Martin Jastroch is a Professor at Stockholm University's Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute. His research focuses on the physiology and molecular mechanisms of energy metabolism from organism to molecule level. His primary research interests include: Energy metabolism physiology and molecular mechanisms Obesity and metabolic aspects Adipose tissue biology Mitochondrial mechanisms Thermogenesis and brown fat function Metabolic regulation in health and disease Professor Jastroch's research spans multiple disciplines, connecting molecular mechanisms with whole-organism physiology. His work on mitochondrial bioenergetics and thermogenesis has contributed significantly to understanding how energy metabolism is regulated across different biological scales. Recent publications show a growing interest in the evolutionary aspects of thermogenesis and the role of brown adipose tissue in metabolic diseases, with particular focus on UCP1 function, mitochondrial adaptations, and metabolic reprogramming in disease states. His scientific contributions include important findings on: UCP1 (Uncoupling Protein 1) function and regulation Mitochondrial bioenergetics in different tissue types Evolutionary aspects of mammalian thermogenesis Metabolic regulation in obesity and related disorders Links between mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegenerative diseases Professor Jastroch leads 'Group Jastroch' at Stockholm University, where his team investigates the complex interplay between cellular energy metabolism and whole-body physiology, with implications for understanding and treating metabolic disorders.
Dr. Axel Sandvig is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation , Umeå University , with a focus on neurodegenerative diseases and neural network engineering. He also serves as a physician at the Department of Clinical Sciences , Umeå University , specializing in neurosciences. His work intersects clinical practice with cutting-edge research in neuroengineering and neurodegeneration. Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University Physician, Department of Clinical Sciences, Umeå University Dr. Sandvig’s research spans multiple domains of neuroscience , neuroengineering , and biomedical applications . He investigates Alzheimer’s disease using engineered human neural networks with mutations like LRRK2 G2019S and P301L tau, analyzing structural, functional, and connectomic changes. His work also explores neuroplasticity in stroke recovery , nanotechnology for neuroimaging , and lab-on-chip platforms for neuromodulation. Recent studies highlight synaptic connectivity and autophagy pathways as therapeutic targets. The 15 most recent publications reveal a trend toward neurodegenerative disease modeling , neural network dynamics , and biomedical nanotechnology . Key subfields include LRRK2/tau mutations , small-world network topology , neuroregeneration after ischemia , and gold nanostructure design . His work often involves in vitro models , neuroimaging , and stem cell applications . Dr. Sandvig collaborates extensively on neuroregenerative therapies , including nanoparticle delivery systems and manganese-enhanced MRI for axonal tracing. His affiliations bridge clinical practice at Norrland University Hospital with academic research at Umeå University.
Summary Pawel Andrzej Herman is an Associate Professor at the Division of Computational Science and Technology within the School of Computer Science and Communication (CSC) at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. His research focuses on computational neuroscience, brain-inspired AI, and machine learning applications in healthcare and cognitive science. He teaches multiple courses including Artificial Neural Networks and Deep Architectures , supervises degree projects across computer engineering and electrical engineering disciplines, and actively contributes to interdisciplinary research initiatives. His work bridges theoretical neuroscience with practical AI solutions, emphasizing synaptic plasticity models, neuromorphic computing, and medical diagnostic systems. Key areas include olfactory perception modeling, working memory mechanisms, and FPGA-accelerated neural networks. He collaborates internationally on projects such as AI-driven medical imaging and cognitive neuroscience studies. Dr. Herman’s research has been published in high-impact journals and conferences, with recent contributions to understanding neural mechanisms of odor naming deficits, beta/alpha oscillations in working memory, and spiking neural network architectures. His technical leadership spans HPC frameworks like StreamBrain and interdisciplinary tools for scientific data storage (NoaSci).
