Knowledge and technological innovation will revolutionise healthcare in the coming decades. As the population grows and ages, there is an increasing need for cost-effective technology and new methods that contribute to shorter waiting times, safer diagnoses and personalised treatments. KTH has a leading role in the development of biotechnology and medical technology research that creates better conditions for patient survival and improved quality of life and health.
My Hedhammar
My Hedhammar is a Professor of Biotechnology at KTH Royal Institute of Technology and has a background in protein science and materials and technology development for medical applications. She leads a research group at KTH that develops tissue models based on human cells that can be used for precision healthcare and drug development.
My Hedhammar and her research group are working on developing tissue models that enable and streamline the development of targeted and personalised cancer treatments.
Henrik Hult is a Professor of Mathematical Statistics at the Department of Mathematics, focusing on statistical modelling, computational methods, and machine learning. He is a project leader in MedTechLab's bioelectronic medicine project and leads several projects within the Wallenberg Autonomous Systems and Software Programme (WASP).
Henrik Hult and his research team are working interdisciplinary to map the communication between our nerves and the brain, making it possible to use the body's nervous system to treat various diseases.
Johan Rockberg is a Professor of Directed Evolution and Antibody Technology. He has led many major research projects, such as the Human Protein Atlas - the world's largest atlas of our body and how it is made up of proteins.
Currently, Dr Rockberg and his team are working to make it possible to cure more diseases that were previously only treatable with gene therapy and at a lower cost.
Anna Herland is a professor of nanobiotechnology, and her research focuses on creating models of human tissue with a focus on the central nervous system. She uses human neurons and small electronic and fluid-based devices to create so-called ‘organ-on-chip’ systems. The systems mimic how cells work in the human body.
Anna Herland's lab is conducting pioneering research on personalised stem cell technologies. Her vision is to create an automated system where anyone can create their stem cells cheaply. These stem cells can then be used for personalised drug testing or to create replacement cells if, for example, a person contracted a disease.
Mats Danielsson leads a research group at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, a world leader in medical imaging physics. Mats' previous research breakthroughs have led to new methods and instruments successfully implemented in healthcare in more than 30 countries and examined millions of patients, such as mammography and CT scans.
Mats Danielsson and his research team are developing high-resolution image sensors, a form of ‘virtual’ biopsies, to replace today's tissue samples.
Lisa Prahl Wittberg is Professor of Multiphase Flow. Her research mainly focuses on fluid dynamics and complex fluids, e.g. blood, and its application in medical engineering. Her research aims to develop tools and methods to increase understanding of flow phenomena in medical and clinical contexts.
Lisa Prahl Wittberg and her research team are working to enable better treatments for critical patients with ECMO and patients with kidney failure with dialysis. ECMO machines are used to oxygenate the blood when the heart and/or lungs are not working, while dialysis is used for severe kidney failure. However, these treatments can lead to complications such as blood clots, and the exact mechanisms behind these complications need further investigation.
