1. health and fitness

research
school of technology and health
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contents
KTH STH Basic facts..........................................................................................................3
Design, Work Environment, Safety and Health; DASH............................................. 4
Centre for Health and Building;CHB.............................................................................5
Ergonomics...................................................................................................................... 12
Informatics, logistics and management...................................................................20
Medical Sensors, Signals and Systems...................................................................... 24
Medical Engineering......................................................................................................30
Neuronic Engineering....................................................................................................40
Environmental Physiology............................................................................................46
Patient Safety................................................................................................................. 52
Structural Biotechnology.............................................................................................. 58
Centre for Technology, Medicine and Health, CTMH.................................................64
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school of technology and health
kth sth
basic facts
research and development - revenues from external funding:
2011
2012
49,6 million SEK
55,6 million SEK (estimated budget)
research funders:
EU
Stockholm County Council
Erling-Persson Family Foundation
Vårdal Foundation
Swedish Research Council
Municipality of Haninge
Vinnova
Knowledge Foundation
Huddinge Foundation
Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation
Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology
SIDA
Government Offices of Sweden
AFA Insurance
Swedish Council for Working Life and
Social Research
Swedish Board of Agriculture
Stockholm County Administrative Board
National Board of Health and Welfare
European Space Agency
Micasa Fastigheter AB
HSB
ProMobilia
Mawell AB
GE Healthcare
KTH Life Science Technology Platform
KTH Innovation
Innovationsbron
Swedish Armed Forces
Swedish Defence Material Administration
SAAB Aerotech
b-Cat
Interspiro
Poseidon Diving Systems
Maquet Critical Care
Fraenckel Foundation
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design, work environment, safety
and health; dash
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school of technology and health
head of division and centre: tore j larsson
The activities at Design, Work Environment, Safety and Health Division, DASH, are essentially carried
out within the framework of the Centre for Health and Building, CHB.
centre for health and building; chb
The Centre for Health and Building is an
interdisciplinary centre for research, technology
and competence development within the most
important fields in the local community of the
future.
The centre works with questions concerning
technical solutions in the built environment,
on the basis of health, security and ecological
balance. The main research areas are:
- Technology in the dwelling as a health care
building/Innovations for health and active
ageing.
- Sustainability, good living environment and
preventive health.
- Health care logistics and distribution, security,
risk and vulnerability.
research areas:
20103 Building Technologies
20105 Transport Systems and Logistics
20199 Other Civil Engineering
20604 Medical Equipment Engineering
20605 Medical Ergonomics
30222 Geriatrics
30301 Healthcare Service and Management,
Health Policy and Services and Health
Economy
30303 Occupational Health and Environmental
Health
CHB’s full-scale laboratory participates in
implementing new technologies to help people
live independent lives despite disabilities.
Features and installation methods are tested in
the laboratory before being passed on to field
research in humans, or to display environments
where people can see and try products
supporting their needs.
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partners –
industry and public sector
Acreo, Berga Naturbruksgymnasium, Ericsson,
Fabege, Municipality of Haninge, Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology, HSB Omsorg, Hälsans nya verktyg, Swedish Board of Agriculture,
Municipality of Linköping, Stockholm County
Administrative Board, Micasa Fastigheter in
Stockholm, Mobile Robotics Sweden, Municipality of Nynäshamn, ProMobilia, Swedish Association for Survivors of Accident and Injury,
SABO, SICS, Swedish Association of Local
Authorities and Regions, Stockholm County
Council, Swedish Research Council, Vinnova,
VVS-byrån.
ongoing research projects
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Adjustment of dwellings and accessibility
•
DAMMED: Security, Risk and Resilience
around the Dams in Sub Arctica
•
Eco Pilots
•
Ergonomics and transfers in the bathroom
•
Footprints and future
•
Local Cultivation- Global Impact
Part 1 – Development of a communications
system
Part 2 – Development of a national concept
for waste heat driven ecocycle adapted
greenhouses
Part 3 – In-depth study of a waste heat driven ecocycle adapted greenhouse in Berga,
Haninge
•
The walking frame as a lifting device
•
Safety management in the building process
– the construction planner’s influence on the
work environment
•
Roller door for residential use
•
Video Phone for Alzheimer patients
•
The Management and Logistics of Care
Part 1 – The Chain-of-Care in reality
Part 2 – Video phone for primary care diagnostics
•
Walking frame accessibility – basic requirements for Swedish housing
•
Salt water penetration in wells
partners –
universities and institutes
Berufsgenossenschaft für Gesundheitsdienst und
Wohlfahrtspflege, Germany, Cambridge University, Central Queensland University, Technical
University of Denmark, Imperial College, Karolinska Institutet, Luleå University of Technology,
Umeå University, Uppsala University, Zaragoza
University.
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school of technology and health
Adjustment of dwellings and accessibility
Eco Pilots
Research leader: Professor Tore J Larsson
Research leader: Associate Professor Eva-Lotta
Thunqvist
Researcher: PhD Student Hanna Svensson
An initial study will invent how ordinary homes
in ten Swedish councils are being adapted and
given increased accessibility, and evaluate the cost
efficiency of the different methods used. A second
study will analyze how the actions taken correspond to the needs of the elderly.
In further studies, conclusions from previous
studies will be practically implemented in a new
infrastructural and housing project in the municipality of Haninge.
DAMMED – Security, Risk and Resilience
around the Dams in Sub Arctica
Research leader: PhD May-Britt Öhman, Uppsala
University
Researchers: PhD Elisabeth Ilskog, Project leader
Anna Wahlberg
A number of Eco Pilots have been established in
the municipalities of Haninge and Tyresö. They
are, through coaching and education, helped to
reduce their carbon dioxide emissions and other
environmental impact.
The purpose is to visualize the possibilities, due to
lifestyle changes, for municipal inhabitants and
employees of increasing their purchase of local
products and of reducing the external carbon footprint and the consumption of virtual water.
Ergonomics and transfers in the bathroom
Research leader: Professor Tore J Larsson
Researchers: Associate Professor Eva-Lotta Thunqvist, Associate Professor Maria Udén, Luleå University of Technology, Associate Professor Camilla
Sandström, Umeå University
Researcher: PhD Student Jenny Hjalmarson
A supradisciplinary and gender research project which analyzes the sociotechnical aspects of
security, safety and risk in regard to large dams
through the integrated lenses of four scientific
disciplines.
The tasks of assisting disabled persons are analyzed with help from 30 professional home care
staffs. Installations, configuration of supports,
equipment, postures, workload and job techniques
are empirically assessed in the full-scale laboratory,
in order to define good design and methods.
The project draws primarily on qualitative
research and a collaborative approach with local
and regional stakeholders in the north of Sweden
and national authorities and organizations.
The bathroom and toilet are critical functions for
independent living and present problems to caregivers in terms of workload and job techniques.
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Footprints and future
Research leader: Associate Professor Eva-Lotta
Thunqvist
Researchers: Assistant Professor Stefan Lundberg,
PhD Elisabeth Ilskog
There has to be easier methods than the Ecological
footprint-analysis to estimate the consumption of
energy and other resources, that yet make it possible to compare the status of a country or region.
The aim of the study is to develop a simple methodology based on present research, measuring the
environmental balance of a local society, to identify
activities with a high rate of consumption and to
show consequences for infrastructure and planning.
Local Cultivation - Global Impact
Researchers leaders: Associate Professor EvaLotta Thunqvist, PhD Elisabeth Ilskog
Part 1 – Development of a communications system
Creating a strategy for communication of questions regarding sustainable development and how
consumption in Sweden affects the climate. The
strategy will constitute an important basis in the
planned establishment of a centre for environmental communication, cultivation and research.
Part 2 – Development of a national concept for
waste heat driven ecocycle adapted greenhouses
Greenhouses are big energy consumers, and will
soon no longer be exempted from energy and carbon taxation. To use waste heat could be a way of
reducing energy costs. The study comprehends an
inventory of the supply for waste heat on the Swedish market, with special emphasis on appliance in
greenhouses.
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Part 3 – In-depth study of a waste heat driven ecocycle adapted greenhouse in Berga, Haninge
An in-depth pilot study of a waste energy driven
greenhouse for demonstration and further development to a concept which can be applied in other
locations to create new business concepts and
contribute to develop and link together rural and
urban areas.
The walking frame as a lifting device
Research leader: Professor Tore J Larsson
Researchers: Research Engineer Bo Glimskär,
PhD Student Jenny Hjalmarson
Falls are a big manual handling problem and constitute one of the heaviest and most risky tasks in
care work. A technical development project seeks
different solutions for combining the walking
frame with a manual support and lifting device,
particularly aimed at assisting people to get up
from the floor.
Safety management in the building process
– the construction planner’s influence on the
work environment
Research leader: Professor Tore J Larsson
Researchers: PhD Student Lena Almén
Part-project: Work environmental coordinators in
construction projects.
Since 2009, every construction project must have
two work environmental coordinators, one for
the performance (BAS-U) and another one for the
planning (BAS-P). The coordinators shall work
together with other participants in the project to
increase the security on the construction site.
The purpose of the study is to find out which prerequisites BAS-P has for his/her work. Who are
school of technology and health
chosen as BAS-P? Which tasks do they perform?
Which obstacles do they meet?
Roller door for residential use
Research leader: Professor Tore J Larsson
Researcher: Research Engineer Bo Glimskär
Ordinary doors create problems for the disabled in
their homes. A roller door solution might be costefficient, since it makes more floor and movement
space available.
A roller door prototype, aimed to be a cost-efficient retro-fit adjustment solution for inner and
bathroom doors, is developed and usability tested
in the full-scale living laboratory by persons with
disabilities, and by subjects aged over 75.
Video Phone for Alzheimer patients
Main Research leader: Associate Professor Louise
Nygård, Karolinska Institutet
Research Leader Sub-Study A: Associate Professor Louise Nygård, Karolinska Institutet
Research Leaders Sub-Study B: Assistant Professor Stefan Lundberg, PhD Inga-lill Boman, Karolinska Institutet
Two interrelated sub-studies aim to explore and
compare self-initiated strategies and potentials
for learning and adaptation in technology use in
people with Mild Cognitive Impairment, MCI, or
Alzheimer’s disease, AD. We also intend to identify what makes technology easy and difficult to use.
