Olav Rooijackers

Olav Rooijackers is Professor and Head of the Division of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology. His research group at the ICU Metabolism Lab investigates metabolic dysfunction in critically ill patients, particularly muscle wasting syndromes and nutritional interventions.

Research examines metabolic alterations during critical illness, including protein catabolism, glutamine metabolism, and nutritional support strategies. Current projects investigate lactate dynamics in sepsis, albumin metabolism in liver disease, and metabolic predictors of organ failure.

Recent publications demonstrate methodological innovation in metabolic flux quantification using tracer techniques, with clinical applications in fluid management, sepsis treatment, and post-COVID immune recovery. The research integrates basic physiology with clinical applications to improve critical care outcomes.

Educational leadership includes directing doctoral studies at CLINTEC and organizing international courses on tracer methodology in clinical nutrition. Laboratory facilities include the Karolinska Stable Isotope Core supporting metabolic research.