NEW STUDY. Protein aggregates accumulate during aging and are linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Huntington’s disease. A new study by the Nyström lab at University of Gothenburg, in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Germany, describes a novel, engineered approach that makes protein aggregates amenable to spatial manipulations in both budding yeast and human cells. Many neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or…
Curettage and cryosurgery – effective for the most common skin cancer
NEW STUDY. The combination of curettage and cryosurgery is a safe and effective treatment method for the most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma. A study from the University of Gothenburg now presents the results from testing different variants of the method. The number of cases of skin cancer is continuing to rise sharply, in Sweden and internationally, involving high costs for a healthcare economy that is already…
International research collaboration expands understanding of rare heart defect
NEW STUDY. By collaborating with researchers at Rigshospitalet and the University of Copenhagen, researchers at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Sahlgrenska Academy have been able to create the largest cohort of patients to date with the rare heart defect Ebstein anomaly. The collaboration enables completely new opportunities for studying comorbidity and survival over time. In Sweden more than four babies are born annually with the heart defect Ebstein anomaly. Those with…
Dean election: Preparation work continues with three candidates
FACULTY ELECTION. Sahlgrenska Academy’s drafting committee summarizes this spring’s preparatory work for the advisory dean election. The preparatory work continues with three of the six candidates nominated for the assignment. One or more final candidates will be presented in September. In January, Sahlgrenska Academy’s drafting committee was tasked by the faculty board to carry out an advisory election of Dean Pro-Dean for the term 2024-2029. Six nominees The faculty’s employees…
The right treatment for rectal cancer patients through collaboration
NEW STUDY. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital have taken a step towards the goal of individualizing rectal cancer treatment. By analyzing tumor samples, immunologists and surgeons have jointly identified a biomarker that could offer a new way to predict which patients will benefit the most from chemoradiotherapy prior to surgery. Rectal cancer is one of the more common forms of cancer, and the tumor is…
Ten new EU doctoral students strengthen research on epithelial cell protection against bacteria
GRANTS. The EU is investing the equivalent of just over SEK 32 million in recruiting ten doctoral students to various European research groups studying how epithelial cells build up contact surfaces in different organs that handle bacteria. One of these doctoral students will undergo research training in Thaher Pelaseyed’s group at the Institute of Biomedicine. The EU’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks program has awarded an EUR 2.8 million grant to train…
Axel Stenmark Tullberg received PhD Thesis of the Year award: ”The toughest part was switching off in the evening”
SCIENTIST PORTRAIT. Out of 39 dissertations, one was selected. Axel Stenmark Tullberg shares his joy over receiving the PhD Thesis of the Year award at the Institute of Clincial Sciences. He talks about how his doctoral project consumed a significant part of his life. And the mixed feelings of nervousness and excitement as he prepares for his next adventure at Stanford, California. He was one of 39 individuals who completed…
EUR 3 million to increase home dialysis – an innovative process for improved renal care
PERSON CENTERED CARE. A new cross-border research project involving health innovations and person-centered care has been awarded almost EUR 3 million by financial backers including the EU. The research will focus on increasing the use of home dialysis, which has been shown to provide significant benefits in terms of patients’ quality of life and health compared to traditional hospital-based dialysis. Increasing home dialysis treatment with a person-centered approach provides medical and…
Summer message from Agneta Holmäng
COLUMN. Dean Agneta Holmäng sums up the semester and looks ahead to what awaits the Faculty in the fall. Let me begin by thanking you all for your excellent work this semester. Time is flying by, and I hope you are getting a chance to enjoy this wonderful build-up to the summer. Spring has brought a whole host of good news. I would particularly like to highlight the results of…
Honorary doctor with a focus on global dental health
DISTINCTION. Professor and dentist Guglielmo Giuseppe Campus has been appointed an honorary doctor at the University of Gothenburg’s Sahlgrenska Academy. This strengthens the Academy’s ties with a prominent researcher and a global leader in preventive dental health. The Board of the Sahlgrenska Academy has decided to appoint Guglielmo Campus as an Honorary Doctor of Odontology. The conferment ceremony will take place in Gothenburg on Friday, October 20. Professor Campus is a…
