Alumni of the Year: species under threat and safe perinatal care

"Sexual violence is surrounded by wordlessness"

Putting words to one’s experience of violence is a first step in being able to move on in life, explains Cecilia Bödker Pedersen, one of LiU’s Alumni of the Year. She is secretary general of an organisation for people subjected to sexual violence.

Climate denialism dominated by men

Knowledge about climate change is not enough to stop global warming. One of the LiU Alumni of the Year is Martin Hultman. He leads the world’s first researcher network for the study of climate change denialism.

Alumni of the year: climate denialism and sexual abuse

Cecilia Bödker Pedersen, general secretary of Storasyster, campaigns for a society free from sexual violence. Martin Hultman, docent at Chalmers, conducts research into why we do not act more forcefully against climate change.

Student residences blossoming in Colonia

A new student accommodation project is literally blossoming on Campus Valla, Linköping. It includes the first wall of plants on a multi-family building in Sweden, with well-designed apartments, and social areas for both study and relaxation.

Male and female researchers sitting in lab + machine Qpatch 48..

New machine speeds up trials on cells

LiU researchers have used high-throughput electrophysiology experiments with a borrowed machine to see how ion channels in cells are influenced by drugs. A new collaboration with the biotech industry.

Distance democracy during the pandemic

During the pandemic, we have seen how municipalities have held council meetings in sports arenas or outdoors. They have reduced the number of participants through voter offsetting and have transitioned to digital meetings at a record pace.

Humour that makes you think – cat research at LiU

Linguist Robert Eklund shares an Ig Nobel Prize with two other researchers for their work on how cats communicate with humans in different ways. The alternative Nobel Prizes are awarded to research that makes people laugh and then think.

Photo of the flag of the Swedish Church blowing in the wind against a blue sky with small clouds.

How should the church be governed?

The elections for the Church of Sweden will be held on 19 September. This year the focus is on how political the church should be, but the agenda also includes issues such as the environment, economy and education.

LiU’s reputation stronger than ever

Sifo Kantar Public has published its index that measures the reputations of Swedish institutions of higher education. It shows that Linköping University has had the greatest increase in reputation among the general public.

Reluctance to take responsibility threat to democracy

Democracy is a fortunate exception. Rule by the people is threatened by power-hungry strongmen, by conflicts between parties and groups, and by a reluctance to take responsibility. But help can come from unexpected places.

Species in polar regions hard hit by climate change

Many species will become extinct as a consequence of global warming. This is the prediction of a mathematical model developed at LiU. The simulations show that climate change will have a particularly large impact on ecosystems in polar regions.

Local democracy requires brave decision-makers

Every period faces challenges to democracy that must be faced. Threats and internet hate, for example, are serious problems for democracy in municipalities. Even so, local politics functions well, all things considered.

close-up of mobile phone held by a youth.

New method for consultations with young people on sexual ill-health

A procedure that uses written questions to identify visitors to youth clinics who have experienced or risk experiencing sexual ill-health is receiving high praise from personnel and visitors. This is the conclusion of a doctoral thesis from LiU.

Angela Fontan and Claudio Altafini discuss signed network theory.

Forming a government – how long will it take?

Researchers at LiU have used a new method to calculate how long it can take to form a government after a general election. They have also used the method to predict which political coalition is the most probable outcome.

Universal suffrage – not so universal?

When women gained the right to vote, it was not the dawn of universal suffrage in Sweden. The poor and criminals were excluded from the voting system, and even today certain groups remain so.

LiU supports vulnerable scholars

Academic freedom cannot be taken for granted. Linköping University joined the international network Scholars at Risk in June 2021. This network helps scholars who cannot work due to such factors as threats and persecution.

LiU climbs in global ranking list

Linköping University has made rapid progress upwards in global rankings. A newly published global list has LiU in place 283 – more than 100 places higher than in the list published last year.

Who votes in Sweden?

