COMMENTARY. Karl Swedberg, a senior professor and a renown international researcher in heart failure, has written an editorial in the latest edition of the New England Journal of Medicine about a study presented in the journal. It is a tremendous honor to be asked to write an editorial for the journal, and he is one of only a handful of researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy ever to do so. The New…
SEK 13.6 million for childhood cancer research in Gothenburg
GRANTS. In its latest funding round, the Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund awarded a total of SEK 146 million for Swedish research, which is a new record amount for the fight against childhood cancer. SEK 13.6 million of these grants went to research at the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital. “Research on childhood cancer has made enormous progress; today 85 percent of children survive cancer. But the most difficult…
Many advantages with double degrees – a well-functioning collaboration enabled her defense of dissertation
DOCTORAL EDUCATION. The first doctoral student admitted to doctoral studies at both Sahlgrenska Academy and KU Leuven has now defended her dissertation. In addition to a double doctoral degree for Mariela Acuna Mora, from the very start the collaboration provides her with both a solid doctoral education and access to an established international network of researchers. Mariela Acuña Mora graduated as a nurse in her native Costa Rica. She came…
New principle for cancer treatment shows promising effect
NEW STUDY. A new type of inhibitor that interferes with mitochondrial function in cancer cells has been developed in a collaboration involving researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy. In an article in Nature, the researchers describe how the treatment prevented cancer cells from dividing and reduced tumor growth in mice, without any significant effect on healthy cells. Mitochondria are the powerhouse of cells and are crucial for converting energy from our…
Justin Schneiderman’s new assignment supports management in AI developments
AI NYTT. We can use artificial intelligence for many things, including for organizing otherwise unmanageable amounts of data or developing software that helps in interpreting information-rich high-resolution x-ray images. In order to assist Sahlgrenska Academy researchers in staying up-to-date on this fast-developing field, management has appointed Justin Schneiderman to serve as an AI advisor for the faculty. In recent years, both competence and infrastructure for AI have taken great steps…
Regarding media attention around exam in the university’s examination halls
EXAMINATION. Media is reporting that about 150 students at the University of Gothenburg during the current pandemic will gather today Friday, to write an exam in the university’s common examination halls. At the university, all examinations must be done digitally unless there are exceptional reasons not to. In this case, it is a major examination of a course that is central to the university’s medical school. The course lays the…
Construction information Medicinareberget – Walls for Natrium’s first floor soon in place
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 February 15, March 15, April 12, May 10, June 7 and August 16. In regards…
Researchers identify a new biomarker for the childhood cancer neuroblastoma
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…