Gunnar Tobin receives the Sahlgrenska Academy’s Pedagogical Prize: “For me, the student has always been at the center”
Hello Gunnar Tobin. Congratulations on winning the Sahlgrenska Academy’s Pedagogical Prize 2023! How does it feel to have received this award? I’m delighted. I’m also very pleased that my colleagues appreciate what I have tried to do. But I always think deep down that I don’t deserve it. However, I do believe my that students appreciate my teaching. What are you most proud of in terms of your teaching work?…
National meeting in Gothenburg for Sweden’s three dietetic programs
EDUCATION. Representatives from all three dietetic programs in Sweden recently come together for a lunch-to-lunch meeting in Gothenburg. There were several common issues on the agenda, including the availability of work-based education placements. This was the first physical meeting since before the pandemic. The directors of the dietetic programs in Gothenburg, Umeå and Uppsala met at Medicinareberget. Student representatives and President of the Swedish Association of Clinical Dietitians Kjell Olsson…
How climate change affects our health – watch a video of the lecture
INTERACTION. More cases of asthma and cardiovascular diseases, a worse situation for pollen allergy sufferers and more deaths during heatwaves. These are some of the health-related consequences that can be expected as the climate grows warmer. But there is still time to stop the trend – and you can make a difference. These were some of the main messages of the lecture ‘Klimatet förändras – vad betyder det för vår…
Step by step guide to applications with the Swedish Ethical Review Authority
SEMINAR. A digital seminar on ethical review of human research with the Swedish Ethical Review Authority was held on May 30, and was well attended and much appreciated. The seminar was jointly arranged by the Research Support Office and the Council for Research Ethics at the Sahlgrenska Academy, and Gothia Forum, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Region Västra Götaland. The seminar was recorded, and will be available to watch shortly. The video…
Groundbreaking findings bring hope for faster and better recovery after stroke
NEW STUDY. An effective treatment for most stroke victims — even those who, today, are unable to gain access to care within the first few hours. This is the goal of an experimental method that has been tested with great success in an international study headed by the University of Gothenburg. The work now published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation is a multicenter study in which researchers at the…
Alcohol drinking cut in half with diabetes medication
NEW STUDY. The medication semaglutide, which is currently used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, might also be an effective medication for alcohol dependence. In a study from the University of Gothenburg, the drug reduced alcohol relapse drinking and alcohol intake in rats by more than half. Semaglutide is sold under brand names such as Ozempic. Since this medication was also approved for the treatment of obesity, demand…
Two top-rated grants to Joan Camuñas-Soler group
GRANTS. Joan Camuñas-Soler received earlier this spring the Swedish Foundations’ Starting Grant, aimed for projects that scored an A-rating in the European Research Council’s Starting Grant. Also, his postdoc fellow Marta Gironella received a Marie Curie (MSCA) post doc-grant. Joan and Marta tell us more about the aim and possible outcome of the projects. “With the Marie Curie post doc-grant, our main goal is to correlate the functional phenotypes of cells…
Pharmacy program expands collaboration with AstraZeneca
EDUCATION. The Pharmacy Program’s degree prepares students for research and developing pharmaceuticals. The program is now expanding its profile by developing elective courses together with AstraZeneca. While looking for programs focused on chemistry and biology, Alva Jonsson found the Pharmacy Program. “I’ve wanted to be a scientist since I was small. First, I was looking at engineering programs within biochemistry and biology but quickly realized the pharmacy program included a…
High distinction for rheumatology research
DISTINCTION. The Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research at the Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, has been designated as a EULAR Center of Excellence in Rheumatology 2022–2027. This is the third time the Department has received the award, held by only two universities in Sweden. The title is awarded by the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology, EULAR to rheumatology units that combine high-quality research with clinical work and…
Unhealthy food dominated grocery store flyers
NEW STUDY. Unhealthy food dominated the weekly grocery store flyers. As much as two thirds of the space was taken up by less healthy foods according to a study from the University of Gothenburg. The advertising does not seem to support healthy choices, say the researchers. The study, now published in the scientific journal BMC Public Health, analyzed weekly advertisement flyers from 122 grocery stores in Västra Götaland County, published…