Another aim is to design and introduce an easy-touse videophone for persons with AD, taking their
learning potential and self-initiated management
strategies into account.
The Management and Logistics of Care
Research leader: Professor Tore J Larsson
Researchers: Professor Tore J Larsson, Professor
Björn-Erik Erlandsson, Assistant Professor Stefan Lundberg, Research Engineer Bo Glimskär,
Research Engineer Peter Steiner, PhD Johan Forsberg, Mobile Robotics Sweden AB
The project introduces a prototype of a central
control tower for council-funded care and assistance in Haninge in order to improve safety management and accessibility in primary and geriatric
care.
The patients are equipped with a personal computer or device for storing and communicating their
personal medical information. Flats and homes
will be equipped with sensor technology, remote
monitoring systems and technology for medical
self care, according to need for assistance and support in home care services.
Part 1 – The Chain-of-Care in reality
Research leader: Professor Tore J Larsson
Sixty people over 65 years of age with multiple
diagnoses, who have been granted home services,
are asked to keep a diary of all their formal and
informal health contacts.
During six months, researchers will continuously
visit and interview participants and all involved
care givers. The mapping of the contact pattern in
the 60 chains-of-care will provide basic information for the design of a management and decision
support system for distributed primary care and
geriatrics.
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Part 2 – Video phone for primary care diagnostics
Salt water penetration in wells
Research leader: Professor Tore J Larsson
Research leader: Associate Professor Eva-Lotta
Thunqvist
Researchers: Assistant Professor Stefan Lundberg,
Research Engineer Bo Glimskär
A video phone capable of transmitting diagnostic
data in real time between home and care giver is
evaluated with regard to quality and reliability of
primary care consultations. Diagnostic scenarios
of the most common medical problems in primary
healthcare are included in tested distance visitations.
The consulting physician will examine the patient
via video phone and assess the quality and completeness of the video consultation at a personal
meeting.
The purpose is to compile analyses of individual
wells and to identify areas with risk of increased
chloride content. The results of analyses of drinking water taken from a public inventory will
form the basis of the study.
The study is conducted on assignment by the
municipality of Haninge. Special emphasis is
placed on identifying increased chloride levels
and to investigate probable causes.
Walking frame accessibility – basic
requirements for Swedish housing
Research leader: Professor Tore J Larsson
Researchers: Professor Tore J Larsson, PhD
Student Hanna Svensson, Research Engineer
Bo Glimskär
Measurements, technology, access and usability
for walking frames will be evaluated empirically
for different kinds of target populations and social
environments.
The study is part of the program Technology for
the Elderly, funded by the Government through
the Swedish Institute for Assistive Technology,
(SIAT).
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ergonomics
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school of technology and health
head of division: jörgen eklund
Ergonomics is a domain of interdisciplinary research and application which, with a holistic approach,
handles the interactions between people, technology and organization.
The aim is to, through human capabilities and
needs, understand and develop theories, principles and methods for designing work systems that
are healthy and efficient.
At the Ergonomics Division, research is conducted with focus on industrial and healthcarerelated work systems. The research assumes both
an organizational and an individual perspective,
aiming to create good physical and psychosocial
working conditions, while contributing to operational efficiency.
research areas:
20307 Production Engineering, Human Work
Science and Ergonomics
30301 Healthcare Service and Management,
Health Policy and Services and Health
Economy
30302 Public Health, Global Health, Social
Medicine and Epidemiology
30303 Occupational Health and Environmental
Health
Research and development projects are run in
cooperation with companies and organizations,
and are sometimes carried out as assignments.
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partners –
industry and public sector
Stockholm County Council, Karolinska Institutet,
Swedish Association of Local Authorities and
Regions, Uppsala University Hospital, S:t Erik’s
Eye Hospital, HUI, KCF, LI, Livs, Scania, Atlas
Copco Tools, Arla Foods, Toyota BT, Siemens,
Stena, Saab, Astra Zeneca, Volvo, SVT, Sensia.
partners –
universities and institutes
University of Bordeaux, Ryerson University, University of Wisconsin Madison, Hiroshima International University, Vanderbit University, State
University of New York in Buffalo, University
of Leeds, University of Nottingham, University
of Valencia, , DTU, CNAM, Lund University,
Chalmers University of Technology, Linköping
University, Jönköping University.
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ongoing research projects
•
Job content and ergonomic implications of
Lean Production - an intervention study
•
The Production Initiative - Lean in medium-sized manufacturing companies
•
The Operations Initiative – Lean in municipalities and health care
•
Healthcare workers and Lean implementation - Working conditions, workers’ health
and performance
•
Meat cutters’ working conditions
•
Applied behaviour analysis in management
•
Ergo-Index
•
Integrating health of optimization models
to assess systems of work long-term effectiveness
•
Occupational Health Services for the future
•
Lighting in shops – a knowledge overview
•
Lighting and development of examination
rooms. Innovative multifunction rooms in
health care
•
Making use of research based knowledge
•
Implementation of Lean principles
•
Leadership and critical media focus
•
Leadership and stress
•
Work organization and sick leave in human
service organizations
school of technology and health
Job content and ergonomic implications of
Lean Production - an intervention study
The Operations Initiative –
Research leader: Professor Lotta Dellve
Research leader: Professor Jörgen Eklund
Researchers: Professor Lotta Dellve, Professor Jörgen Eklund, PhD Student Malin Håkansson
Researchers: PhD Student Pernilla Lindskog, PhD
Student Mikael Brännmark
Lean Production, LP, is a production concept
implemented in many Swedish industrial companies. The overall aim is to identify how job content, physical and psychosocial working conditions
and health of industrial workers are affected by
the introduction of LP. The knowledge produced
creates a basis for science-based health promotion
strategies that can be incorporated at an early stage
in the process of change.
Verksamhetslyftet is a national program for health
care and municipalities in Sweden, supporting the
implementation of Lean Production.
The Production Initiative -
Lean in medium-sized manufacturing companies
Research leader: Professor Jörgen Eklund
Researcher: PhD Student Mikael Brännmark
Lean in municipalities and health care
The project focuses on two research questions: How
Lean can be used to conduct sustainable development work and how Lean affects the working conditions of the employees.
The research project uses an interactive approach
and therefore research will be performed together
with the participating organizations and stakeholders.
Healthcare workers and Lean implementation - Working conditions, workers’ health and
performance
Research leader: Professor Lotta Dellve
The purpose is to monitor and analyze the experience of Produktionslyftet. The national program
supports the implementation of Lean Production
in medium-sized manufacturing companies in
order to increase the efficiency of industry and to
create a national structure of production.
Researchers: Professor Jörgen Eklund, Assistant
Professor Andrea Eriksson, Research Assistant
Anna Williamsson, Assistant Professor Richard
Holden, Professor Magnus Sverke, Stockholm
One study evaluates the program’s organization
and management, steering committees, program
management and ownership at the national and
regional level. Another study focuses on the effects
of the change process in the participating companies.
The purpose is to identify how different implementations of Lean Production in different hospitals and
clinical units influence healthcare workers. How do
working conditions, worker health, engagement,
and performance change following the implementation of Lean? How do employee consequences of
Lean depend on the characteristics of the unit or
hospital and the characteristics of Lean implementation? Four hospitals are being followed during three
years, for studies of short and long-term effects.
University.
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Meat cutters’ working conditions
Applied behaviour analysis in management
Research leader: : Professor Jörgen Eklund
Research leader: Associate Professor Ned Carter,
Swedish Association of Local Authorities and
Regions
Researchers: PhD Student Kjerstin Vogel, Associate Professor Inga-Lill Engkvist, Linköping
University, Associate Professor, Göran Hägg,
Assistant Professor Johan Karltun.
This is an interactive research project, carried
out in cooperation with employers and unions
together with the meat branch in Sweden.
The aim is to improve working conditions for the
meat cutters and to improve company performance simultaneously. Issues of musculoskeletal load,
safety, work organization and technology used are
at stake.
Developments of knifes and sharpness of these are
of great importance, as well as work pace and quality of work results.
Researcher: PhD Student Simon Elvnäs
This study intends to identify supervisory behaviours of managers in Swedish workplaces. What
do supervisors do when they consider themselves being managerial, and what is the effect
on employee or workgroup workmanship and
performance? The study also addresses change
and improvement of supervisors’ behaviours. It
will include data collection of approximately 200
field observations, video documentation, conduct
analysis of supervisors, development of analytical
methods, measurement techniques, categorization
and impact and development of the supervisors’
behaviour.
Ergo-Index
Research leader: Associate Professor Linda Rose
Researcher: Associate Professor Linda Rose
The project aims to develop a practical analysis
tool, the Ergo-index. It can be used in enterprises
to analyze different ways of doing a job from the
ergonomic aspects of timing.
In this way you can motivate and choose production methods that reduce the physical load and the
risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries combined with good production economy. The aim is
also to apply the method on some typical tasks in
the construction industry, to collect examples of
one such bank, and to disseminate results among
businesses, educators and researchers.
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school of technology and health
Integrating health of optimization models to
assess systems of work long-term
effectiveness
Research leader: Associate Professor Linda Rose
Researcher: PhD Student Carl Lind
The aim is to develop, implement, and disseminate an IT-based ergonomic assessment tool for work
and provide a framework to find an appropriate
way of acting and take action when needed.
The tool is made freely available to analyze manual jobs such as warehouse work.
Occupational Health Services for the future
Research leader: Professor Jörgen Eklund
Researchers: Professor Ann-Beth Antonsson,
Professor Magnus Svartengren, Swedish Work
Environment Authority, Professor Mats Ericson,
Post Doc Teresia Nyman, PhD Student Kristin
Eliasson, PhD Student Lisa Schmidt.
The project focuses on developing methods and
tools to analyze contents and driving forces of
Occupational Health Services, OHS, and on content and motivations for OHS.