Håkan Fischer is a Professor of Human Biological Psychology at Stockholm University, where he has served as Head of the Department of Psychobiology and Epidemiology since 2011. He also holds an associate professor position at Karolinska Institutet, is affiliated with the Aging Research Center and Stockholm University Brain Imaging Centre, and is a faculty member at Digital Futures at the Royal Institute of Technology. Since September 2025, he has additionally served as a visiting professor at Linköping University. Fischer has established himself as a leading researcher in emotional and cognitive processing, with particular expertise in socio-emotional aspects across the lifespan. Fischer earned his PhD in psychology from Uppsala University in 1998, followed by postdoctoral research at Harvard Medical School (1999-2001). He then worked at the Aging Research Center at Karolinska Institutet before joining Stockholm University in 2011. His academic journey includes a sabbatical year (2021-2022) at the University of Florida's Department of Psychology. Fischer is actively involved in university governance as a member of the Swedish Research Council's Subject Council for Humanities and Social Sciences (2023-present) and represents Stockholm University in multiple international collaborations. Håkan Fischer's research primarily focuses on investigating intra- and interindividual differences in affective, cognitive, social and perceptual processing, with special emphasis on age-related differences in adults. His laboratory employs advanced neuroimaging techniques including fMRI, PET, and fNIRS to examine brain function, while also utilizing structural imaging methods like T1-weighted imaging, DTI, and perfusion imaging to study brain structure. Fischer advocates for single-subject small-N designs to better understand emotional and cognitive mechanisms. His current research lines include socio-emotional perception and recognition, oxytocin effects on socio-emotional processing across the lifespan, and AI development for interpersonal communication analysis. Analysis of Fischer's recent publications reveals a strong focus on emotion recognition across populations, neurobiological mechanisms of socio-emotional processing, and methodological innovations. His work consistently integrates behavioral testing, neuroimaging, and genetic analysis to provide comprehensive insights. The increasing incorporation of AI approaches demonstrates his adaptation to emerging technological advances in psychological research. Fischer has published 136 peer-reviewed articles with over 12,200 citations and a Google Scholar h-index of 53. Fischer has received consistent funding since 2002 from prestigious sources including the Swedish Research Council, Wallenberg Foundation, STINT, Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, and Konung Gustav V och Drottning Victorias stiftelse. He currently leads nine funded research projects (two as principal investigator totaling 6.9 million SEK, seven as co-applicant totaling 24.8 million SEK) spanning multiple international collaborations in Sweden, Germany, and the USA. As an educator, Fischer leads the basic course in Cognitive Neuroscience and the master's course in Emotion Psychology and Affective Neuroscience. He regularly teaches at both undergraduate and advanced levels, primarily in biological psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and emotion psychology. Fischer currently supervises six doctoral students (one as main supervisor, four as assistant supervisor) and has mentored graduate students since 2002. Håkan Fischer leads a dynamic research laboratory that investigates emotional, social, perceptual, and cognitive processing. The lab examines how intraindividual variations across stimuli and time, as well as interindividual differences in age, gender, genetics, personality, and sleep deprivation affect these processes. His lab maintains active national and international collaborations with researchers at Stockholm University, Uppsala University, Karolinska Institutet, University of Florida, and University of Gothenburg, creating a robust interdisciplinary research environment focused on translating basic neuroscience into practical applications.
Chun-Biu Li is an Associate Professor at the Department of Mathematics , Stockholm University , specializing in computational mathematics and statistical physics of biophysical systems. His research bridges information theory, machine learning, and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics to understand complex biological processes. Education: PhD in mathematical & statistical physics from the University of Texas at Austin (supervised by Ilya Prigogine), M.S. in mathematical physics from the University of Utah. Academic Experience: Associate Professor (2016–present) at Stockholm University, Associate Professor (2008–2016) at Hokkaido University, and JST/CREST Researcher (2005–2008) at Kobe University. Research Interests focus on data-driven statistical analyses, nonequilibrium biophysical systems, AI explainability, and fluctuation theorems. His work applies these methods to plant morphogenesis, molecular motor dynamics, and machine learning applications in life sciences. Teaching includes advanced courses on deep learning, reinforcement learning, and statistical methods for life science applications. His Supervision has guided over 30 students in topics ranging from protein mutation modeling to causal inference algorithms. Scientific Awards: Professional Development Award, University of Texas at Austin (2003) Summer Research Fellowship, University of Texas at Austin (2001) National Dean's List for Outstanding College Students (1997) Publications (110+) highlight his contributions to plant morphogenesis, single-molecule analysis, and statistical methods. Recent works examine DNA barcode clustering, rotary motor protein dynamics, and shape-aware data visualization techniques.
