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Study: Popular diabetes treatment is not associated with thyroid cancer
Concerns raised about an association between GLP-1 analogues, used to treat diabetes and obesity, and an increased risk of thyroid cancer are not supported by an extensive Scandinavian study.
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Radioactive tracer to measure effect of drug towards Crohn’s disease
A radioactive tracer developed by Astra Zeneca and the Karolinska Institutet may play a major role for patients with Crohn's disease. That is the belief of Maria Belvisi at AstraZeneca.
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The life science strategy – what the industry wants
The process of updating the national life science strategy has begun at the government’s life science office. According to industry stakeholders, Sweden’s competitiveness, the accessibility of health data and the integration of innovation in healthcare are some of the points that are essential to review.
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Specific proposals and targets top the universities’ desired priorities
What are the universities’ expectations for the update of the national life science strategy? Life Science Sweden posed the question to representatives from Karolinska Institutet and Sahlgrenska Academy.
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Venom from the deathstalker carries radiopharmaceuticals to the brain
In order to target cancerous brain tumours with radionuclides, the problematic blood-brain barrier must first be crossed. Life Science Sweden has visited a KI researcher who is trialling an unusual approach ‒ using scorpion venom.
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“Life science is important on a personal level”
From the High Coast to the Government Offices. Jeanette Edblad is a native of Ångermanland, and since September last year, she has been Head and Coordinator of the Government’s Life Science Office.
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“What is important is to create an overview and understanding from different perspectives”
Scientist Jochen Schwenk analyses blood proteins using proteomics to improve our understanding of disease and health. This year, he is moderating the Lab & Diagnostics of the Future event.
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Failed to read the fine print – lost his life’s work
A celebrated CEO and co-founder of a pioneering lab company one moment – the next, fired, kicked out and written out of the company’s history. This is the story of a Swedish entrepreneur who was going to raise US venture capital to strengthen his company but lost his life’s work instead.
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The International Vaccine Institute’s office in Sweden is expanding
The International Vaccine Institute’s Stockholm office has been open for over a year. During the past year, training programmes and projects have been launched, says Anh Wartel, Head of the office.
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Business Sweden: “Companies have a lot to offer in data-driven precision medicine”
Data-driven precision medicine can potentially solve major healthcare problems, states Business Sweden in a new report on the subject.
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Study: Vaccination linked to lower risk of post-COVID
The risk of developing post-COVID after a COVID infection was reduced in vaccinated people, according to a new study from the University of Gothenburg.
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High biological age is linked to a higher risk of dementia and stroke
It is a well-known fact that people age at different rates, and a recent study at the Karolinska Institute suggests that people with a biological age higher than their actual age are significantly more likely to suffer from dementia and stroke.
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Founder of Bioarctic, Lars Lannfelt, is honoured: “I want to create something for the future”
It´s like a scientist’s dream: to be the world’s first with a drug that genuinely affects one of our major diseases. Lars Lannfelt and his company Bioarctic have achieved just that, and they are thus making a significant contribution to the history of Swedish medicine. He is now being awarded the Research!Sweden Award 2023.
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High-tech companies are increasingly focusing on health
Tech companies have been taking an interest in healthcare for many years, and this interest seems to be increasing. “It’s not a sudden shift in trend, it’s more about them advancing their positions,” says Anna Lefevre Skjöldebrand, CEO of Swedish Medtech.
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The first drugs to slow down Alzheimer’s – but what does it mean for patients?
New treatments for early Alzheimer’s are bringing hope to thousands of patients and their families. The question is, who will get the treatment, how will the right patients be found in time, and will the healthcare system’s resources be sufficient? Life Science Sweden has spoken to Swedish researchers in Alzheimer’s who voice cautious hope but also see further challenges.
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Pfizer’s Paxlovid is being tested against post-COVID in a major Swedish study
In a new study conducted at the Karolinska University Hospital, Pfizer’s COVID drug, Paxlovid, is now being tested in patients with post-COVID. The study is one of the most extensive studies in the world currently being conducted for a drug for post-COVID.
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From the sea of Åland to a self-test for lithium
Four years ago, a meeting on the sea of Åland resulted in the development of a self-test for lithium levels in the blood. The hopes are that the test will be available for individuals with bipolar disorder in the future.
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Why the world renown researcher Marc Tessier-Lavigne resigns as Stanford´s president
In mid-summer, neuroscientist Marc Tessier-Lavigne announced his resignation as President of Stanford following allegations of manipulated study data. According to the reporter Theo Baker, who first reported the story, Tessier-Lavigne “rewarded the winners and punished the losers”. Here is the background of the story which has shaken the American scientific community over the summer.
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Neanderthal gene variants may cause Viking disease
A new study suggests that the so-called Viking disease, which affects the hand function in many older people, may be linked to gene variants inherited from Neanderthals.
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Rapid developments in AI – “All stakeholders are struggling to understand it”
Artificial intelligence is being discussed more and more, and developments in the field are moving rapidly. As the Swedish Medical Products Agency testifies, keeping up with developments is not easy.
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Sjukvårdsministern: Så ska staten stärka greppet om vården
Hon blev headhuntad in i politiken som 22-åring – nu är Acko Ankarberg Johansson (KD) ytterst ansvarig för svensk sjukvård. Uppdraget? Förverkliga partiets mål och vallöfte: att låta staten ta över styrningen.
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A new malaria vaccine offers hope but much more research is still needed
There has long been no vaccine against malaria, but there have been breakthroughs in recent years. However, it is still unclear how we become immune to the malaria parasite, and this is a vital piece of the puzzle for creating effective vaccines, says malaria researcher Kristina Persson.
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New diagnostic rules raise concerns
In a panel discussion, several voices from academia and the industry expressed concerns about the transition to the new regulatory framework for in-vitro diagnostics (IVDR). They argue that it may create significant differences between regions, and patients may be affected.
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Conference on Alzheimer’s reveals several advances in the field
In Gothenburg, Sweden, researchers and pharmaceutical companies from all over the world gathered to discuss one specific issue – neurological diseases. Life Science Sweden has talked to some of those that attended the conference.