Another aim is to come up with methodologies for
systematic continuous follow-up and evaluation,
which are needed in order for OHS to remain
competitive and add business value in a rapidly
changing working life.
Lighting in shops – a knowledge overview
Research leader: Professor Jan Ejhed
Researchers: Professor Jan Ejhed, Research Assistant Caroline Moberg
Shops use substantially more light and have higher
costs for energy than most other companies.
The purpose of this project is to make a knowledge overview of the importance of light in shops
and of which aspects of light design that attract
customers.
Lighting and development of examination
rooms. Innovative multifunction rooms in
health care
Research leader: Associate Professor Kristina
Fahnehjelm, S:t Erik’s Eye Hospital.
Researchers: Professor Jan Ejhed, Professor Jörgen Eklund, Reader Per Nylen, PhD Student
Susanne Glimne, S:t Erik’s Eye Hospital, PhD
Student Federico Favero
A new hospital – The Eye Centre of Excellence,
ECE – is planned in Stockholm in 2018.
Hospital rooms are aimed at being individually
adjustable and designed for ultimate professional
outcome.
The project aims at finding creative innovations in
functionally illuminated and energy saving rooms
especially designed for eye care professionals.
The solutions will be tested in a multifunctional
test room with help from eye care professionals
and patients. The resulting knowledge will be
used in the planning of ECE.
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Making use of research based knowledge
Research leader: Professor Jörgen Eklund
Researchers: PhD Jostein Langstrand, Linköping
University, Researcher Annika Vänje
ability to successfully implement and sustain a
Lean-based business-system. This study is a case
study in a mechanical industry.
Leadership and critical media focus
Research leader: Professor Lotta Dellve
This project aims at creating innovative models
for knowledge dissemination and for supporting
organizations in their processes of change. The
focus is in particular to make use of research based
knowledge about implementations of Lean. In this
project, improvement of working conditions has
high priority.
Researchers: PhD Student Maria Wramsten
Wilmar, Department of Psychology, University
of Gothenburg and University of Borås, Associate
Professor Christian Jacobsson, Department of
Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Associate
Professor Gunnar Ahlborg, Institute of Stressmedicine, Region Västra Götaland
Implementation of Lean principles
The increased focus on managers has increased
the need for better knowledge about external communication and support related.
Research leader: Professor Lars Bengtsson,
University of Gävle
Researcher: PhD Bengt Halling
The purpose of this project is to obtain knowledge
about factors and processes that are important for
successful and sustainable implementation of Lean
principles. One interest is to research if, and in
that case, how the Lean implementation process is
integrated with health and safety at work and how
the Lean implementation affects health among the
people in the organization.
Management processes in Lean
implementation
Research leader: Professor Lars Bengtsson, University of Gävle.
Researcher: PhD Student Jonas Renström
The purpose of this research project is to increase
knowledge regarding factors and processes of
significance for management processes and their
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The objective is to increase understanding of how
prolonged unfavorable media focus may influence
the individual as a persona and his/her managerial practice in the health care organization. The
project will produce a knowledge base to be used
for practical guidance about external and internal
communication processes to individual managers
as well as to organizations.
Leadership and stress
Research leader: Professor Lotta Dellve
Researchers: Professor Ewa Wikström, University
of Gothenburg Shool of Business, Economics and
Law, Researcher Ellinor Tengelin, Department
of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Assistant Professor Karin
Allard and Associate Professor Anders Pousette,
Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Assistant Professor Katrin Skagert, Institute
of Stressmedicine, Region Västra Götaland, Professor Annika Härenstam, Department of Sociology, University of Gothenburg .
school of technology and health
These are qualitative and quantitative research as
well as mixed method studies with the overall aim
to develop knowledge about organizational and
individual conditions of importance for sustainable leadership.
Managers’ working conditions are studied and an
instrument has been developed. In intervention
studies, the effects of feedback to managers are
assessed. The knowledge is transformed for practical use in learning labs, web based stress management, study materials, books etc.
Work organization and sick leave in human
service organizations
Research leader: Professor Lotta Dellve
Researchers: PhD Student Linda Åhlström and
PhD Student Ceilia Ljungblad, Department of
Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Associate Professor Stefan
Scuzs, Department of Social Work, University of
Gothenburg, Assistant Professor Kristina Holmgren and Professor Gunnel Hensing, Department
of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Gothenburg
These are epidemiologic research projects with
data from ongoing cohort studies (females on
long-term sick leave, nursing personnel in selected
organizations) and register studies (all home care
workers in Sweden). For some projects, project
management for the unique project is at other
institutions.
The overall aim is to study associations between
workers’ health and working conditions, leadership as well as organizational conditions.
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informatics, logistics and
management
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school of technology and health
head of division: björn-erik erlandsson
The division was established in 2011 and develops technology to increase the quality, cost efficiency
and efficiency of care and thereby the improvement of healthcare and patient safety.
The field is interdisciplinary, and needs knowledge from several disciplines to illuminate the
interaction between people, technology and
organization and the implications on healthcare.
The research is directed towards information
structure, management and logistics, eHealth
in general and the influence of social media on
healthcare and nursing.
Other areas of interest are the application of the
national information structure in healthcare and
also how standards for health informatics will
improve healthcare and patient safety. Furthermore, the application of ICT tolls for e-Health
and e-Learning, the development of smart and
affordable diagnostic devices for applications in
the developing countries, informatics in medication management are studied for improvement of
patient safety.
research areas:
10202 Information Systems
20699 Other Medical Engineering
20105 Transport Systems and Logistics
30301 Healthcare Service and Management,
Health Policy and Services and Health
Economy
30399 Other Health Sciences
50804 Systems Engineering, Information Systems
and Informatics with Social Scientific
Orientation.
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partners –
industry and public sector
Stockholm County Council, Karolinska University Hospital, Astrid Lindgren Children’s
Hospital, Swedish Accident Investigation
Authority, Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment, Swedish Standard Institute,
Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, Swedish
National Board for Health and Welfare, Medical Products Agency, Swedish Association for
Local Authorities and Regions, Swedish Medtech, Sweden Bio, Stockholm Medtech Growth,
Mawell AB, Scania AB, Medtech West, Nikon,
Haninge Kommun, Oslo Naeingseiendom AS,
Grameen Communications, Grameenphone,
Bangladesh, St Jude Medical in Sweden (to Dec
2011) and other.
ongoing research projects
•
System security in IT-centric systems in
healthcare
•
Social Media in Health Care
partners –
universities and institutes
KTH Executive School, Karolinska Institutet,
University of Houston, Umeå University, Karolinska University Hospital, Astrid Lindgren
Children’s Hospital, Uppsala University Hospital, Bangladesh Engineering University and
Medical Universities, Rural ICT Centres, Engineering University, Hyderabad, India, Uppsala
University, CEN/CENELEC/ISO.
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school of technology and health
Social Media in Health Care
Research leader: Professor Björn-Erik Erlandsson
Researcher: MSc Altug Akay
Social media enables communication, collaboration, information collection and sharing in the
healthcare space.
System security in IT-centric systems in
healthcare
Research leader: Professor Björn-Erik Erlandsson
Researcher: MSc Fredrik Ström
To extract knowledge and trends, social media
could be modeled using available network modeling and computational tools, such as graph theory.
A network model could be used for simulation
studies of various network properties such as
understanding how users disseminate information
among themselves.
Community detection could facilitate the extraction of valuable information for the healthcare industry, healthcare providers, doctors and
patients.
The complexity of the IT support used in prescribing pharmaceuticals in healthcare sometimes
leads to incorrect prescriptions. Mistakes are made
at all stages of pharmaceutical management.
The study aims to increase knowledge about
the safety of medicines management that can
be improved in Swedish healthcare, in order to
reduce drug related health adverse events. An area
which will especially be studied is how the patient
can be involved in drug dealing and be a part of
the safety.
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medical sensors, signals and
systems
24
school of technology and health
head of division: kaj lindecrantz
In the field of Medical Sensors, Signals and Systems (MSSS) the researchers work with recording of
physiological signals of various kinds, such as ECG, EEG and blood pressure.
From these signals medically and clinically relevant information is extracted, which in different
forms is returned to the health care professionals
and/or patients.
Using a similar approach, mobile wireless sensor systems are also developed for measuring,
interpreting and presenting sports performancerelated data to athletes in real time.
research areas:
20205 Signal Processing
20604 Medical Equipment Engineering
20699 Other Medical Engineering
30308 Sport and Fitness Sciences
school of technology and health
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partners –
industry and public sector
Karolinska University Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Trisquel Medical AB, Z-Health
Technologies AB.
partners –
universities and institutes
Karolinska Institutet, University of Borås, University of Alcalá, Spain, Polytechnic University
of Madrid, Spain, The Sahlgrenska Academy
at the University of Gothenburg, Chalmers
University of Technology, The Swedish Sport
Confederation, The Swedish Olympic Committee, The Swedish School of Sports and Health
Sciences.
26
ongoing research projects
•
Monitoring of the brain in newborns
•
Stroke Diagnostics
•
Monitoring of renal failure patients
•
Management of Patient in Out-of-Hospital
Care
•
Sensor systems for sports performance and
medicine
•
Kayak and rowing performance
•
Feedback for running performance
•
Camera Based Motion Analysis
•
Wireless Sensor Networks and Mobile
Applications for Healthcare and Sports
•
Textile-enabled and Bioimpedance
•
Monitoring Systems
school of technology and health
Monitoring of the brain in newborns
Research leader: Professor Kaj Lindecrantz
Researchers: PhD Johan Löfhede University of
Borås, Associate Professor Magnus Thordstein,
The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of
Gothenburg/ Sahlgrenska University Hospital,
Professor Ingemar Kjellmer,The Sahlgrenska
Academy at the University of Gothenburg, PhD,
MD Anders Flisberg, Sahlgrenska University
Hospital
This project was established to develop an automated computerized system to assist in analysis
and interpretation of neonatal EEG.