Voting rights and voter turnout are core concepts in democracies. Consequently, how many and which people vote are important indicators of how a democracy performs. Sweden has a high voter turnout but there are differences between groups.

Historical seeds reveal unique barley grown in the Storsjö district

Differences in long-distance trade can have significant effects on genetic diversity in agriculture. A study of 120-year-old seed samples from Jämtland shows that unique local varieties can develop when seed exchange instead takes place locally.

“It wouldn’t be too difficult to model Studenthuset in Lego, but the different sizes of the windows make it a bit of a challenge”, says Albin Hansson.

LiU student competes in Lego Masters

LiU student Albin Hansson (20) is competing this autumn in Lego Masters on TV4. His goal after completing his engineering master’s degree specialising in design and product development is to become a Lego designer.

close-up, the hand of a child in hospital bed.

Existing drug opens new possibilities for treating child leukemia

A new study has shown that the tumour-inhibiting gene TET2 is silenced in a large fraction of cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children. The scientists show that the gene can be reactivated by an existing drug.

Time for Kalas

On Wednesday 8 September, new and current students are welcome to the Kalas event. “Of course we hope that every student attends”, says Ronja Isaksson, one of this year’s two Kalas generals.

Mechanism behind compulsive alcohol use revealed

A small group of nerve cells in the brain determines whether an individual continues to consume alcohol even when it has negative consequences. The scientists have identified a mechanism that may be a suitable target for treatment by medication.

red junglefowl chick looking at mealworm through transparent plastic tube.

Impulsivity is influenced by early experiences and gene expression

Differences in impulsivity between individuals are linked to both experience and gene expression, according to a study on the ancestor of domestic chickens, the red junglefowl.

LiU researchers on the climate report: “A transition must come”

Research from Linköping University has contributed to the climate report from the UN’s IPCC, published on 9 August. “Sombre reading, but a proud day for science”, summarises Björn-Ola Linnér, professor of climate policy.

Visualisation Center C awarded at international film festival

Visualisation Center C at Campus Norrköping won the prize for best 3D film at the international film festival Fulldome Festival in Brno, Czech Republic, on July 30, 2021.

Red junglefowl (G. gallus) chicks from the study population at Linköping University.

Ancestral species of domesticated chickens seeks human contact

Species that are not domesticated can develop a social interaction with humans. Researchers noticed this when conducting a study on junglefowl. They hope that the findings will stimulate further studies into how contact with humans arises.

Karola Reuterström (Stora Lövhulta gård), Per Frankelius (Linköpings universitet) and Mattias Larsson (Abbotnäs säteri).

Climate-smart farming robot solves problems

An invention by researcher Per Frankelius and farmers in the region of Sörmland could be an important step in the electrification of agriculture. It also solves other problems such as hard-packed soil, emissions and poorer harvests.

Smart cameras for conservation biology

Machine learning and smart cameras will be used to make it easier to monitor the large animals in African nature reserves. The technology has been developed by scientists and students at Linköping University.

Motivating apps should offer more than entertainment

Researchers from Linköping University are planning to use gamification, techniques from game development, to encourage heart patients to increase physical activity, and school pupils to improve their maths skills.

A new look at colour displays

Researchers at Linköping University have developed a method that may lead to new types of displays based on structural colours. The discovery opens the way to cheap and energy-efficient colour displays and electronic labels.

Reception activities for new students, autumn 2021

The reception period should be an experience for new students to treasure for the rest of their lives. This year’s reception will be affected by the pandemic, but the situation is sufficiently under control to plan for class-based physical meetings.

Researchers to gain access to high-quality modern labs

Researchers in biomedicine and biotechnology have now completely new opportunities for access to specialised equipment at some of the best facilities. LiU is one of the 13 nodes in MOSBRI, a European research infrastructure for molecular biophysics.

Jesper Edberg, Patrik Isacsson, and Isak Engquist with a roll of electronic paper.

Large-scale manufacture of electronic paper

A team that includes researchers from LiU has developed an electronic paper that can be manufactured on an industrial scale. Long-term uses of the paper include the construction of thin batteries and supercapacitors.

