From computers to cats – a linguist who wants to understand

Two new Wallenberg Academy Fellows at LiU

Researchers Olaf Hartig and Alexander Gillett have been appointed Wallenberg Academy Fellows at LiU. The five-year grants are intended to make it possible for young researchers to make important scientific breakthroughs.

Developing soft electronic devices mimicking the brain

Simone Fabiano, senior associate professor at the Laboratory of Organic Electronics, has been granted SEK 23 million from the ERC to develop a new type of soft electronic device inspired by the human brain.

The temperature is rising ahead of this year’s climate summit

Her passport is already on her desk. Maria Jernnäs at Tema M - Environmental Change is ready to leave for this year’s climate summit in Dubai. But despite the increasingly acute climate threat, she does not think negotiations will be easy.

Digital threads built on AI in a new research project

Linköping University, Volvo Construction Equipment, Bosch Thermoteknik, Mälardalen University, and Addiva are joining forces to advance resource efficiency and promote a circular economy in the Swedish manufacturing industry.

Internship at the centre of world politics

Nugzari Batsikadze is a master’s student at LiU on an internship at the Swedish Embassy in Washington. His duties include sitting in on hearings in the Senate, for example, when the head of Microsoft answers questions about the future of AI.

Learning to read in times of alternative facts

Teaching children to read and write has always been a major task for our schools, but developments in society require a new, broader view of what this means, according to researcher Ulrika Bodén at LiU.

Reducing construction transport movements in cities

Construction transport in cities creates major disruption. This can be greatly reduced. But it requires better planning and management at an early stage in construction projects.

New lab, but still the same

Following a fire, the lab at TEMAM has been under restoration since 2020. Now that it is finished, most of it looks the same as before, as nobody could think of any changes they would like to make to the premises.

A professor drawn to thorny issues

An doctoral student position was what brought Tünde Puskas to Sweden. She is now a professor whose motivation is researching areas no one has looked into before – such as how integration, religion and death are dealt with in pre-school context.

Emotions often defeat sense in healthcare priority setting

Emotions tend to get the upper hand in healthcare decisions. This is shown in a Linköping University study. The results may explain why effective use of healthcare resources is so slow in the making, according to the researchers.

Developing a reliable ChatGPT for European languages

Reliable, open and sustainable – those are the qualities aimed for in a ChatGPT for European languages including Swedish. The project is carried out in collaboration with organisations from Germany, Iceland, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands.

Continued funding for textile muscles

Edwin Jager (IFM) along with his co-applicant Nils-Krister Persson (Swedish School of Textiles) recently received the exciting news of continued funding for their project "Textile muscles for augmenting garments" from the Erling-Perssons Foundation.

Development of new trainer aircraft takes off with new collaboration

Eight students from Washington State University (WSU) have landed at LiU. They are the first intakes in the new four-way collaboration between LiU, WSU and aircraft manufacturers Saab and Boeing.

LiU invests in five new test laboratories

Cybersecurity and AI in education are two focus areas in LiU new test laboratory initiative. A total of SEK 40 million goes to initiatives supporting LiU’s ambition to think freely and innovate in the area of education and research.

Collaboration to combat juvenile delinquency against all odds

Collaboration is seen as an important tool for public agencies tasked with helping young people at risk of being drawn into crime. But collaboration partners way too often end up being disappointed with each other and with the meagre results.

New research to improve chances for children from disadvantaged areas

What are the consequences of growing up in a disadvantaged area? And what measures could improve young people’s chances? These are issues that a new research project at LiU will investigate, with the aim of providing tangible advice to policy makers.

A step towards AI-based precision medicine

AI which finds patterns in complex biological data could eventually contribute to the development of individually tailored healthcare. Researchers have developed an AI-based method applicable to various medical and biological issues.

Gulls spread dangerous bacteria around the world

Gulls can sometimes be a nuisance for people who want to enjoy a picnic or an ice cream. They can also be carriers of genes that make bacteria resistant to antibiotics. This is shown by the research led by Jonas Bonnedahl.