Premature infants and babies with a difficult birth
can have an increased risk of brain damage, but
although the brain produces signals containing a
lot of information about its condition, it is often
left without specific monitoring. The reason is
mainly that interpretation of the EEG signal is a
narrow specialty that requires years of experience
and an expert’s constant attention.
Stroke Diagnostics
Research leader: PhD Fernando Seoane
Researchers: MSc Reza Atefi
Many of the devastating consequences of stroke
can be avoided by rapid onset of proper treatment,
but making an accurate diagnosis is complicated
by stroke being caused by either hemorrhage or
infarction of the brain, which require different
treatments.
A method is developed, through analysis of transcephalic bioelectric impedance, to diagnose a probable stroke and to distinguish between hemorrhage or infarction in an easy and fast way. The
method can then be applied during ambulance
transport or directly in the emergency department.
Monitoring of renal failure patients
Research leader: PhD Fernando Seoane
Researchers: MSc Javier Ferreira, MSc Farhad
Abtahi, Professor Bengt Lindholm Karolinska
Institutet/ Karolinska University Hospital, Professor Peter Stenvinkel Karolinska Institutet/
Karolinska University Hospital, Associate Professor Annette Bruchfeld Karolinska Institutet/
Karolinska University Hospital
There is lack of adequate methods for monitoring
fluid status in the patient during dialysis treatments, especially at home.
In the project, we study how it is possible to assess
the amount and distribution of body fluid by Electrical Bio-Impedance Technology. The project
also uses analysis of heart rate variability to detect
and monitor autonomic influence, since many
patients suffer from inflammatory diseases affecting the autonomic nervous system.
Management of Patients in Out-of-Hospital
Care
Research leader: Professor Kaj Lindecrantz
Researchers: Professor Bengt Arne Sjöqvist,
Ortivus/ Chalmers University of Technology,
PhD Anna Gund, Chalmers University of
Technology
school of technology and health
27
The aim is to increase knowledge on how to use
eHealth solutions to improve the ”treatment compliance” in patients. The main goal is to improve
access to individualized care detection and to warn
of relevant health deterioration in the individual
patient, and to gain acceptance for the solutions
from all involved users.
Other aims are increased understanding of how
the solutions can be used in developing healthcare
”disease management” based individualized treatment protocols, and to find commercial exploitation models.
Sensor systems for sports performance and
medicine
Research leader: Researcher Martin Eriksson
(Kjartan Halvorsen)
Researchers: Researcher Kjartan Halvorsen, PhD
Student Dennis Sturm, Research Engineer Khurram Yousaf
A versatile sensor system has been developed,
based on wireless sensors communicating with
a mobile phone. The sensor nodes are either
custom-made based on an existing platform or on
commercial sensor nodes.
Feedback to the performer is given either as graphics on the phone’s screen, or as sound. Sound is
particularly interesting to use in a sports performance situation. The researchers are collaborating
closely with a research group at the department
of Speech, Music and Hearing at the CSC school
(Roberto Bresin’s group).
28
Kayak and rowing performance
Research leader: Researcher Kjartan Halvorsen
Researchers: PhD Student Dennis Sturm,
Research Engineer Khurram Yousaf
For flatwater kayaking, a wireless system is developed for measuring the force and movement of
the paddle, the force on the footrest and the movement of the whole boat. The system is designed for
easy attachment to the athlete’s own paddle and
boat.
For rowing, a complete wireless instrumentation of a rowing ergometer has been developed.
This will enable athletes to train on-land with full
information about their technique.
Feedback for running performance
Research leader: Researcher Kjartan Halvorsen
Researchers: Researcher Martin Eriksson, PhD
Student Dennis Sturm
In this project systems are developed that will give
meaningful real time feedback to runners, to help
achieve a more economic running technique with
decreased risk of overuse injuries.
The performance of a prototype for improving
running economy has been presented. The movement of the center of mass is presented to the runner as graphics or as sound. Currently, a prototype
for measuring the impact of the foot and presenting it as sound to the runner is being developed.
school of technology and health
Wireless sensor networks and mobile
applications for healthcare and sports
Research leader: Associate Professor Thomas
Lindh
Researchers: Lecturer Ibrahim Orhan, Lecturer
Jonas Wåhslén
The work has been focused on performance monitoring and control in wireless sensor networks,
and time synchronization of multiple wireless sensors for data fusion.
The research has resulted in a system for performance monitoring and feedback control for wireless sensors in ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 networks.
One application is monitoring of signals from
wireless ECG’s in ambient assisted living.
Developments in textile technologies and bioimpedance measurement instrumentation are fostering the proliferation of monitoring applications
targeting new types of patients and monitoring
scenarios.
Research about textile electrodes and textilecustomized measurement instrumentation is
performed with several different aspects, from
raw textile material and manufacturing, to clinical
applications of measurements garments. Applied
signal processing and measurement artifact issues
are also investigated to ensure the signal quality
required in clinical practice.
The second research result is synchronization
algorithms for data fusion of multiple wirelessly
sensors connected via Bluetooth to a mobile phone
as well as sensors connected via ZigBee/IEEE
802.15.4 to a coordinator. One application is feedback for physical training and sports.
Textile-enabled and Bioimpedance
Monitoring Systems
Research leader: PhD Fernando Seoane
Researchers: MSc Ruben Buendia, MSc Juan
Carlos Marquez, MSc Javier Ferreira, MSc Geng
Yang, I-pack KTH, Professor Ingvar Bosaeus,
Nutrition/ Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Professor Bengt Lindholm Karolinska Institutet/
Karolinska University Hospital, Professor Peter
Stenvinkel, Karolinska Institutet/ Karolinska
University Hospital, Business Developer Fredrik
Johansson, FOV Fabrics
school of technology and health
29
medical engineering
30
school of technology and health
head of division: anna bjällmark
The Division of Medical Engineering conducts research in the frontier area of technology and medicine,
focusing on technical development of new methods and improvement of existing methods for more
efficient, safer and cheaper diagnostics, monitoring and treatment in health care.
The main area of research concerns medical
imaging systems with several projects in ultrasound imaging, x-ray imaging (radiography, CT)
and nuclear imaging (gamma camera, SPECT
and PET).
research areas:
20603 Medical Image Processing
20604 Medical Equipment Engineering
20699 Other Medical Engineering
21001 Nano Technology
21103 Interaction Technology
The close contact with health services, through
collaboration with the Karolinska University
Hospital, the Stockholm County Council and
Karolinska Institutet, means that each research
project is based on a clinically relevant question
and the development of technical solutions is
integrated with the health system.
school of technology and health
31
partners –
industry and public sector
partners –
universities and institutes
Clinical partnerships:
Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and
Society, Karolinska Institutet, Department of
Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå
University, Division of Orthopaedics, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and
Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet,
Division of Medical Imaging and Technology,
Department of Clinical Science, Intervention
and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Department of Clinical Science, Intervention
and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska
Institutet, Division of Physiology, Department
of Molecular Medicine and Surgery (MMK),
Karolinska Institutet, Uppsala Research Center, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala
University, Department of Cardiovascular
Diseases, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, CREATIS, Université de Lyon, France,
IBiTech – bioMMeda, Gent University, Belgium, The Computational Technology Laboratory (CTL), KTH, Center for Medical Image
Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping
University, Swedish School of Sports and Health
Sciences, Functional materials, KTH, Centre for
Image Analysis, Uppsala University, Institute of
Nuclear Research, Hungarian Academy of Science, Debrecen, Hungary.
Department of Cardiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, ECMO Center, Astrid
Lindgren Children’s Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Department of Clinical
Physiology, Karolinska University Hospital,
Huddinge, Department of Renal Medicine,
Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge,
Department of Orthopedics, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Department of Radiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge,
Department of Cardiology, Uppsala University
Hospital, Center for Fetal Medicine, Karolinska
University Hospital, Huddinge, Department
of Biomedical Engineering – R&D, Norrland’s
University Hospital.
Enterprises:
GE Vingmed Ultrasound AS, St Jude Medical,
Adolesco AB, Elekta, GrippingHeart AB, BBS
Medical AB, SuperSonics, Setred.
32
school of technology and health
ongoing research projects
•
MiniXpose - Enhanced X-ray image quality
with minimized radiation dose
•
Ultrasound impact on cells
•
Cardiotom
•
Mini PET
•
HoloSpect – Design and construction of a
compact photospectrometer with high precision
Evaluation of speckle tracking-based velocity and deformation imaging
•
Evaluation of ultrasound based methods for
orthopedic applications
•
Multiple Pinhole Array masks for stationary 3D molecular imaging
•
PC-based real-time simulation of cardiovascular physiology
•
Ultrasound-based arterial strain imaging
for improved detection of cardiovascular
diseases
•
Non-Linear acoustics based osteoporosis
diagnosis spectrometry
•
Production of high performance nano
structures and surfaces
•
Three modality contrast imaging using
multi-functionalized microballoons
(3MiCRON)
•
Fetal tissue velocity imaging
•
Quantification and visualization of skeletal
muscle dynamics by ultrasound
•
A new approach for describing cardiac
mechanics
•
school of technology and health
33
Three modality contrast imaging using multi-functionalized microballoons (3MiCRON)
Quantification and visualization of skeletal
muscle dynamics by ultrasound
Research leader: Professor Lars-Åke Brodin
Research leader: MSc Frida Lindberg
Researchers: PhD Matilda Larsson, PhD Dmitry
Grishenkov, PhD Anna Bjällmark, MSc Malin
Larsson, MSc VVN Satya Kothapalli
Researchers: Professor Lars-Åke Brodin, PhD
Christer Grönlund, Umeå University, Norrland’s
University Hospital
3MiCRON is a three-year, EU-funded (FP7) large
collaborative project involving 10 partners. Some
of Europe’s premier medical and technical institutes are working together to bring multimodal
imaging to a new level.
The aim is to further develop ultrasound based
methods for application on skeletal muscles. The
long-term goal is a new objective method when
analyzing chronic pain conditions and to provide
a clinical tool for e.g. rehabilitation of different
work related muscle disorders.