MXenes – the future of nanotechnology

Artificial kidneys, powerful batteries and efficient water purification are some of the future applications of a group of ultrathin materials known as MXenes.

New material can increase boiler efficiency

Detective work in the laboratory and sitting at a scanning electron microscope have increased our knowledge of stainless steel. The results may lead to new materials to the boilers of power plants with higher efficiency and lower emissions.

201011 Ledarskap i klassrummet - lrarstudent Adam Nordstrm Andersson undervisar virtuella elever med handledare Cecilia Sveider och Marcus Samuelsson, p Linkpings universitet den 11 oktober 2020 i Linkping.
Foto: Peter Holgersson / BILDBYRN / COP 102 / PH0026

Virtual pupils make for more confident teachers

Teacher training students who practised teaching virtual pupils developed greater confidence in their teaching ability, according to a study from LiU. In the long term, simulation can make the students better prepared for their workforce debut.

12,000 scientific articles a year – can they all be wrong?

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is often used to determine the chemical composition of materials. It is accepted as a standard method in materials science. Researchers at LiU, however, have shown that the method is often used erroneously.

Distance and timing are factors insegregation

How does segregation arise? When does it arise? A thesis shows that the timing, geographical vicinity and the influence of others are all significant when areas become segregated. The size of the areas also affects the result.

Jan-Ingvar Jönsson, rektor på Linköpings universitet (2020 - )

Vice-chancellor given leading role in European consortium

LiU’s vice-chancellor Jan-Ingvar Jönsson has been selected as a member of the presidium of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU), a network of 13 research-intense universities.

New tools to investigate abnormal blood flow

Images of a patient’s aorta, eight years of research and LiU’s supercomputer – this combination lies behind new tools to visualise blood flow in abnormal blood vessels. They may improve our ability to predict serious diseases.

Emil Axelsson and Tomas Forsyth Rosin outside an entrance to Linköping University in Norrköping

Friendship paved the way for their careers

Tomas Forsyth Rosin is a developer at Spotify; Emil Axelssonhas similar duties at Apple. They became inseparable friends while studying Media Technology and Engineering, an MSc programme at LiU.

SEK 15 million for research into Covid-19 vaccination

A research project coordinated by LiU has been awarded more than SEK 15 million by the Swedish Research Council to evaluate vaccination against Covid-19.

Fewer injuries increases probability of success in football

The campaign for football glory in EURO 2020 has started. “Keeping your players healthy increases your chances of success”, says Martin Hägglund, who works with elite football players and their injuries.

New knowledge can contribute to healthier tap water

Some of the substances used to purify water can affect our health. A thesis presented at LiU illuminates the role played by a relatively unknown group of disinfection by-products in the treatment process and how they can reach the taps in our homes.

Petter Krus together with professor Viktor De Negri and professor Xiaoping Ouyang (Zhejiang University, China).

Brazil: More than samba dancing

Brazil is more than samba dancing, football and sun-drenched beaches – and it’s more than rain forests and a controversial president. It’s also a country with important research and many talented scientists. Just ask Petter Krus.

Graphic illustration of circular economy.

Using cost analysis to bring circularity

Life-cycle cost analysis is a powerful tool to make companies more resource-efficient and enable them to adopt new business models. There are, however, several factors that hinder its use. “Money talks”, says the researcher.

He studies how to treat loneliness – with online therapy

Some 5% of the Swedish population report that they feel alone – often or always. Doctoral student and LiU graduate Anton Käll is studying methods used in internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for helping people with loneliness.

LiU climbs in global ranking

Linköping University has taken a major step upwards on a newly published global ranking list. The QS World University Rankings put LiU at place 329 among global universities – 33 places higher than last year.

Better results when AI and humans collaborate

Artificial intelligence that doesn’t take into account human operators creates problems. Now LiU researchers are building a system where AI and humans work together to control air traffic.

