SCIENTIFIC OVERVIEW. Researchers from Sahlgrenska Academy have contributed to a recent EU report confirming that arsenic in food poses risks to human health. In Sweden, a few dozen cases of lung cancer each year can be attributed to this. Lars Barregård, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Environmental Medicine, is one of the authors of the 400-page report. “We have reviewed more than 600 epidemiological studies, and have carried out dose-response modeling…
Study paves the way for precision treatment of type 2 diabetes
NEW STUDY. GLP1 medicines work best for those diabetes patients who have a reduced production of insulin. The study from the University of Gothenburg shows that it is possible to personalize the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This is the first clinical study to systematically test whether personalizing medical treatment of type 2 diabetes can work, and how such personalization could work in the healthcare practice. The results of the…
New national network for health crises strengthens Swedish preparedness
RESEARCH COLLABORATION. The Center for Disaster Medicine at the University of Gothenburg will be part of a new national network for health crises. The Center for Health Crises at the Karolinska Institute is bringing together universities and colleges in a network to collectively develop the interdisciplinary expertise needed for issues related to health crises. The Center for Health Crises, through a regulatory letter from the Government, was tasked with implementing…
Better care for elderly people with incontinence
RESEARCH. Incontinence is a major problem, especially among elderly women. A research collaboration between health and care science and gynecology aims to improve the quality of care provided to elderly people with incontinence in assisted and ordinary living facilities. One in five women in Sweden has surgery for incontinence at some point in their lives. Living with urinary leakage has a very negative impact on daily life, despite the current…
Sjöberg Foundation funds research on malignant B-cell lymphoma
GRANT. Professor of Clinical Bacteriology Christine Wennerås has received SEK 5.6 million in research funding from the Sjöberg Foundation. Her project is investigating the cancer B-cell lymphoma, its association with the bacterium Neoehrlichia mikurensis, and the possibility of curing certain cases with antibiotics. Together with other researchers in Germany and Switzerland, Christine Wennerås discovered in 2010 that the bacterium Neoehrlichia mikurensis can cause disease in humans. Neoehrlichia mikurensis is a common…
Primula affected by IT attack
IT SYSTEM. A ransomware attack on the IT provider Tietoevry affects Primula, the the personnel administration system used by the university. At this stage, it is not possible to say how the attack affects the university, but to ensure that a possible virus cannot spread further the university has broken the connection with Primula. On the night between Friday 19 and Saturday 20 January, Tietoevry, an IT subcontractor, discovered that…
Nobel Laureates in physics visit Gothenburg – registration required
NOBEL. In February, two Nobel Laureates in physics are visiting Gothenburg and give lectures. The laureate of 2023 Anne L’Hullier cancelled her planned lecture in December and will now visit Runan at Chalmers University of Technology, February 26th. Furthermore will Alain Aspect, the Laureate in Physics from 2022, give a lecture February 7th at Wallenberg Conference Centre, Medicinareberget. The University of Gothenburg arrange these lectures in collaboration with Chalmers. Everyone…
Meet Karl Zhang, researcher at the Center for Cellular Imaging (CCI)
CORE FACILITIES. Who are the employees at Core Facilities? Communications Officer Amelie Karlsson has met Karl Zhang, who works at the Center for Cellular Imaging. He has a PhD in chemistry and nanobiotechnology from Chalmers, and talks about his work in advanced microscopy. Karl has a Ph.D. in Chemistry & Nanobiotechnology from Chalmers, where he did his work at the Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience. He says that his role…
More lives could be saved if ambulance staff receive AI assistance
NEW STUDY. More lives could be saved if ambulance staff were to receive AI assistance with assessing how seriously injured people are, and where they should be taken. These are the findings of a study that examined several different mathematical models as potential decision-making tools. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, the University of Gothenburg, and the University of Borås are responsible for the study, which was published in BMC Medical…
Better survival rates among heart patients with Down syndrome
NEW STUDY. Since 1990, the mortality rate for children born with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect has more than halved. This has been shown by a study by the University of Gothenburg. However, the mortality rate in this group is still 85% higher, compared to others who have a congenital heart defect but were not born with Down syndrome. Congenital heart defects are very common among people with…