To achieve the multi-functional property, we use
micro-entities, so-called microballoons. These
balloons can act as a contrast agent for ultrasound,
and can also be modified to be used for other imaging methods (SPECT, MRI).
In the future there is an ambition that the contrast
agent will act as an invasive drug delivery system.
Fetal tissue velocity imaging
Research leader: MSc Nina Elmstedt
Researchers: Professor Lars-Åke Brodin, Associate Professor Britta Lind, Professor Magnus
Westgren, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet
A new non-invasive assessment method for early
recognition of risk-pregnancies is being developed, enabling an easier and more efficient diagnosis and hopefully the prevention of accompanying
injuries.
Our method is based on color-coded tissue velocity
imaging, TVI. By analyzing divergences in the
myocardial velocity curve it is possible to distinguish pathological patterns in the cardiac cycle of
the featus.
The detection method also consists of investigating the longitudinal motion of the myocardium
and the generation of the state diagram of the
heart.
34
Tissue Doppler and Speckle Tracking are two
ultrasound based techniques used to identify contraction and relaxation patterns within the muscle.
Validation and reliability tests of the commercial
software are combined with clinical studies on
muscular dynamics and activation strategies.
A new approach for describing cardiac
mechanics
Research leader: MSc Jonas Johnson
Researchers: PhD Fredrik Bergholm, Professor
Reidar Winter, Department of Cardiology,
Karolinska University Hospital, Professor
Lars-Åke Brodin
The goal is to develop and validate a new visualization system – a state diagram – as a sensitive
tool for verifying changes of the heart mechanical
pump- and regulating functioning.
We have developed a software platform for advanced analysis of the heart mechanical pump- and
regulating functions.
The data necessary to produce the state diagram
can be captured in different modalities, which
allows accurate measurement of myocardial
functions, from pressure devices, from accelera-
school of technology and health
tion sensors etc. Robust algorithms for automatic
detection of interest points in velocity data are
being developed.
Ultrasound-based arterial strain imaging
for improved detection of cardiovascular
diseases
Research leader: PhD Matilda Larsson
Evaluation of speckle tracking-based velocity
and deformation imaging
Research leader: PhD Mattias Mårtensson
The goal is to evaluate how accurate the speckle
tracking algorithms in clinical ultrasound scanners measure tissue velocity and deformation.
Clinical ultrasound imaging systems can be used
for measurements of deformation parameters
of the myocardium. To be of clinical value, the
measurements must have certain accuracy and
precision.
This is a follow-up study of the earlier published
study ”Evaluation of tissue Doppler-based velocity
and deformation imaging: a phantom study of
ultrasound systems”, where significant differences
in measurements between different ultrasound
systems were found.
Multiple Pinhole Array masks for stationary
3D molecular imaging
Researchers: MSc Erik Widman, Professor Jan
D’hooge, Department of Cardiovascular Diseases,
Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium
The goal is to develop a method to detect early
signs of cardiovascular disease, to help identify
arterial stiffness and characterize mechanical
properties in atherosclerotic plaque areas for risk
assessment.
An ultrasound-based speckle tracking algorithm
has been developed, tuned for the vascular setting
to estimate the in-plane wall strain tensor of the
artery wall.
The feasibility of the ST algorithm to assess radial
and longitudinal and circumferential strain of the
carotid artery has been assessed in simulations.
MiniXpose - Enhanced X-ray image quality
with minimized radiation dose
Research leader: PhD Hamed Hamid Muhammed.
Research leader: Associate Professor Massimiliano
Colarieti-Tosti
Researchers: Jonatan Lindberg, Håkan Sund
Researcher: Professor Andras Kerek
The main aim is to get X-ray images with high
image quality by processing low quality X-ray
images acquired at minimized radiation dose.
Advanced image enhancement algorithms are
used for this purpose.
We are aiming at developing a 3D SPECT camera
that does not require any system motion.
The advantages of such a system include a better trade off between image acquisition time and
image quality together with lower maintenance
costs and the possibility of bed-side SPECT examinations.
Another important aim is to optimize these algorithms to be able to achieve realtime processing of
X-ray image sequences, with enough number of
frames per second to follow what happens during
so called PCI or balloon/stent opening operations,
when patients and healthcare staff are exposed to
dangerous ionized radiation.
school of technology and health
35
Ultrasound impact on cells
MiniPET
Research leader: MSc Lisa Hansen
Research leader: PhD Ivan Valastyan
Researchers: PhD Mattias Mårtensson, PhD
Dmitry Grishenkov, PhD Anna Bjällmark,
Professor Birgitta Janerot-Sjöberg, CLINTEC,
Karolinska Institutet, Outi Hovatta, CLINTEC,
Karolinska Institutet and Magnus Westgren
CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet
Researchers: József Molnár, Institute of Nuclear
Research, Hungarian Academy of Science, Debrecen, Hungary, Professor Andras Kerek, Associate
Professor Massimiliano Colarieti-Tosti
One of the aims is to investigate the impact on different cell types when being exposed by common
clinical ultrasound, in applications with and without contrast bubbles.
Another goal is to evaluate which intensity and
exposure time of the ultrasound that gives negative effects on detectable cells. The main focus is to
study the impact of ultrasound exposure on fetus
and endothelial function in blood vessels.
Cardiotom
Research leader: Professor Andras Kerek
Researchers: Professor Lars-Åke Brodin, PhD
Dianna Bone, MMK, Karolinska Institutet
Early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction
(AMI) is important for rapid restoration of perfusion. The CARDIOTOM, a mobile gamma
camera system is an ideal tool for making such an
early diagnosis.
It is based on ectomography a limited view angle
method, which is an alternative method of acquisition to SPECT. Images are available for interpretation within 5-10 minutes, so valuable information is obtained without delaying treatment of the
patient.
36
The aim is to develop a full ring small animal Positron Emission Tomography, PET, scanner with a
FOV large enough for mice and rat imaging.
12 individual detector modules arranged in a ring
configuration have been developed.
The miniPET system is based on individual and
modular detector blocks. The geometrical arrangement of the detector modules is only limited by
the FOV and can even change during scanning to
optimize the data collection rate and/or quality.
This gives possibilities for designing dedicated
PET for the breast or scanners for further purposes where different geometrical arrangements are
required.
HoloSpect - Design and construction of a
compact photospectrometer with high precision
Research leader: PhD Hamed Hamid
Muhammed.
Researcher: MSc Abdolamir Karbalaie
The aim of the project is to design and construct a
low-cost and a more compact photospectrometer
to be used to measure spectra with a high precision
that is enough for most of the applications within
healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.
The new spectrometer consists of a simple grating
comprising a pair of reflective convex (micro) mirrors. Using reflective gratings makes it possible to
design spectrometers for all types of electromagne-
school of technology and health
tic signals, regardless their frequencies (or wavelengths) within the electromagnetic spectrum.
Evaluation of ultrasound based methods for
orthopedic applications
Non-Linear acoustics based osteoporosis
diagnosis spectrometry
Research leader: PhD Hamed Hamid Muhammed
Researcher: MSc Muhammad Asim Faridi
Research leader: PhD Mattias Mårtensson
Researchers: MD Åsa Fröberg, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet
The aim is to evaluate if ultrasound based quantification methods that today are standard methods
in cardiology have clinical usefulness in orthopedic
applications.
One method is the speckle tracking technique. It
could be used for evaluating treatment of Achilles
tendon ruptures and examine the tendon function
in individuals during rehab. It would most likely
give better understanding of the tendon function
than what is possible today.
PC-based real-time simulation of cardiovascular physiology
Research leader: PhD MD Michael Broomé
Researchers: MSc Elira Maksuti, MSc Jonas Johnson, PhD Anna Bjällmark
The goal is to develop a real-time simulation
model of hemodynamics and oxygen transport
in the entire human cardiovascular system to
increase understanding of complex interactions in
health and disease.
Our vision is to develop basic and advanced education and ultimately to aid decision making in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics.
The model is programmed and validated as a
stand-alone compilated software based on earlier
publications, clinical experience and physical properties of the cardiovascular system.
The aim is to develop a method for diagnosis of
Osteoporosis. The gold standard for diagnosis,
Dual energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA), inherits some drawbacks related to radiation, non compactness and cost. The use of ultrasound waves for
bone tissue characterization in order to distinguish
between diseased and healthy bone would be of
greater advantage in order to tackle mentioned
drawbacks.
Production of high performance nano
structures and surfaces
Research leader: Professor Jan-Otto Carlsson,
Uppsala University/Nanexa
Researchers: Professor Lars-Åke Brodin,
Professor Mats Boman, Ångström Laboratory,
Uppsala University, Ph D Anders Johansson,
Nanexa, Ph D Mårten Rooth, Nanexa
This is a cooperation between STH, Ångström
Laboratory and Nanexa AB. It is a research
project specialized in designing surfaces of both
polymers and metal oxides for a variety of medical
applications. Among the applications wear resistant coatings, low friction films, optical coatings,
antimicrobial and biocompatible coatings should
be mentioned.
A key deposition technology within the company
is Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), allowing
for film deposition down to a single atomic layer.
Furthermore Nanexa has developed a technique
to fabricate nanostructures such as filters and tubes
with an extreme precision in size from 5 nm.
school of technology and health
37
38
school of technology and health
school of technology and health
39
neuronic engineering
40
school of technology and health
head of division: hans von holst
The Division of Neuronic Engineering is an interdisciplinary research collaboration between medical
and technical expertise in clinical neuroscience.
The main aims are to reduce the number of injuries as a result of external violence to the head
and neck and thus the central nervous system,
and to improve healthcare and rehabilitation.