Daniel Johansson is an Associate Professor at Chalmers University of Technology, working in the Department of Physical Resource Theory. With approximately 20 years of experience in climate-energy-economic analysis and integrated assessment modelling, he has authored around 50 peer-reviewed articles and other research papers. His work bridges climate science, engineering, and economics to address critical environmental challenges. His research spans numerous topics including climate stabilisation scenarios, emission metrics, statistical estimation of climate sensitivity, fuel markets, negative CO 2 emissions, food vs fuel dynamics, climate impacts of aviation, and the role of autonomous vehicles in future transportation systems. Dr. Johansson actively engages with industry, policymakers, and the public through research projects, workshops, presentations, policy reports, and op-eds. His recent publications (2022-2025) reveal a strong focus on practical climate solutions across multiple domains. Key themes include methane policy and valuation, electric vehicle transitions and critical materials, autonomous transportation systems, climate justice and fair emission allocation, integrated assessment modeling, and carbon removal technologies. His work demonstrates a consistent integration of economic, engineering, and climate science perspectives to address complex environmental challenges. Among his notable scientific contributions are analyses of: The social cost of methane and appropriate climate metrics Fair allocation of national greenhouse gas emissions Sweden's electric car transition and critical material requirements Climate impacts of aviation and potential policy measures Investment decisions under carbon price uncertainty Autonomous vehicles and their implications for travel demand and emissions Dr. Johansson has led and coordinated various research activities both within Chalmers and in multinational contexts. He has developed courses on energy and environmental issues for students at Chalmers, the School of Economics at University of Gothenburg, and for employees at General Motors. Notably, during autumn 2015 to spring 2016, he took temporary leave from research to work as a regulatory expert at Volvo Cars. His current research projects (2022-2025) include: Co-created scenarios for the climate transition of passenger cars Climate impact from aviation emissions (CLIMAV) Social cost of aviation contrails Climate impacts of aviation: Policies and climate evaluation of different fuels Systems analysis of biomass and carbon capture across energy sectors MISTRA Carbon Exit Phase 2
Erika Franzén is a Professor at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society. She holds a joint position with Karolinska University Hospital and Stockholms Sjukhem. Her roles include Vice-Chair of the Doctoral Studies Committee (2019–2022), Acting Head of Department, and Scientific Director of the uMOVE core facility. She earned her PhD in Medical Sciences from Karolinska Institutet, with postdoctoral training at Oregon Health & Science University. Education: Bachelor's and Physiotherapy Diploma: College of Caring Science, Boden Master's in Physiotherapy: Karolinska Institutet PhD in Medical Sciences: Karolinska Institutet Research Focus: Balance and motor control in elderly and neurological patients (e.g., Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury). Her Franzén Group translates lab findings into clinical rehabilitation, with 20+ members including PhDs, postdocs, and assistants. Key areas include neuroplasticity, exercise interventions, and digital health solutions. Teaching & Leadership: Leads courses in postural control, gait analysis, and neurorehabilitation. Serves on educational boards and committees, including the Physiotherapy Program's Theme Committee and KI's Pedagogical Academy. Grants & Collaborations: Active in securing funding (e.g., Swedish Research Council grants for Parkinson's rehabilitation, pre-surgical physical training studies). Collaborates internationally on projects like Park-MOVE and CanOptiPhys. Labs/Teams: Heads the Franzén Group, focusing on balance, gait, and exercise in neurological diseases. Affiliated with uMOVE core facility for movement analysis.
Martin Garwicz is a Professor of Neurophysiology and Course Director at Lund University, serving as Centre Director of the Neuronano Research Center (NRC) and the Birgit Rausing Centre for Medical Humanities (BRCMH). His research focuses on cerebellar information processing, human evolution, and medical education. He has contributed to understanding developmental milestones like walking onset in mammals and the impact of carnivory on human evolution. His work intersects neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and healthcare education, emphasizing evidence-based practices. Key affiliations include the NRC and BRCMH, where he leads interdisciplinary projects on topics like existential resilience and healthscapes. Garwicz has organized major events like Neuroscience Day 2025 and contributed to initiatives promoting STEM education. His research spans over 65 publications, with recent work addressing medical student training in evidence-based medicine and cerebellar microcircuit dynamics. He coordinates projects such as 'Evolutionary Roots of Human Development' (2008–present) and 'ERiCi: Existential Resilience,' blending scientific and humanities perspectives. Garwicz’s activities include invited lectures on medical humanities and public talks on topics like digital immortality.