Different income groups increasingly isolated from each other

People with the same level of income increasingly live in the same kind of areas. This is shown in new research from Linköping University, where changes in income segregation in Sweden have been investigated for almost 30 years.

Antiviral drugs could preserve capacity to produce insulin in type 1 diabetes patients

Antiviral drug treatment could preserve the remaining capacity to release insulin in children recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, according to a new study by Scandinavian researchers.

Hans’s part-time retirement on hold following request from the Bonnier family

Not everyone suddenly gets an email from Carl-Johan Bonnier with an invitation to a meeting at Bonnier’s head office in Stockholm. But this happened to Professor Hans Sjögren.

Immune system ageing can be revealed by CT scan

Thymus may play a bigger role in the immune system of adults than was previously believed. With age, the glandular tissue in the thymus is replaced by fat, but the rate at which this happens is linked to sex, age and lifestyle factors.

Solar cell material can assist self-driving cars in the dark

Material used in organic solar cells can be used as light sensors in electronics. This is shown by researchers at LiU who have developed a type of sensor able to detect circularly polarised red light. Their study is published in Nature Photonics.

New network with a focus on women's health

Researcher Lisa Guntram gets funding to launch a network dedicated to exploring and confronting the marginalisation of women's health. This will be the world's first research network on women's health with a focus on social sciences and humanities.

SEK 13 million for research into solving murders using AI

Was it murder, poisoning or was the death maybe caused by disease? Researchers have now been granted SEK 13 million from the Swedish Research Council to develop a methodology to solve crimes using detailed analyses and artificial intelligence.

Agnes and Emma awarded for their thesis

Civil engineers Agnes Karlén and Emma Torstensson received an award of SEK 30,000, for their master's thesis on composite materials .

Pioneering safe chemotherapy methods for treating infections

Antibiotic resistant bacteria are a threat to human lives, and yet the development of new drugs is slow. A group of proven cancer drugs could possibly be the solution. A new class of antibiotics is now being developed by researchers at LiU.

Quantum communication tested on a large scale

So-called quantum encryption will ensure the security of sensitive information – but this new technology has to be tested outside the lab environment. LiU is therefore taking part in a project studying secure communication channels of the future.

Nixon - with the right to break in

He has worked all over the world, finding weaknesses in supposedly foolproof computer systems. He has found hackers that were then brought to justice. This year’s Alumnus of the Year, is ready to crack down on cyber attacks and computer intrusion.

“My motivation is to make a difference”

With her great drive, knowledge and commitment, Amanda Borneke has come to be the sustainability profile of the construction industry. This year’s Alumna of the Year always sees opportunities and likes an uphill challenge.

Alumni of the Year are experts in IT security and sustainable construction

Leif Nixon has worked in IT security for many years, hacking and defending almost everything you can think of. Amanda Borneke inspires the construction industry to step up its sustainability efforts. These two are the 2023 Alumni of the Year.

LiU participates in project to measure consensus in science

Would it be possible to launch worldwide surveys to determine scientific consensus on a particular issue? If so, could this be a cure for disinformation? Linköping University has joined a project to test this.

Ingemarsson’s new donation to boost interdisciplinarity

Cross-border collaboration and interdisciplinarity are gaining importance in our society. This is something that Ingemar Ingemarsson wants to support. With a new large donation, he is setting up a foundation to award a prize for interdisciplinarity.

Moral and AI must go hand in hand

Moral considerations is one of the things that a safe computer system must be able to handle in the future, according to Erik Sandewall, professor emeritus at LiU.

LiU gets new competence centre – close collaborations with industry

Vinnova is investing more than SEK 30 million in a new competence centre in autonomous systems and advanced mathematical methods at LiU. Climate change and global security are to be the focus of the research groups.

They fall more easily for conspiracy theories

People who primarily use their own gut feeling to determine what is true and false are more likely to believe conspiracy theories. That is the conclusion of researchers at Linköping University.

