing evidence that pregnant women who go beyond term, especially first time mothers and their infants, will benefit from induction of labour at 41 weeks, instead of expectant management with subsequent induction of labour at 42 weeks if labour will not start spontaneously. This is clearer now that researchers from Sweden and the Netherlands have appraised results from three previous investigations. The present study, an individual…
Thank you and farewell, from Silvana Naredi
GREETING. During her six-year tenure as vice dean for education, Silvana Naredi has both met and worked with many different colleagues. She wants to extend her thanks to all of you, as she is stepping down from this position. To all the lecturers, administrators, study counsellors, accountants, public relations officers; to all who have been on the committee on education, the budget group, the steering committee for KTC, the committee…
Pregnant women feel more vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic
NEW STUDY. Pregnant women, and in many cases also new parents, think more about the coronavirus and feel more affected and worried about it than other groups. This is shown by research results from the University of Gothenburg, which have now been presented in both a report by the SOM Institute and in a scholarly article. The results come from the Swedish Pregnancy Panel (PregDem) study and from the SOM…