
StratRegen - Strategic research area in stem cells and regenerative medicine
Stem cells play an important role in the development of tissues, and for maintenance and regeneration of tissues in adulthood. Research in this field is rapidly expanding our understanding of these processes. Stem cell therapies are established in clinical medicine for malignant as well as for non-malignant conditions and novel therapies are continuously developed and entered in preclinical and clinical trials.
Promoting Research
Outreach
Initiatives

Call for StratRegen Synergy Seed Funding Proposals 2025
Establishing Facilities/Resources for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research.
Funding Opportunity: StratRegen invites applications for seed funding to support the establishment of facilities or resources that will benefit and promote state-of-the-art research in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine at KI.
Application deadline: 25th of May 2025

StratRegen Research Grants 2025-2026
New initiatives
Do you have any ideas for new initiatives in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, suggestions for innovative collaborations or cutting-edge equipment, that can help drive the field forward?
Send us an e-Mail or talk to the steering group members.
The steering group is committed to implementing new ideas in the upcoming calls.
Promotion
Blueprints of Life: Cell fate choices and lineages
Dive into the fascinating world of cell fate decisions that underlie the variety of cell types in our bodies. Join top researchers in the field to uncover the blueprints of life!
22-23 of May 2025
Call for Interest: Short course on Human Organoids - Model Systems for Human Biology and Medicine
Are you a doctoral student at KI specializing in Genetics and Genomics, Neurosciences, Biomedicine, Biotechnology, or Physiology? Would you want to dive deep into the latest advancements in stem cells, iPSC characterization, and 3D organoid technology?
3-9 of July 2025, University of Barcelona
KI News in Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine

Cell atlas of the endometrium in women with PCOS may lead to better treatment
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) find it harder to get pregnant, have more frequent miscarriages and have a higher risk of developing endometrial cancer. Now, in a new study published in Nature Medicine, Swedish researchers have shown that the uterine lining of these women differs in terms of both the composition of individual cells and gene expression. The results open the door to new drug treatments.

Mapping of a gigantic salamander genome reveals secrets of regeneration
Researchers at 探花精选 have mapped the genome of the Iberian ribbed newt and revealed how the composition and organization of the DNA are linked to its ability to regenerate entire body parts.

New study reveals new insights into wound healing
A new study from 探花精选 maps the cellular and molecular dynamics of human wound healing in exceptional detail. The study was published in Cell Stem Cell.

New imaging method enables detailed RNA analysis of the whole brain
Researchers at 探花精选 and Karolinska University Hospital have developed a microscopy method that enables detailed three-dimensional (3D) RNA analysis at cellular resolution in whole intact mouse brains. The new method, called TRISCO, has the potential to transform our understanding of brain function, both in normal conditions and in disease, according to a study in Science.

First molecule identified that promotes gut healing while inhibiting tumour progression
Researchers at 探花精选 have found a molecule that can both help the intestines to heal after damage and suppress tumour growth in colorectal cancer. The discovery could lead to new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and cancer. The results are published in the journal Nature.

Researchers have created an atlas of human embryonic development
The Petropoulos and Lanner labs at CLINTEC created a reference map of early human embryo development. They also launched an 鈥樷 that accurately predicts cell types across different embryonic stages and datasets, with plans to expand as more data becomes available.

The human heart may have a hidden ability to repair itself
After severe heart failure, the ability of the heart to heal by forming new cells is very low. However, after receiving treatment with a supportive heart pump, the capacity of a damaged heart to repair itself with new muscle cells becomes significantly higher, even higher than in a healthy heart. This is according to a new study from 探花精选 published in the journal Circulation.

Blocking THBS1 with antibodies may heal radiotherapy induced skin injury
In a recently published study, researchers at 探花精选 and KI University Hospital show that radiotherapy (RT) creates an "epigenetic memory" in skin fibroblasts which impairs skin healing in cancer survivors. They also found that by targeting this memory with antibodies the damage could be reversed. This finding can lead to new therapies for both preventing and treating RT-induced skin issues.