New light on making two-dimensional polymers

Researchers from Linköping University, among others, has developed a method to manufacture two-dimensional polymers with the thickness of a single molecule. The discovery paves the way to new ultrathin and functional materials.

She works to reduce carbon dioxide emissions

Emily Rodriguez came to Linköping from the US in 2011. She earned a master’s in environmental science and left to work in Rome, New York and Brussels before returning to LiU. She’s back here now, working on her doctoral thesis.

A drug from resin to combat epileptic seizures

New molecules, developed by researchers at Linköping University, have promising properties as possible drugs against epilepsy. A study published in the journal Epilepsia shows that several of the molecules have antiseizure effects.

Ethical issues emerge when Holocaust stories are digitalised

Digitalisation is sweeping across Europe. The political ambitions are high, and accessibility and democratisation are keywords. But when it's time to digitalise the cultural heritage of Sweden, ethical issues emerge.

Victorian romantic couple whirls while dancing together.

A translated book is not the same as the original

When Lars Liljegren started to study English translations of works by Swedish author August Strindberg, he discovered that some had been given a completely new guise.

New ultrathin material created under extreme pressure

An international research team with members from Linköping University has discovered a new material with a thickness of a single layer of atoms. The properties of the material, beryllonitrene, are similar to those of graphene.

Coronavirus spurred research across disciplines

As the corona pandemic swept across the world, virologists and protein chemists rapidly joined forces and started to collaborate. Together they were able to develop ways to test the immune response after infection, and help the healthcare system.

Woman holding a cell phone with the app Healthy moms.

App helps pregnant women to a healthy lifestyle

Researchers have developed and evaluated an app that helps women achieve a healthy weight gain during a pregnancy. Using the app contributed to a better diet. Pregnant women with overweight or obesity who received the app also gained less weight.

Niklas Sundell and Jonathan Olsson in Aveiro, Portugal.

Student exchange in Portugal during pandemic

Exchange studies in the middle of the pandemic – what is that like? For Niklas Sundell and Jonathan Olsson the spring term in Portugal was a gamble – that paid off.

Vulnerable payment systems: when the customers can’t pay

What would happen if it was suddenly not possible to pay with a credit or debit card? As part of a research project, county administrators, politicians, and stores have played a simulation game, to help them prepare for handling an emergency.

Technology to stop poaching

The black market in rhinoceros horn is worth billions of dollars, and poaching is driving the species towards extinction. However, the drive against poaching is now to be given new impetus with the aid of the most recent technology.

Senior woman touching pregnant daughter's belly at home

May I have your uterus?

Progress is being made in research into uterus transplantation. But to receive a transplanted uterus, it’s necessary to find a donor yourself, and recent research at LiU shows that this can create challenges.

One-sided image of older people in social media

Healthy and social. This is the image given of older people in the social media from a Swedish municipality. It is a relatively one-sided image and it may reinforce stereotypes, according to a doctoral thesis presented by Wenqian Xu.

Solving a double murder arouses international interest

The use of DNA-based genealogy to solve a double murder opens new possibilities in crime investigation. LiU researchers are spreading new knowledge about the technology, which brings hope to police forces and has aroused major international interest.

How to energy renovate older residential buildings

A new strategy for the energy renovation of older residential buildings would open opportunities to save energy and money, while reducing impact on the climate. The current guidelines do not take enough consideration of the type of house.

Per Jensen, professor i etologi - djurens beteende.

Per Jensen is awarded the NSS school collaboration prize

Per Jensen, professor of ethology, is the first to receive a newly established prize at the Faculty of Engineering, Linköping University: NSS School Collaboration Prize.

Pandemic models were inaccurate, but helped understanding

Several models of Covid-19 have been developed to predict the development of the pandemic in Sweden. A new report shows that the models helped us to understand the development of the pandemic, but at the same time it illuminates some deficiencies.

young woman measures her blood glucose levels.