Ivo Jacobs is a Researcher at the Department of Philosophy, Lund University, specializing in Cognitive Science within the Faculty of Humanities and Theology. He is affiliated with the LUCS Cognitive Zoology Group and the LU Profile Area: Natural and Artificial Cognition. His work is centered at the Lund University Cognitive Science (LUCS) research center, with his office located at Helgonavägen 3, Lund (Room LUX:B476). Dr. Jacobs' research focuses on the evolution of cognition across multiple dimensions - mechanism, development, phylogeny and fitness value - with particular emphasis on crocodilians, palaeognaths (ratites and tinamous), corvids and primates. His work spans three overlapping projects: independent cognitive evolution in primates and corvids; reconstructing the minds of early birds and non-avian dinosaurs; and the origins of pyrocognition (fire-related cognition) in animals, extinct hominins and modern humans. His research output shows significant trends in comparative cognition, particularly examining cognitive similarities and differences across diverse species. His work bridges traditional disciplinary boundaries, connecting zoology, cognitive science, evolutionary biology, and philosophy. Recent publications demonstrate growing interest in pyrocognition and the cognitive implications of fire use throughout evolutionary history. Dr. Jacobs has secured substantial research funding, including a project on pyrocognition funded by the Swedish Research Council (2020-2024). He has served as Principal Investigator for the Pyrocognition project and as Assistant Supervisor for research on the sociality of extinct dinosaurs. His editorial work includes peer-review and editorial roles for journals such as Animal Cognition, Journal of Comparative Psychology, Frontiers in Psychology, and Behavioural Brain Research. His research collaborations span international boundaries, with recent external collaborations across multiple countries. His work has attracted attention across academic platforms, with mentions on X (Twitter), Bluesky, and readership on Mendeley.
Emanuela Santini is a Principal Researcher at the Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet since 2022, with a PhD in Neuroscience from Karolinska Institutet (2009). Her research focuses on autism spectrum disorders, Parkinson's disease, and signaling pathways like mTOR and eIF4E, often using mouse models to study synaptic plasticity, dopamine neurotransmission, and translational control. Employment: Principal Researcher, Karolinska Institutet (2022–present) Education: PhD in Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet (2009) Her work examines the molecular basis of neurological conditions, particularly how dysregulated protein synthesis and signaling cascades contribute to autism and Parkinson's disease. She investigates mechanisms underlying Levodopa-induced dyskinesia, fear memory extinction, and synaptic dysfunction in genetic models. The 15 most recent publications highlight her interest in autism spectrum disorders, striatal signaling, and translational control pathways. Key trends include mTOR hyperactivity in ASD models, dopamine-neuron maturation during critical periods, and autophagy's role in movement disorders. Grants from the Swedish Research Council (2023) and StratNeuro bridging grants (2022) support her research. Collaborations with institutions like University of Coimbra and researchers such as Eric Klann and Gilberto Fisone demonstrate her academic network. She participates in neuroscience outreach and was acknowledged in a doctoral thesis defense (2025) as part of the academic community.
Per Östberg is a Professor of Speech and Language Pathology at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology. He holds a PhD (2008) and Docent title (2013) from Karolinska Institutet. His research focuses on language dysfunction in neurological disorders, including aphasia, apraxia of speech, and dysphagia, with emphasis on stroke and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's. He co-authored the textbook Klinisk neurovetenskap (2015) and leads projects on patient-reported outcomes and speech-language rehabilitation. Education: Doctor of Philosophy, Karolinska Institutet, 2008 Docent, Karolinska Institutet, 2013 Research Interests: His work spans speech disorders in acquired brain injury, longitudinal studies of apraxia recovery post-stroke, and validating clinical tools like the Eating Assessment Tool. He collaborates internationally on registries for stroke aphasia (I-PRAISE) and investigates neuroimaging correlates of speech motor recovery. Publications Trends: Recent work includes comparative studies of anomia in neurological conditions, randomized trials of aphasia treatments, and eye-tracking analysis in reading disorders. Key themes are interdisciplinary approaches to language assessment and rehabilitation efficacy. Advising: Supervised Martin Cederlöf's thesis on psychosis phenotype risks. Affiliated with Karolinska University Hospital and the Enheten för logopedi F67 unit.