Well-organized first OSCE for the medical program
EDUCATION. After several minutes of silence, a whistle echoes through the corridor. At the signal, the doors swing open, and medical students prepare for the next task. Everything went smoothly as the new medical program conducted its first examination using the OSCE model, involving around fifty teachers and administrators. OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) is a practical assessment that simulates clinical situations. Practical clinical skills and the ability to interact…
Joy and celebration for newly graduated students
EDUCATION. Last Friday, on the last day of the autumn semester, Sahlgrenska Academy honored students who have now graduated as midwives, doctors, nurses, and dentists. Dressed in their finest attire, the students gathered for the graduation ceremony. The ceremony for nurses and midwives took place in accordance with the institution’s tradition at Annedals Church. Both dentists’ and doctors’ graduation ceremonies took place in the university’s grand hall in Vasaparken. 120…
Short films for the recruitment of international researchers
RECRUITMENT. There are now two short films showing the research and everyday life of two international researchers working at Sahlgrenska Academy. Feel free to use these films when recruiting researchers to your team. “These are two very nice and inspiring films with recruited researchers, giving a good insight into different research environments, as well as showing opportunities for leisure and family activities. It is now free to use these films…
Improve your outreach with Soapbox Science
SCIENCE COMMUNICATION. Step up on the soapbox and deliver a short and engaging presentation to those in front of you. Soapbox Science aims to showcase female and non-binary researchers. As a speaker, there’s a lot to gain, particularly in improving your ability to explain your research for a broader audience. The six organizers of this year’s event have all been involved in Soapbox Science before, and now they’re providing an…
Legal support for researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy
RESEARCH SUPPORT. As a legal officer at Sahlgrenska Academy, Katarina Nyström aims to make tricky matters a little easier for Sahlgrenska Academy’s researchers. She can help with issues such as agreements, GDPR, and research ethics. Legal officers are part of the Research Support Office within the Sahlgrenska Academy Office, and have been recruited at the initiative of Sahlgrenska Academy’s management. Katarina Nyström explains that she is driven by a desire…
New management listens to the faculty’s needs
FACULTY MANAGEMENT. Jenny Nyström and Magnus Simrén have now assumed their roles as new Dean and Pro-Dean respectively. Initially, they want to listen to the faculty and get an idea of which issues are important to different areas of Sahlgrenska Academy. “It really is a great honor to be entrusted with leading such an incredible organization,” says Dean Jenny Nyström. “The faculty has experienced strong growth in recent years under…
SEK 10 Million grant for breast reconstruction study
GRANT. Natural tissue breast reconstruction is currently only offered to patients who have undergone radiotherapy. Emma Hansson, supported by a SEK 10 million grant from the Swedish Cancer Society, aims to compare diverse methods. Her goal: to expand options for reconstructing breasts using the body’s own tissue. The Swedish Cancer Society recently announced a remarkable surge in funding for ten research projects focused on clinical treatment studies. Emma Hansson’s…
Doctoral thesis: Encouraging keyhole surgery for colorectal cancer
THESIS. Different surgical methods exist for colon and rectal cancer. Josefin Petersson’s research highlights the importance of embracing keyhole surgery as a more widespread treatment approach. Colorectal cancer ranks as the third most prevalent cancer in the Western world. While on a decline overall, the disease has shown an increase in individuals under the age of 50 in some western countries. Surgery stands as the primary curative approach. Conventionally, open surgery…
Boost for new treatment that affects gut microbiota
GRANT. Professor of Molecular Medicine Fredrik Bäckhed has been awarded funding from SciLifeLab and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation’s joint Proof of Concept grant program. The research team is developing inhibitor drugs targeting an enzyme linked to a molecule that appears to contribute to the stiffening of the heart, liver, and other organs, which can increase the risk of heart failure and liver disease. Fredrik Bäckhed’s research team is…
Three questions for Michael Smith – research supervisor of the year 2023
AWARD. Hello there, Michael Smith, who is a researcher in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the Institute of Medicine. Students in Research (SiF) have appointed you Research Supervisor of the Year 2023 after you were nominated by medical student Johannes Rehnberg. What does this award mean to you? “As both a researcher and an educator, I feel extremely honoured to receive an award recognising a combination…