Karolinska Institutet has received a donation aimed for research that provides an immediate benefit in treating COVID-19 and also for the development of a biobank, useful for studies both now and in the future.

“This donation enables groundbreaking research within the medical field that is most critical today. In addition it deepens existing and important collaborations,” says Ole Petter Ottersen, Principal, Karolinska Institutet.

“We are very happy to be able to contribute to research focusing on this global pandemic. This new biobank could make essential data available for current and future research in order to learn more about the coronavirus,” says Peter Hofvenstam, CEO, Nordstjernan, a family owned investment company..

A biobank will be established

The donations targets a joint research effort between Karolinska Institutet and the Karolinska University Hospital about how the new coronavirus causes the COVID-19 infection. This knowledge will be used to improve treatments and determine which pharmaceuticals that have the best effect.

For this research a biobank will be established to enable also future studies and benefit Karolinska Institutet’s research about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.

This research is coordinated by Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren, professor at Karolinska Institutet.

Photo of Hans Gustaf Ljunggren: Karolinska Institutet