COLUMN. The brain’s two hemispheres specialize in different tasks but need each other’s assistance to fulfill their missions. Inspired by a worried medical student, Henrik Sjövall takes cues from the book “The Master and His Emissary” and reflects on the extent to which the brain’s own division of labor leaves an imprint on our student education. When we learn about the brain’s anatomy, we learn very little about what is…
Dental care personnel investigated for vibration injuries
STUDY INITIATION. Dental care personnel are exposed to vibrations in their work, but the connection to vascular and nerve damage is unclear. Therefore, a study is initiated at the Department of Social Medicine and Public Health at the University of Gothenburg involving 90 employees at Public Dental Service West Sweden. It is well-documented that vibrations from tools and machinery can lead to vascular and nerve damage. In professions such as…
Companies sell medical tests with feminist rhetoric
ANALYSIS. Being able to give birth and predict breast cancer. These are areas where tests and treatments, often lacking scientific support, are marketed using feminist rhetoric. University of Gothenburg is contributing to a critical analysis of this marketing. Minna Johansson, a specialist physician in general medicine and researcher at the University of Gothenburg, is one of the authors behind the scientific analysis published in The BMJ journal. The publication also…
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…
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…