Three LiU researchers share SEK 53 million from the ERC

Three researchers at LiU have received European Research Council Starting grants awarded to promising researchers. Their research areas are new cancer treatment, materials development and how people are affected by grief.

Better cybersecurity with new material

Digital information exchange can be safer, cheaper and more environmentally friendly with the help of a new type of random number generator for encryption developed at LiU. The technology paves the way for a new type of quantum communication.

Björn-Ola Linnér: I am a frustrated optimist

Climate researcher Björn-Ola Linnér never imagined an academic career. Here you can hear him talk about the road to  becoming a professor and, as a researcher, active in the environmental debate.

Research centre to bring hope to kidney patients

Kidney disease is more common than people realise. By 2040, kidney failure may be the fifth most common cause of death, if nothing is done. With the Ingrid Asp Kidney Research Center, LiU will drive the development of knowledge and new treatments.

International students arrive with great expectations

How do you get your LiU Card? Where is the gym? How do you get a bike? And what are those overalls people are wearing?

Luxury brands practice 'green-hushing' to retain customers

Does the sense of luxury and opulence disappear when an exclusive item is marketed as green or sustainable? A new  research reveals that European luxury brands downplay their environmental and sustainability efforts to avoid losing customers.

Author Ola Larsmo appointed to Moa Martinson visiting professorship

How can novels be used to discover unexpected aspects of history? How can we prevent the falsification of history? These are some of the issues that are in focus for Ola Larsmo on his appointment to the Moa Martinson visiting professorship.

Susanna Alakoski: “I wanted to add the voice of the city suburbs to the professor’s pen”

Writing courses, discussions about burning social issues, collaborations with researchers and conversations with those living in vulnerable conditions. Her time at LiU has been filled with what engages her most: writing and social issues.

Young LiU PhD students in noble company

At the end of June, more than 600 young researchers and 40 Nobel laureates from around the world were invited to the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. Present in Germany were two LiU PhD students who had the experience of their lives.

Electrification of heavy transports requires new thinking

Electrification of heavy transports places new and high demands on planning for vehicle use and charging. Researchers at LiU have launched a project with the final aim of developing calculation software for planning routes for electric trucks.

LiU and Brazil deepen collaboration in AI

Fredrik Heintz is to be one of two chairpersons of a new bilateral working group on AI between Sweden and Brazil. He hopes that the collaboration will lead to more research projects and exchanges between LiU and Brazil.

Fast electrical signals mapped in plants with new technology

What happens inside the carnivorous plant Venus Flytrap when it catches an insect? New technology has led to discoveries about the electrical signalling that causes the trap to snap shut.

Discovery reveals how cells respond to each other

The same message can be interpreted differently by different individuals – also among cells. This is shown in a study by researchers at Linköping University who studied cell communication.

LiU supports Ukrainian students to continue their academic journey

LiU embraced eight Ukrainian students amidst the ongoing war. With the Erasmus+ scholarships, their academic journey continued, defying adversity.

Gut flora disrupted many years before onset of child rheumatism

A study by researchers from LiU and the University of Florida is the first study to point to the role of early life gut flora in developing child rheumatism, the cause of which is not yet known.

How the ear can inform the brain of whether hearing is impaired

What happens in the ear in hearing impairment caused by harmful noise? According to a study from LiU, a signal from the cochlea probably gives the brain information on whether the ear is functioning normally or not.

LiU retains its strong position among the world’s young universities

Linköping University is still the highest ranked Swedish university in the Times Higher Education ranking of young universities. In 39th place, LiU retains roughly the same position as last year.

Dementia is not the end of learning

People with dementia still have the ability to learn new things despite their illness. This is the conclusion of a doctoral thesis recently presented at Linköping University.

Materials science at the service of humankind

Artificial nerve cells, electronic plants, cheap solar cells and new types of diodes are all examples of materials science conducted at Linköping University. Research and development of new  materials could be a major key to a sustainable future.

Future car travel may be cheaper – and more expensive

Fuel taxes are an important source of income for the government. So what happens when most of the vehicle fleet has been electrified? Most effective would be increased congestion tax in larger cities, researchers at LiU concludes in a new study.