Research areas:
20299 Other Medical Engineering
20602 Medical Materials
20604 Medical Equipment Engineering
The Division for Neuronic Engineering develops
new and effective technology innovations for
clinical treatment, primarily within neurosurgery.
school of technology and health
41
partners –
industry and public sector
ongoing research projects
•
Medical applications of human FEM and
Numerical modeling of the head and neck
•
Non-invasive diagnostic tools for brain
injury
•
Visualization through Imaging and Simulation
•
Electrophysiology on Excitable Cells
partners –
universities and institutes
•
Tailored hydrogels for tissue ingrowth
•
Cell Behaviour in Electric Fields
Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska
Institutet, KTH, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Luleå Technical University,
Norrland’s University Hospital, Chalmers
University of Technology, Norwegian School of
Sport Sciences, Linköping University, Catholic
University of Leuven, Belgium, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands, University
of Dublin, Ireland, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität,
Freiburg, Germany, Norwegian University of
Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway,
Shanghai Jiatong University, China, University
of New South Wales, Australia, University of
Technology, Sydney, Australia.
•
Conducting polymers
•
The Soft Extra Muscle
•
Minimally Invasive Implants for the stabilization of bone fractures
•
Optical Stimulation
ACREO, MIPS AB, OBOE Players AB, Bioservo Technologies Sweden AB, Synthes, Switzerland, NTT, Japan, Vinnova, Swedish Research
Council, Swedish Foundation for Strategic
Research, The Knowledge Foundation, Fordonstekniska Industrin, FFI, Innovationsbron,
ALMI Företagspartner AB.
42
school of technology and health
Medical applications of human FEM and
Numerical modeling of the head and neck
Visualization through Imaging and
Simulation
Research leader: Associate professor Svein Kleiven
Research leader: Research Assistant Peter Halldin
Researchers: Research Assistants Peter Halldin,
Johnson Ho, Xiaogai Li, PhD Student Madelen
Fahlstedt, Professor Hans von Holst, Karolinska
Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital
Researchers: PhD Student Madelen Fahlstedt,
Research Assistant Johnson Ho, Associate Professor Svein Kleiven, Professor Hans von Holst,
Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University
Hospital
Initials versions of models of a male and a female
head have been modeled using the Finite Element
Method. They are based on geometry from ”The
Visible Human Database” and are highly detailed
with material models that capture the tissue’s complex strength behaviour.
The goal is to continue developing the model, and
to develop an anatomically correct model of the
human head, which can be used to predict injury
due to external force. This will give engineers an
opportunity to test their ideas on safety systems.
The Finite Element Method is used to generate
3D visualization in order to increase the knowledge in biomechanical events of wounds.
The project will result in two demonstrators.
VISed is determined to be used in education of
medical staff. The web based platform VISweb
visualizes the simulations and can be used as a
reference book, enabling users to interactively
choose course and magnitude of the acceleration as
well as area and level of violence of a blow.
Non-invasive diagnostic tools for brain injury
Research leader: Research Assistant Johnson Ho
Researchers: Associate Professor Svein Kleiven,
Professor Hans von Holst, Karolinska Institutet
and Karolinska University Hospital
The project aims to develop a method to assess the
seriousness of a stroke without surgery, using computer models. Patient information, such as extent
of bleeding, is extracted from medical images
taken at the first examination. A patient-specific
model is then generated which calculates the intracranial pressure and brain deformation in terms of
elongation.
The procedure will aid physicians in treatment
decisions and is also applicable to measurements of
brain swelling and brain tumors.
school of technology and health
43
Electrophysiology on Excitable Cells
Cell Behaviour in Electric Fields
Research leader: Assistant Professor Tobias
Nyberg
Research leader: Research Assistant Maria
Researcher: PhD Student Rickard Liljemalm
Researcher: Assistant Professor Tobias Nyberg
The project studies signaling and electrophysiological responses in the nervous system at the cellular level.
Since 2009, projects have been running where
the behaviour of cells is studied in strong electric
fields, up to 1 V/mm. Electrophysiologically active
cells, such as neurons, can be triggered to signal
through rapid electrical stimulation. A wide spectrum of cells also reacts to an electric voltage field
over time.
Some cells retain their ability to deliver electrical
signals and respond to electrical stimuli, despite
having been dissected from the nervous system
and being kept alive in a petri dish.
The cells can then be grown on microelectrode
arrays which sense changes in tension due to cell
signaling.
Tailored hydrogels for tissue ingrowth
Research leader: Assistant Professor Tobias
Nyberg
Implantable materials are developed to work as
scaffolds for tissue regeneration. In many cases
there is a need to facilitate the natural healing
process, i.e. after tumor surgery, in the presence of
osteoporosis or in the case of severe injury.
If too much tissue is missing, or if the surrounding tissue is affected by disease, the healing can
become incomplete. A platform of biocompatible
polymers is activated to attract cells, and to finally
get them to build up the right kind of tissue.
44
Asplund
We use the microscope and timelapse digital photo
technique to study cell behaviour over time. Tension is created through a specially built growing
chamber.
Conducting polymers
Research leader: Assistant Professor Tobias
Nyberg
Researchers: : Research Assistant Maria Asplund,
Professor Hans von Holst, Karolinska Institutet
and Karolinska University Hospital
Since 2002, research has been conducted on conducting polymers to improve nerve electrodes.
This work has resulted in a doctoral thesis.
The integration of neural cells could be facilitated
by making the electrode more similar to the surrounding tissue. Conducting polymer materials
can be grown upon the electrodes and the polymer
matrix can be filled with biologically active compounds, often even improving the electrode’s electrochemical properties.
school of technology and health
The Soft Extra Muscle
Optical Stimulation
Research leader: Professor Hans von Holst,
Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University
Hospital
Research leader: Assistant Professor Tobias
Nyberg
Researchers: : PhD Student Mats Nilsson, Assistant Professor Tobias Nyberg
Studying the effect on rehabilitation of stroke and
polio patients using the SEM glove. Cooperation
with the Department of Mechatronics at KTH,
the Danderyd Hospital and the Karolinska University.
Minimally Invasive Implants for the stabilization of bone fractures
Research leader: Professor Hans von Holst,
Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University
Hospital
Researchers: : PhD Student Rickard Liljemalm,
Professor Hans von Holst, Karolinska Institutet
and Karolinska University Hospital
Within this project we are examining the
possibility of using laser light to activate
neuron cells.
The research is based on both simulated models
and practical neural cell culture. The project has
been going on for around four years and a functioning experimental setup is being used. The
cells are irradiated with a laser and their electrical
response is detected.
Tested fixation glues have too many shortcomings
to be an alternative to metal implants. They lack
mechanical strength, have low adhesion or are not
sufficiently biocompatible.
A new treatment method is developed based on
reinforcing fibers with glue and applying the fiberreinforced adhesive as a patch on the fracture. The
interdisciplinary project aims to tailor the crosslinked polymers in combination with biodegradable fibers to achieve optimal properties for fracture
stabilization.
school of technology and health
45
environmental physiology
46
school of technology and health
head of division: ola eiken
The Division of Environmental Physiology investigates the influence of environmental factors, such as
gravity, ambient pressure and temperature, on physiological functions in humans.
Environmental physiology is commonly associated with human performance in extreme
environments, e.g. aviation, diving and human
activities in polar and desert climates. However,
the physiological functions challenged under
such conditions typically play fundamental roles
even in more routine and daily-life activities.
research areas:
10699 Other Biological Topics
20601 Medical Laboratory and Measurements
Technologies
20699 Other Medical Engineering
30106 Physiology
Thus, interventions used in environmental
physiology research include different types of
physical loads as means to tease out mechanisms
underlying normal physiological functions. Research projects conducted at the division can be
divided in three different categories:
Aerospace physiology, Barophysiology and
Exercise and Temperature Physiology.
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47
partners –
industry and public sector
ongoing research projects
•
Thermal balance during simulated patrol
missions in desert climate
•
Regimens for high altitude acclimatization
•
Effects of cold habituation on local coldinduced peripheral vasodilatation
•
Effect on motion sickness on autonomic
responses
•
Gas mixtures and decompression tables
•
Physiology-based adjustments of breathing
apparatuses
partners –
universities and institutes
•
High–altitude physiology and hypoxia
•
Spatial disorientation
Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University
Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Swedish School of Sport and Health Science, Institute
Jozef Stefan, Slovenia, Portsmouth University,
UK, Nottingham University, UK, Trondheim
University, Norway, University of Copenhagen,
Denmark, University of Udine, Italy, University
of Wollongong, Australia.
•
Increased gravitoinertial load
•
Weightlessness
Defence Medicine Centre, Diving- and Naval
Medicine Centre, Swedish Armed Forces,
Army Tactical Command Centre, Army Combat School, Swedish Material Administration,
European Space Agency, QinetiQ, UK, Unimed
Scientific, UK, BioMed Ltd, Slovenia, b-Cat,
The Netherlands, Saab Aerotech, Interspiro,
Poseidon Diving Systems, Maquet Critical Care,
Artema Medical, Boule AB, SITECH AB, Aleris AB, Hamilton Research Ltd, Danish Navy
Diving School.
48
school of technology and health
Thermal balance during simulated patrol
missions in desert climate
Effects of cold habituation on local
cold-induced peripheral vasodilatation
Research leader: Associate Professor Ola Eiken
Research leader: Associate Professor Ola Eiken
Researchers: PhD Mikael Grönkvist, PhD,
Michail Keramidas, PhD Roger Kölegård, and
from the Jozef Stefan Institute, in Ljubljana: Professor Igor Mekjavic, PhD Student Ursa Cihua,
from University of Wollongong, Australia:
Professor Nigel Taylor
Researchers: PhD Lena Norrbrand, PhD Michail
Keramidas, PhD Roger Kölegård and from the
Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana: Professor Igor
Mekjavic, PhD Shawnda Morrsion, PhD-student
Adam McDonnel
The project concerns thermal balance in soldiers
patrolling in desert climate. Under such conditions
the soldier is at risk of suffering heat exhaustion
or even heat stroke. Provisions for heat dissipation
are limited due to the need of wearing ballistic
protective garments while carrying heavy loads.
Different techniques and strategies to increase
heat dissipation are investigated.
Regimens for high altitude acclimatization
The project investigates the effect of cold habituation on cold-induced vasodilation (CIVD) during
local cold provocation and on vasodilatory responses during rewarming.