Diabetes vaccine gives promising results in a genetic subgroup

A clinical study has investigated whether immunotherapy against type 1 diabetes can preserve the body’s own production of insulin. The results suggest that injection of a protein, GAD, into lymph nodes can be effective in a subgroup of individuals.

New initiative to study how knowledge circulates through society

The nature of knowledge, and how it is created, spread, and regulated are highly topical issues that will be researched at a hub being established at Linköping University.

LiU research on IVA’s 100 List

With its focus on crisis preparedness and on society’s ability to manage these, the research programmes are assessed as having great potential to benefit society.

Research results challenge a decades-old mechanism of how we hear sounds

Researchers have made several discoveries on the functioning mechanisms of the inner hair cells of the ear, which convert sounds into nerve signals. The results challenge the current picture of the hearing organ, which has prevailed for decades.

Long-term stress in dogs linked to the owner-dog relationship

The relationship a dog has with its owner is related to its stress level. This is the conclusion of a newly published study from LiU. The results also suggest that the link between stress and the owner’s personality traits differs between dog breeds.

High voltage towers in the dusk of the evening.

SEK 9 million for research into a sustainable energy megagame

Researchers at LiU, among others, have been awarded SEK 9 million from the Swedish Energy Agency for an interdisciplinary research project to develop a megagame intended to contribute to the development of future sustainable energy systems.

Mohammad Azharuddin and Jorma Hinkula in the laboratory.

Full range of vaccine methods against coronavirus

Less than a year after the new coronavirus had been discovered, the first vaccines were ready for use, developed in record time. How do the corona vaccines differ from vaccines against influenza? And what happens when the virus mutates?

Keeping Baljan warm – even while closed

Teaching by remote methods and student life on hold, right? Well, two students from the two cafés run by the student sections, Baljan and Byttan, describe how they maintain commitment and enthusiasm even in the days of the pandemic.

New conductive polymer ink opens for next-generation printed electronics

Researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, have developed a stable high-conductivity polymer ink. The advance paves the way for innovative printed electronics with high energy efficiency. The results have been published in Nature Communications.

Studenter pÃ¥ FolkhÃ¶gskollÃ¤rarprogrammet.

50-year-old aims to foster democracy

The Folk High School Teacher Programme at Linköping University has turned fifty. But its aim of strengthening and developing democracy is just as relevant as when it started – if not more.

Building a strong team, Wooden blocks with people icon on pink background, Human resources and management concept.

How networks reduce gender segregation

The social science literature has long viewed homophily and network-based job recruitments as crucial drivers of segregation, but researchers at Linköping University and ESADE, Ramon Llull University show that this view must be revised.

An ion pump to deliver chemotherapy agents to the brain

Despite surgery and subsequent treatment with chemotherapy and radiation, the majority of patients experience recurrence of malignant brain tumours. Researchers at LiU have shown that an ion pump can be used to treat brain cancer.

Tractor spreading fertiliser in a field.

Biogas from excrement to reduce environmental impact

Researchers at LiU have shown that coordinated management of excrement from animals and humans could save nearly EUR 100 million each year. The key is to produce the biogas from the excrement before it is used as fertiliser.

A generous man ahead of his time

A man ahead of his time who made important contributions to computer science and who was ever willing to share his knowledge. The description is that of Harold “Bud” Lawson, founder of a scholarship at Linköping University.

Industrial design – between creativity and efficiency

Good design requires balance. It must be new, but not too deviant, while at the same time satisfying considerations of economy, function and market needs. It must also be easy to use for new products and easy to adapt to future needs.

A breakthrough that enables practical semiconductor spintronics

Future quantum computers might use electron spin to process information. Researchers have now constructed a component in which information can be efficiently exchanged between electron spin and light – at room temperature and above.

The cost of a uterine transplantation

Sweden’s acclaimed research on uterine transplants has taken a new step forward – into the field of health economics. Researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy and LiU have for the first time estimated on a scientific basis the cost of the treatment.

Karin Ackerholm presents the global goals for sustainable development.