Big leap for LiU in ranking of top global universities

Linköping University makes a big leap in QS World University Rankings. LiU is now in 268th place among the world’s top universities – higher than ever before.

Digital autopsies with 3D visualisation technology

It is already possible to perform part of the autopsy with the assistance of mixed reality, and fully digital autopsies might be achieved in the future. In the long term, this technology could render autopsies more efficient and legally certain.

“We’re beginning to understand post-COVID better now”

The understanding of why some people experience lingering symptoms following COVID-19 has increased rapidly. Swedish researchers have now published an overview of research findings on breathing and heart function problems in post-COVID condition.

The quest for sustainable livelihoods in the Amazon

The journey on the river from Tefé to the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve in Brazil normally takes around three hours. But things are not normal the researchers from Linköping discover.

She combines plants and technology for a sustainable future

Eleni Stavrinidou is principal investigator at Electronic plants at Linköping University’s Laboratory of Organic Electronics. Her vision is to develop technologies that will enable new discoveries in plant biology.

Starting grants for research on child participation and public health

Two researchers from Linköping University have been awarded a total of nearly 6 million SEK by the Forte Research Council. The projects focus on investigative conversations with children and the governance of local public health work.

Her heart beats for cricket

Sai Shivani Devata is a LiU student who studies biomedicine and has always been interested in sports. A few years ago, she got hooked on cricket, and now the sport has stolen her heart.

Researching gut bacteria as protection against disease

Did the bacteria in your guts when you were a baby impact your risk of future disease? We have talked to researcher studying whether diseases such as type 1 diabetes and allergy could be prevented by promoting the right bacteria early in life.

European supercomputer to be located at LiU

Linköping University has been selected to host a new supercomputer – Arrhenius. It will be one of the world’s fastest supercomputers and a resource for researchers in academia, industry and the public sector across Europe.

LiU student creates affordable voice-controlled prosthesis

Imagine having a hand prosthesis for only 250 euros that you can control with your own voice. That's exactly what Pablo Montoyo Gomis, an exchange student from Spain, has developed.

The Malmstens programme changed Sebastián's life

People around me said it was impossible. And my portfolio has to be the ugliest they'd seen. But I was accepted into the Malmstens cabinetmaking programme, on Lidingö.

Virtual worlds and 3D objects – the digital future of museums

Virtual environments or 3D objects printed directly into the classroom. Linköping University and the Museum of Östergötland are starting a research collaboration to find new and better ways to utilise technology.

Why women with multiple sclerosis get better when pregnant

Women suffering from multiple sclerosis temporarily get much better when pregnant. Researchers have now identified the beneficial changes naturally occurring in the immune system during pregnancy. The findings can show the way to new treatments.

Una is living her dog dream

She did a little bit of everything at home in Greece, but knew all along that she wanted to study animals, especially dogs, and their behaviour. A simple Google search led her to LiU, and she has now completed her dream education.

Pioneer with animals’ best interests at heart

What do animals do? What do they think? Do they have feelings? These are questions that have fascinated people through the ages and represent a field of research of their own. In ethology, Linköping professor Per Jensen is one of the leading figures.

Personal development comes with the job

“It’s fun and challenging to be a doctorate student. I enjoy doing research, and now I know it’s something I want to keep doing,” says Lisa Lundin. Her time at LiU has included research into digital customer journeys.

“That’s something I’ll take home with me”

The collaboration between LiU and the NIE has seen positive effects – on several levels. When Tristan Chua returns to Singapore he does so having gained exciting insights. At the same time, teacher Edvin Jensen has got ideas he wants to introduce.

Sajjad: If I had stayed they would have killed me

As the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021, Mohammad Sajjad Afsharzada realised that he had to flee. Now he is in Sweden, where Linköping University has accepted him through the international network Scholars at risk. But the future is uncertain.

European investment in research into corneal diseases

Researchers at Linköping University are taking part in the largest European investment to date into diseases of the cornea. The aim is to restore vision in people with severe and rare eye diseases.