Exposure to cold typically induces peripheral
vasoconstriction. During prolonged cold exposure
cutaneous blood vessels, particularly in the hands
and feet, may intermittently dilate.
The mechanism, termed cold-induced vasodilation, is believed to protect the tissue from cold
injury.
Research leader: Associate Professor Ola Eiken
Researchers: PhD Mikael Grönkvist, PhD Michail
Keramidas, PhD Roger Kölegård and from the
Jozef Stefan Institute, in Ljubljana: Professor
Igor Mekjavic, and from Faculty of Physical and
Cultural Education, Hellenic Military University,
Vari, Greece PhD Stylianos N. Kounalakis
People who need to operate at high altitudes commonly need to acclimatize to hypoxia prior to the
altitude exposure.
The project is comparing physiological responses
to different regimens used to achieve altitude
acclimatization, such as “live high train low”,
“train high live low” and “intermittent hypoxia
exposures”.
Effect on motion sickness on autonomic
responses
Research leader: Associate Professor Ola Eiken
Researchers: PhD Gerard Nobel, PhD Arne Tribukait and from the Jozef Stefan Institute, in Ljubljana: Professor Igor Mekjavic, from Portsmouth
University Professor Michael Tipton
The project investigates the effect of motion sickness on autonomic responses, in particular thermoregulatory responses to cold stress.
school of technology and health
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Gas mixtures and decompression tables
Research leader: MD PhD Mikael Gennser
Researchers: CE Oskar Frånberg, Research
Engineer Eddie Bergsten, PhD Roger Kölegård,
and from SLB Consulting, England PhD Lesley
Blogg, and from Hamilton Research ltd, Tarrytown USA PhD Dave Kenyon
The project group develops and tests decompression tables for breathing gases other than air
– nitrox and trimix – to meet requests from the
Swedish Navy.
Experiments are also conducted to increase
understanding of the mechanisms underlying
decompression sickness, such as the effect of exercise prior to and after diving, and temperature
challenges before and during diving. The work
includes both computer simulations and tests on
human subjects in pressure chambers and during
open sea dives.
Physiology-based adjustments of breathing
apparatuses
Research leader: MD PhD Mikael Gennser
Researchers: CE Oskar Frånberg, Research Engineer Björn Johannesson and from QinetiQ PhD
Gavin Anthony
This project concerns investigations on the effects
of breathing apparatuses on human respiratory
functions, as well as techniques for surveillance
and testing of oxygen dosage in closed or semiclosed rebreathing apparatuses.
50
High–altitude physiology and hypoxia
Research leader: MD PhD Mikael Gennser
Researchers: PhD Mikael Grönkvist, PhD Lena
Norrbrand, Associate Professor Ola Eiken and
from the Jozef Stefan Institute, in Ljubljana: Professor Igor Mekjavic, PhD
Studies on the effects of reduced partial pressures
of oxygen on mental and physical performance
during acute and prolonged exposures have been
carried out, as well as studies on high-altitude
decompression sickness during rest and physical
exercise.
Presently comparisons between normobaric and
hypobaric hypoxic exposures with different gas
densities are carried out to challenge the equivalent air altitude model.
school of technology and health
Spatial disorientation
Weightlessness
Research leader: PhD Arne Tribukait
Research leader: Associate Professor Ola Eiken
Researchers: Associate Professor Ola Eiken, PhD
Mikael Grönkvist, Research Engineer Eddie
Bergsten, Research Engineer Björn Johannesson
Researchers: PhD Mikael Gennser, PhD Roger
Kölegård, PhD Michail Keramidas, PhD Britta
Lind, Professor Lars-Åke Brodin and from the
Jozef Stefan Institute, in Ljubljana: Professor Igor
Mekjavic, PhD Shawnda Morrsion, PhD-student
Adam McDonnel., from University of Nottingham Professor Ian MacDonald, PhD Liz Simpson,
from University of Udine Professor Bruno Grassi,
PhD Desy Salvadego, from University of Trieste
Professor Gianni Biolo, from Dutsche Luft und
Raumfarts Institut Professor Jörn Rittweger,
From University of ;Milano Professor Andrea
Aliverti, from Munchen University Professor
Alexander Choeker
This project investigates how complex stimulation of the vestibular system in a centrifuge and
in fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft affects an
individual’s subjective horizontal plane, and how
flight experience affects such responses.
The project’s objectives span from elucidating
basic vestibular mechanisms underlying spatial
orientation/disorientation in aviation to evaluation
of spatial orientation training regimens for pilots.
Increased gravitoinertial load
Research leader: Associate Professor Ola Eiken
The project investigates physiological responses to
sustained bed rest in combination with hypoxia.
Researchers: PhD Mikael Grönkvist, Research
Engineer Eddie Bergsten, PhD Roger Kölegård,
Research Engineer Björn Johannesson and from
the university of Copenhagen PhD Morten Damsgaard, PhD Student Sine Arvedsen
Several of the physiological adaptations to microgravity may be induced by means of ground-based
–1 G – simulation models, of which prolonged,
sustained recumbency is the most common.
The project investigates physiological responses
to increased G load and develops G-protective
garments and techniques. It deals both with basic
acute and long-term physiological responses.
The experiments are conducted in a multinational
collaboration (FP-7) and are aimed at elucidating
effects of living in future planetary habitats, in
which people will be exposed to reduced gravity
and hypoxia.
In addition, the effects of increased G load, pressure breathing and anti-G-suits on pulmonary
ventilation and blood perfusion distributions are
investigated. The project also deals with development and modifications of anti-G suits and
pressure-breathing schemes.
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51
Patient Safety
52
school of technology and health
head of division: richard i. cook
The Patient Safety Division at STH possesses unique competence where technology and healthcare
meet. Patient Safety is an interdisciplinary field and the research is based on a systems perspective on
technical work with focus on practitioners and patients.
Knowledge is gathered and developed using
multiple, converging methods to illuminate the
interaction between people, technology and work
organization and its consequences for patient
safety.
Research areas:
30301 Healthcare Service and Management,
Health Policy and Services and Health
Economy
30399 Other Health Sciences
The division collaborates with other departments
at KTH School of Technology and Health, other
schools at KTH, as well as other universities and
academies. In order to strengthen the interdisciplinary work in patient safety research, in 2010
the division initiated a Swedish research network,
and it is also a member of the Nordic Research
Network on Safety and Quality in Health Care.
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53
partners –
industry and public sector
National Board of Health and Welfare, Karolinska University Hospital, Healthcare Provision
Stockholm County, Astrid Lindgren Children’s
Hospital, Stockholm County Council, Swedish
Radiation Safety Authority
partners –
universities and institutes
Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm University, Linköping University, Uppsala University, Faculty
of Engineering at Lund University, Jönköping
Academy, University of Gothenburg. University
of Stavanger, Patient Safety Learning Center,
Technical University of Denmark, University of
Southern Denmark
54
ongoing research projects
•
A Study of the new Swedish Patient Safety
Law
•
A pilot study of cancer care
•
Analysis of the LUST data - the introduction of European Working Time Directive
and effects on work hours, work satisfaction
and well-being
•
A Risk Inventory in Home Care with Focus
on Medication
•
Complex Operations in Home Care - Leadership and Management Needs
•
Diabetes Study -”Patient Safety and Home
Healthcare with focus on patients with diabetes.”
•
Practitioner cognition in the first minute
•
Discovering practitioner adaptations to
complex situations with multiple tasks and
variable risk
school of technology and health
A pilot study of cancer care
Research leader: PhD Mirjam Ekstedt
A Study of the new Swedish Patient
Safety Law
Research leader: PhD Synnöve Ödegård
The study is based on the new Patient Safety Act
(2010:659) and planned in two phases - before and
after the law has come into effect.
The first aim is to get an idea of the steps taken
in healthcare before the introduction of the new
law and to which extent certain requirements are
already in place. In the second phase the “outcome” will be studied. The study will eventually
be implemented in cooperation with other Nordic
countries.
The purpose is to examine cancer care from a
patient safety perspective. The initial aim is to
find identifying factors or indicators that may
affect safety negatively, as a basis for a more
extensive study.
The project aims to study what guidelines and
regulations govern the care and how they are perceived by staff and what kind of healthcare related
injuries can be identified with the GTT method.
Other questions posed are which weaknesses at
the system level can be inferred from this method
and how patients’ waiting times differ
throughout the care process.
Analysis of the LUST data - the introduction
of European Working Time Directive and
effects on work hours, work satisfaction and
well-being
Research leader: PhD Anna Dahlgren
The aim is to study how the European Working
Time Directive, EWTD, affects health and fatigue. The project is a collaboration with Karolinska Institutet.
An extensive longitudinal data set has been collected over eight years. The nurses participating
in the study were followed with surveys in their
last semester of training and their initial period
of work life. During data collection, EWTD has
been introduced in healthcare, making it possible
to study the effects of the working shift.
school of technology and health
55
Risk inventory in home care with a focus on
medication
Research leader: Synnöve Ödegård, PhD
Diabetes Study - ”Patient Safety and Home
Healthcare with focus on patients with diabetes.”
Research leader: Synnöve Ödegård, PhD
A business with hospital connected home care
has implemented a change in medication from
prescription to their own medical supplies with
dosett-sharing of drugs to patients, which was seen
as potentially risky.
The initial study focused on an problem inventory
and risk mapping. Interviews identified risk and
need for improvement in several broad areas.
Further work will focus on an in-depth analysis
of the material and the identification of improvement based on the risks identified.
The study aims to give increased knowledge of
the factors likely to affect adversely the safety
of patients, and to then initiate and implement
improvements based on the risks identified.
It is one of several sub-studies in Dignified
Care – a joint project between KTH, KI and
Stockholm County Council.
Complex Operations in Home Care Leadership and Management Needs
Research leader: Marianne Lagerstedt, PhD Student
Advanced inpatient care is performed increasingly
by home healthcare with many stakeholders involved and shared responsibility. The special challenges raise questions about managerial needs and
appropriate management.
The outcome of two studies form a knowledge
base for leadership, management needs and capacity management for safe care at home. From a
management science perspective a range of issues
has been identified.