Creative collaboration with human rights organisation

LiU Innovation and the human rights organisation Civil Rights Defenders have been working together for two years on new innovation processes. LiU students have played a central role in the work.

Two projects receive grants from Horizon 2020

LiU has been awarded two EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships for international postdocs. The projects will look at soft microrobots and how cancer spreads to the bones.

Sweden’s fastest supercomputer for AI now online

Berzelius is now Sweden’s fastest supercomputer for AI and machine learning, and has been installed at NSC at LiU. A donation of EUR 29.5 million from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation has made the construction possible.

A light-green thin sheet is immersed in water.

New material promising for making renewable energy from water

One prospective source of renewable energy is hydrogen gas produced from water with the aid of sunlight. LiU researchers have developed a material that exhibits promising properties to capture solar energy and split water for hydrogen gas production.

Schools play an important role in revealing violence in the home

The government wants to define forcing children to witness intimate partner violence as a crime. A new book published by two LiU researchers discusses the responsibility of preschools and schools when children experience violence in the home.

Research to combat designer drugs

Researchers are involved in the campaign to make designer drugs illegal as quickly as possible. Henrik Gréen investigates how new psychoactive substances act, and why some designer drugs are more lethal than others.

A boost for interdisciplinary science turns 25

Some 200 doctoral students and 50 postdocs have attended the graduate school / network Forium Scientium positioned at the intersection of medicine, technology and science. For 25 years, Forum has gained momentum and maintained its relevance.

Tidy up: Feel better

During the corona pandemic, we have had to get used to spending a lot of time within the four walls of home. But do we feel comfortable in our homes? Social worker and LiU alumna Clara Johansson changed her life in midstream and became tidying coach.

Two researchers discuss a digital image of tissue.

Major new project for AI in digital pathology

The Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization participates in a major European collaboration for artificial intelligence in digital pathology. The project has received financing from the Innovative Medicines Initiative under Horizon 2020.

Upset mixed race woman suffering from bullying, discrimination, excluded girl having problem with bad friends, feeling offended and hurt, sitting alone in cafe, avoiding people, social outcast

Foreign-born run greater risk of workplace bullying

The risk of being bullied at work is twice as high if you were born abroad. And if you come from a culture that is culturally dissimilar to Sweden’s, the risk is even higher. These are the results of a study from LiU.

Jan-Ingvar Jönssons fredagsjobbar första gången i Campus Norrköping

Interview with vice-chancellor: Reduced travel can be effect of pandemic

LiU’s vice-chancellor Jan-Ingvar Jönsson sees many effects of the corona crisis. A reduction in travel might be a permanent one.

Symbol for electric car on green background.

Clean fuels not always so green

A vehicle with zero emissions can have a large impact on the environment when the complete life cycle is considered. A study shows the significance of electricity production for the emission of greenhouse gases from fuels.

Technical Oscar for film industry improvements

Swedish company ftrack, with the three LiU alumni Fredrik Limsäter, Björn Rydahl and Mattias Lagergren at its head, has been awarded a scientific and technical Oscar for its project management system – a tool to improve the film industry.

adult hand holding the hand of a prematurely born baby.

Probiotics increase gut bacteria diversity in extremely preterm infants

Extremely preterm infants can suffer from a life-threatening inflammation of the gut. A new study has shown that supplements of a lactic acid bacterium may have positive effects by increasing the diversity of intestinal bacteria in these infants.

Student Health is there for the students – even in distance mode

Student Health meets students who, for instance, feel isolated and have problems with motivation. The questions haven’t changed but the problems are increasingly corona-related.

View from the inside of the magneto-optic instrument.

The mystery of the missing energy – solved

The efficiency of solar cells can be increased by exploiting a phenomenon known as singlet fission. A research group led by scientists at Linköping University has discovered what happens during singlet fission and where the lost energy goes.

Alumni of the Year: species under threat and safe perinatal care

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A passion for protecting biological diversity

Care for the newly delivered gives Alumna of the Year award

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