Life Science Technology Research at KTH

The research within this platform concerns areas with impact on the human health and health care system. To enable the development within this area both fundamental and applied research are of importance. Hence, the scientific areas included in this platform are somewhat widespread, but with a common goal: The improvement of human health and wealth.

There is a demand for fundamental research, investigational methods and technologies, and applied sciences to understand the human being and to develop the health care system. With respect to an ever increasing and also ageing population, specifically in the more developed countries, there is a growing demand for more cost effective technologies, but also novel methods for diagnostics and treatment of more severe illnesses. Another factor to consider is how to improve the well being of the individual. To make this feasible, a more thorough understanding of the underlying biological system, as well as new methods for investigation and treatment of illnesses, are needed.

Two main areas define the science included in the platform. This division is neither self-evident nor essential, but may help when grasping the full content of the platform. Many of the included researchers and scientific branches take part in both areas.

These two scientific areas can be described as follows:

Medical Technology

Medical technology encompasses a wide range of health care products and, in one form or another, is used to diagnose, monitor, or treat every disease or condition that affects humans. These innovative technologies (application of science and technology) are improving the quality of health care delivered and patient outcomes through earlier diagnosis, less invasive treatment options, and reductions in hospital stays and rehabilitation times.

Biomedical Technology

Biomedical technology broadly refers to the application of engineering and technology principles to the domain of living or biological systems. The research made here is aiming both to understand the underlying principles of human life and to diagnose and cure disease. Inclusion of the term biomedical denotes a principal emphasis on problems related to human health and diseases.

As the definitions above imply, the two areas are in close cooperation with each other and many parts will be included in the two areas simultaneously.

Hence, the applications of the ongoing research can be defined as Health technologies: Any invention that may be used to promote health, to prevent, diagnose or treat disease, or for rehabilitation, or long-term care. This includes pharmaceuticals, devices, procedures, and organizational systems used in health care.

The research within The Life Science Technology Platform is described by six thematic areas:

Bioimaging at KTH

Biomolecular Tools and Biomaterials at KTH

Infrastructure in Health at KTH

Mathematical and Computational Sciences at KTH

Medical Devices at KTH

Research in Life Science at KTH