Joana Braga Pereira is an Associate Professor (Docent in Neurosciences) and Principal Researcher at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, where she leads the Brain Connectomics research group. Her work focuses on brain connectivity measures derived from structural MRI, functional MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, and other neuroimaging modalities in patients with neurodegenerative disorders. Education: Docent in Neurosciences, Karolinska Institutet, 2021 PhD in Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, 2012 Master in Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, 2008 Postdoctoral Fellow in Neuroimaging, Karolinska Institute, 2017 Dr. Pereira's research focuses on understanding brain connectivity and network topology in neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Her work integrates multiple neuroimaging modalities with biomarker analysis to identify early signs of disease and track progression. She specializes in applying graph theory, deep learning, and novel imaging sequences to analyze complex brain networks and develop precision medicine approaches. Her research spans multimodal brain connectivity, dynamic brain connectivity, functional gradients, and proteomics to understand disease mechanisms. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on computational approaches to understanding neurodegenerative diseases, with particular emphasis on the relationship between brain connectivity patterns, biomarkers, and clinical outcomes across aging and various neurological conditions. She has pioneered methods like delayed correlation-based approaches for dynamic connectivity analysis and developed BRAPH 2.0 software for brain connectivity analysis. Scientific Awards and Grants: Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship Swedish Research Council Alzheimerfonden Hjärnfonden StratNeuro New Technologies Grant 2025 Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research Senior Research Faculty Position Dr. Pereira actively mentors the next generation of neuroscientists, currently supervising 3 PhD students and 3 postdoctoral researchers, with additional co-supervision of 4 PhD students from other institutions. She has successfully guided 4 PhD students to completion of their theses. She also organizes the yearly conference 'Emerging Topics in Artificial Intelligence' since 2020. She leads the Brain Connectomics research group, which is part of the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet. The group is highly interdisciplinary, combining expertise from medicine, engineering, physics, and computer science to tackle complex questions in neuroscience. The group has developed BRAPH 2.0, a comprehensive software for brain connectivity analysis using graph theory and deep learning.
Mattias Sköld serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Neuroscience and Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Uppsala University, concurrently functioning as Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon at Akademiska Sjukhuset Uppsala and Senior Researcher in Neuroscience. His academic credentials include: M.D. from Karolinska Institutet (2003) Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Karolinska Institutet (2004) Medical Internship at Karolinska University Hospital (2004-2006) Neurosurgery residency at Akademiska Sjukhuset Uppsala (2006, 2012-2019) Sköld's research investigates traumatic nervous system injuries through methodologies ranging from in vitro cavitation models to animal studies, with military medicine applications forming a critical focus. His work examines blast-induced trauma mechanisms, neural regeneration pathways, and molecular responses to high-energy injuries, particularly emphasizing VEGF signaling and inflammatory cascades in neural repair processes. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals consistent exploration of blast injury modeling frameworks, peripheral nerve regeneration techniques using biomaterials, and temporal gene expression patterns following neural trauma across military and civilian contexts. No scientific awards are documented in the provided materials. He supervises Ph.D. students in both basic neuroscience and clinical neurosurgery domains. Current research is supported by Swedish Research Council grants including "Novel strategies for nervous tissue regeneration" (2020-2023) and previously "Targeted anti-inflammatory treatment in traumatic brain injuries" (2009-2010). Sköld leads Karolinska Institutet's Experimental Traumatology Research Unit and contributes to multiple NATO human factors and medicine task groups focused on brain injury modeling standards and combat casualty care performance metrics.
Irene Vikman is a Senior Lecturer at Luleå University of Technology, Department of Health, Education and Technology, Division of Health, Medicine and Rehabilitation. Her research focuses on physiotherapy, health promotion, and e-health solutions for stroke rehabilitation and aging populations. Recent publications highlight her work on internet-based interventions for stroke patients (e.g., the SEE 1.0 study) and biomechanical/motor control research in geriatrics, including dual-task walking analysis and fall prevention strategies. Collaborations include Maria Larsson-Lund, Lars Jacobsson, and other researchers in occupational therapy and physiotherapy. Her methodological expertise spans mixed-method feasibility studies, postural control analysis, and implementation science. She works with grants from the Kamprad Family Foundation and the Swedish Stroke Association.
Mattias Hedlund is an Associate Professor at Umeå University's Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, specializing in Physiotherapy. His clinical employment complements his academic role, focusing on exercise physiology and rehabilitation sciences. He leads research through the Physical performance across the life span (PAL) and Umeå Translational Respiratory EXercise group (U-TREX). Hedlund's research examines high-intensity interval training (HIIT) across populations, with emphases on: Supramaximal HIIT protocols for older adults and COPD patients Physiological and cognitive adaptations to exercise Extrapulmonary manifestations of respiratory diseases Exercise adherence and feasibility in clinical/community settings His publications demonstrate consistent focus on HIIT interventions, with recent methodological expansion into neurotrophic responses and cognitive impacts. Research predominantly appears in geriatrics, respiratory, and exercise science journals. Active research projects include: COPD-HIIT (2021-2028): Investigating HIIT effects on extrapulmonary manifestations The Umeå HIT Study (2019-2024): Examining HIIT in older adults