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school of technology and health
Practitioner cognition in the first minute
Research leader: Professor Richard Cook
The study examines how practitioners make sense
of disordered, incomplete, or conflicting data
about patients assembling a model of individual
patients under direct observation. The test cases
are derived from actual patient data and reflect
real persons and the practitioners are experts.
The research explores abilities of practitioners to
accomplish a representative cognitive task that is
frequently part of the first few seconds of a patient
encounter. The results will shed light on a core
feature of clinical cognitive work.
Discovering practitioner adaptations to
complex situations with multiple tasks, high
uncertainty and variable risk
Research leader: Professor Richard Cook
The study examines practitioner work in clinical situations that involve task switching across
patients in settings where patients may be at high
risk for bad outcomes but where uncertainty about
individual risk likelihoods can only be coarsely
gauged and where task demands vary. Such situations are typical for e.g. intensive care units and
disaster situations.
The research will show how practitioners adapt
successfully and unsuccessfully to changing situations. The results may be used to design cognitive
artifacts to aid task switching.
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structural biotechnology
58
school of technology and health
head of divison: hans hebert
Within the Division of Structural Biotechnology physical methods are used to depict biological
objects on a cellular and molecular level.
The aim is to understand biological processes,
in particular the connection between structure
and function.
The acquired knowledge is to be used in collaboration with other groups to understand
different medical conditions and to contribute
to the development of new treatment methods.
The properties and biological interactions of
nanostructures developed for medical purposes
are also being studied.
research areas:
10601 Structural Biology
10602 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
10603 Biophysics
20908 Medical Biotechnology
21001 Nanotechnology
30108 Cell and Molecular Biology
30401 Medical Biotechnology
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partners –
industry and public sector
ongoing research projects
•
Structure of proteins and complexes involved in inflammation
•
Structure and function of ion channels
•
Molecular mechanisms of mucin barriers
and defects during cystic fibrosis
•
The structure of molecular chaperones
•
Rescue mechanisms at stalled bacterial protein synthesis and implications for development of new antibiotics
•
Characterization and biointeractions of
microbubbles developed to be used as multimodal medical imaging contrast media.
•
Synthesis and applications of nanodiscs for
nanobiotechnology applications
•
Method developments for high resolution
transmission electron microscopy
Vironova AB, NovaSaid AB.
partners –
universities and institutes
Karolinska Institutet, Gothenburg University,
Lund University, Uppsala University, Umeå
University, Århus University, University of Rome
Tor Vergata, Stanford University, Biocenter Basel,
Kyoto University.
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school of technology and health
Structure of proteins and complexes involved
in inflammation
Molecular mechanisms of mucin barriers and
defects during cystic fibrosis
Research leader: Professor Hans Hebert
Research leader: Professor Hans Hebert
Researchers: Dr Caroline Jegerschöld, Dr Pasi
Purhonen, PhD Student Qie Kuang, Professor Ralf Morgenstern and Professor Per-Johan
Jakobsson, Karolinska Institutet
Researchers: Dr Harriet Nilsson, Professor Gunnar Hansson, Dr. Daniel Ambort, University of
Gothenburg
Current work is focused on structural refinements, co-crystallization with ligands and inhibitors, and studies of protein complexes.
Previous research has resulted in an atomic model
of microsomal glutathione transferase 1, MGST1,
an important milestone in the membrane associated proteins in eicosanoid and glutathione metabolism, MAPEG, field.
A more recent electron crystallographic analysis of Microsomal Prostaglandin E synthase
1, MPGES1, resulted in an atomic model. The
researchers have also observed a difference in
behaviour between rat and human MPGES1.
Structure and function of ion channels
MUC2, the major colonic mucin, forms large
polymers by N-terminal trimerization and C-terminal dimerization. The packing and secretion
of MUC2 has not yet been studied in molecular
terms.
By using electron microscopy the researchers
could show that MUC2 mucin is packed in secretory granulae of goblet cells owing to its N-terminal domains (MUC2-N). One aim is to understand
formation of the viscous mucus phenotype of the
disease cystic fibrosis.
The structure of molecular chaperones
Research leader: Associate professor Philip Koeck
Researchers: PhD student Johan Härmark, , Professor Cecilia Emanuelsson, Lund University
Research leader: Professor Hans Hebert
Researchers: Dr Caroline Jegerschöld, Dr Pasi
Purhonen, PhD student Qie Kuang
The project is a study of the Kch potassium channel. Both the channel part and the full length
protein including a regulating RCK domain have
been overexpressed, purified and crystallized for
electron crystallography analysis.
It is now for the first time possible to study a complete putative voltage gated RCK regulated potassium channel.
Unfolding proteins are prevented from irreversible aggregation by small heat shock proteins
(sHsps) through interactions that depend on a
dynamic equilibrium between sHsp subunits and
sHsp oligomers.
By single-particle electron microscopy, homology
modeling, and lysine-specific chemical crosslinking a structure model of Arabidopsis thaliana
Hsp21 has been obtained. Continued work is
directed towards improving resolution of this and
other chaperons.
school of technology and health
61
Rescue mechanisms at stalled bacterial protein synthesis and implications for development of new antibiotics
Research leader: Docent Martin Lindahl
Transmission electron microscopy has been used
to study the structure of the MBs and confirm the
binding ability of SPION. The bio-interactions of
these MBs are also being characterized.
Researchers: Professor Hans Hebert, Professor
Måns Ehrenberg, Uppsala University
The tmRNA/SmpB complex performs surveillance and rescue of stalled ribosomes in all eubacteria
and some eukaryotic organelles. CryoEM studies
have provided some insight into the accommodation of the tmRNA/SmpB complex to ribosomes
processing a messenger lacking a stop codon.
Recently, the group has characterized for the first
time the accommodated state after release of the
elongation factor. The aim is to characterize other
states during the translation process, which could
be the target for development of new antibiotics.
Characterization and biointeractions of
microbubbles developed to be used as multimodal medical imaging contrast media.
Research leader: Associate Professor Philip Koeck
Researchers: PhD Student Johan Härmark,
Professor Gaio Paradossi, University of Rome
Tor Vergata, Dr Andreas Fery and Dr Melanie
Pretzl, Univeristy of Bayreuth, Professor Kenneth
Dawson, University of Dublin and Professor Kenneth Caidahl and Dr. Torkel Brismar, Karolinska
Institutet
The next generation of contrast agents has to meet
the criteria of working as a multimodal imaging
device, combining different imaging techniques.
A modified poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) microbubble (MB), with super paramagnetic iron oxide
nanoparticles (SPION) embedded in the shell, can
work as both ultrasound and MRI contrast agent.
62
school of technology and health
Synthesis and applications of nanodiscs for
nanobiotechnology applications
Method developments for high resolution
transmission electron microscopy
Research leader: Dr Caroline Jegerschöld
Research leaders: Associate Professor Philip
Koeck, Docent Martin Lindahl
Researchers: : PhD Student Ramki Kumar, PhD
Student Lin Zhu, MSc Rampradeep Samiappan,
Dr. Jens Lagerstedt, Lund University and Dr.
Agnes Rinaldo-Matthis, Karolinska Institutet
Both the constructs of natural High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) and discoidal reconstituted HDL
particles (nanodiscs) are studied, in the latter case
for formation of protein assembles.
Most focus has been laid on formation of protein
complexes reported to be of importance for biosynthesis of mediators of pain, fever and inflammation. However, we can foresee a large number
of usages related to several of the projects and also
a translation to applications as drug carriers for
targeted therapy.
Researchers: Dr. Ozan Öktem, Applied Mathematics, KTH
Application of Single particle cryo electron
microscopy (cryoEM) puts considerable demands
regarding processing and ability to collect very
large data sets. Both hurdles are addressed by
developing new algorithms and by implementing high throughput methods using one of the
division’s microscope/CCD systems.
Electron crystallography can offer near-atomic
resolution, yet many projects remain at around 10
Å. Single particle processing of locally averaged
unit cells could improve the quality and possibly
the resolution of three-dimensional maps.
school of technology and health
63
centre for technology in
medicine and health, ctmh
64
school of technology and health
head of centre: bertil guve
The Centre for Technology in Medicine and Health, CTMH, is a collaboration between Karolinska
Institutet, The Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm County Council.
Its mission is to contribute to the development
of Stockholm as a world-class medical technology cluster. The vision is the realization of the
potential that the partners together amass to
create and constitute a medical technology R&D
environment unique in Sweden and among the
world’s top five.
CTMH organizes activities and creates arenas
that stimulate and develop interactions between
the industry, the universities and the healthcare
systems in the boundaries between Technology,
Health and Research and Applications.
CTMH constitutes a forum and driving force
to obtain better usage of the resources in the
intersection between medical and technological
knowledge, with applications for improvements
of human health through three spheres of activity:
partners –
industry and public sector
Karolinska Univeristy Hospital, Arjo-Huntleigh,
Getinge, Maquet AB, Neodynamics AB, Swedish
Medtech, SP, Swedish Cancer Society, Diabetes
Tools, Bactiguard, Mölnlycke Health Care AB,
Sahlgrenska Hospital, Stiftelse Flemingsberg
Science, Diabetes Tools, Health Solutions, Hök
Instrument AB, Sense Air AB, etc.
partners –
universities and institutes
School of Business, Economics and Law at the
University of Gothenburg, Karolinska Institutet,
Karolinska University Laboratory, Karolinska
University Hospital, KTH CHE, KTH CSC,
KTH EES, KTH ITM, KTH SCI, Skåne
Regional Council, Stockholm County Council,
Uppsala University, Municipality of Haninge.
school of technology and health
65
Research – school of technology and health
Photos by: Staffan Larsson
Photo page 46 by: US-Airforce
Photo page 50 by: NASA
Photo page 58 by: Hans Hebert, Caroline Jegerschöld
Photo page 62 by: Hans Hebert, Caroline Jegerschöld
Photo page 63 by: Hans Hebert, Martin Lindahl
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school of technology and health
STH 2012