New study on microRNAs could lead to better fertility treatment
Researchers at 探花精选 have mapped how small RNA molecules, such as the recently Nobel Prize-awarded microRNAs, control cell development in the human embryo during the first days after fertilisation. The findings, published in Nature Communications, may eventually contribute to improved fertility treatment.

Key molecule in wound healing identified
A new study from 探花精选 and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences has identified an RNA molecule that is important for skin wound healing. The research, published in Nature Communications, may have implications for the treatment of hard-to-heal wounds.

Understanding Liver Fibrosis: Insights from Alagille Syndrome
Researchers from 探花精选 and Charles University studying liver fibrosis have made an exciting new discovery, now published in EMBO Molecular Medicine. Their latest findings could pave the way for innovative approaches to treating this challenging condition.

New study reveals sex-specific gene expression in adipose stem cells in mice
Researchers at 探花精选 and AstraZeneca have discovered that gene expression in adipose stem cells varies according to sex and type of adipose tissue in mice. These findings may pave the way for future therapeutic interventions to increase the body's fat storage capacity and improve metabolism.

ERC Starting Grants awarded to
Elif Eroglu, research group leader at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB).
Project title: 鈥淭ightly Controlled 鈥 Tight Junctions and Tissue Mechanics as Sensors and Executers of Heart Regeneration鈥 and William A. Nyberg, assistant professor at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge. Project title: 鈥淚mproving CAR-T cell therapies through AAV-mediated genetic engineering鈥

ERC Proof of Concept f枚r andra g氓ngen till KI-forskaren Georgios Sotiriou
Docent Georgios Sotiriou tilldelas ERC Proof of Concept-anslaget fr氓n Europeiska forskningsr氓det (ERC). Syftet med Photocure-projektet 盲r dels att unders枚ka om en ljusaktiverad nanokompositfilm kan vara en effektiv behandling f枚r sv氓ra, infekterade s氓r som till exempel diabetiska fots氓r. Men ocks氓 att f枚rbereda steget fr氓n innovation till medicinteknisk produkt. Det 盲r andra g氓ngen Georgios Sotiriou tilldelas det prestigefyllda anslaget, och tredje g氓ngen han f氓r finansiering fr氓n ERC.

Scar formation after spinal cord injury is more complex than previously thought
New research reveals that scar formation after spinal cord injuries is more complex than previously thought. Scientists have identified two types of perivascular cells as key contributors to scar tissue, which hinders nerve regeneration and functional recovery. These findings are also relevant for other brain and spinal cord injuries and could lead to targeted therapies for reducing scarring and improving outcomes.

Findings in zebrafish give hope for future treatment of spinal cord injury
Zebrafish have a remarkable ability to heal their spinal cord after injury. Now, researchers at 探花精选 have uncovered an important mechanism behind this phenomenon 鈥 a finding that could have implications for the treatment of spinal cord injury in humans.

The Svedberg Prize to KI researcher Bj枚rn Reinius
The 2024 Svedberg Prize is awarded to Bj枚rn Reinius, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics at 探花精选, for his discoveries regarding the gene regulation mechanisms of the X chromosome and his substantial impact on COVID-19 clinical diagnostics.

Pauliina Damdimopoulou receives ERC Consolidator Grant for research on women's fertility
KI-researcher Pauliina Damdimopoulou has been awarded a EUR 2 million ERC Consolidator Grant (European Research Council) for the SAFER project (SAfeguarding female FERtility-development of human-relevant in vitro tools for reproductive toxicity). The research will investigate the impact of commonly occurring environmental chemical contaminants on women's reproductive health.
Stem cell legislation
Embryos and embryo models 鈥 the need for updated regulations for research on the early development of human life.
The Swedish National Council on Medical Ethics (Smer) urges the government to review the current rules for research on human embryos and stem cell-based embryo models. The regulatory framework needs to be updated to reflect scientific developments in embryo and stem cell research. In particular they suggest that the so-called 14-day rule, should be extended to 28 days.