Faster narcotics classification of Internet drugs with new method

NPS, new psychoactive substances, are substances developed to affect the brain in a similar way to illegal drugs. Researchers have set up a rapid method for measuring the effect of new NPS and provide scientific basis for narcotics classification.

A teacher can choose to be committed

What makes a really good teacher? Commitment and maybe the ability to get up early in the morning. When the first two award winners of Ingemars Lärarpris get together, the discussion ranges from teachers as role models to students who learn for life.

School closures inefficient in combatting segregation, simulation shows

In recent years, municipalities have sometimes closed schools dominated by students of immigrant background to counter segregation. But according to new computer simulations at Linköping University, this method seldom gives the desired result.

Ulrika Ådén to be inaugurated as new professor of paediatric medicine

Modern intensive care technology means that more and more prematurely born babies are surviving. Less attention has been given to what happens to them afterwards. Ulrika Ådén wants to change this situation through new research.

LiU’s first jubilee doctors will be honoured at the Academic Celebration

This year’s annual Academic Celebration, on 26–27 May 2023, will have a new feature. As the very first Academic Ceremony in Linköping took place in 1973, LiU will now, for the first time, be able to award the title of jubilee doctor.

Great inequality in international athletics

Athletes from less affluent countries need more education on health to prevent injuries during hard training. But knowing more can also be a risk. This is the conclusion in a new study from Linköping University on inequality in athletics.

Christer Gilén is making a long-term investment in LiU

Christer Gilén is deepening his relationship with LiU by setting up a new foundation with a capital of SEK five million. He wants to incentivising outstanding students and boost research at LiU with the aim of finding new applications for technology.

The brain reacts differently to touch depending on context

The touch of another person may increase levels of the “feelgood” hormone oxytocin. But the context really matters. The situation impacts oxytocin levels not only in the moment, but also later, as is shown in a new study.

LiU remains attractive

Linköping University is once again among the most attractive employers in the country in a new survey and ranking of the 150 largest employers. After last year’s top ten position, LiU is in 17th place this year.

Best liquids to maximise antioxidant content in spinach smoothies

Different market products give very different results when it comes to liberating the antioxidant lutein from spinach in smoothies, according to a study from LiU. Of 14 common dairy and plant-based products, only four increased lutein liberation.

The world’s first wood transistor

Researchers at Linköping University and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology have developed the world’s first transistor made of wood. Their study paves the way for further development of wood-based electronics and control of electronic plants.

The first jubilee doctors share their life journeys: “A fantastic time”

In 1969, Bengt Normann, Olle Stendahl and Christer Tagesson came to a new university college in a city they barely knew. Now, 50 years later, the three of them still live there and will in 2023 be among Linköping University’s first jubilee doctors.

Graphene - a material with potential of being a game changer

Can the 2D material graphene increase the durability of natural fibers? LiU researchers will now study this in collaboration with a number of actors.

LiU professor guiding the way in the work of academic freedom

What is academic freedom and how does it correspond to freedom of speech? When does freedom of speech become hate speech? How can Linköping University help and protect international scholars who are at risk?

Research is needed when electricity replaces diesel

Did you think that all it takes is changing an excavator’s diesel engine for an electric one? Well, it’s not that simple. The hydraulics can actually be adapted to the many advantages of the electric engine.

The wound dressing that can reveal infection

A nanocellulose wound dressing that can reveal early signs of infection without interfering with the healing process has been developed by researchers at Linköping University. Their study is one further step on the road to a new type of wound care.

The award winner: “A window to the secret processes in the brain”

India Morrison, senior associate professor in cognitive neuroscience, has won the Onkel Adam Award for her outstanding research at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. One of her research areas is how touch and pain affect our behaviour.

Clash between employees and management when the Swedish Public Employment Service changed philosophy

The Swedish Public Employment Service was to become a modern public authority and wanted to introduce a new way of managing the organisation. Now researchers from Linköping University have examined what really happened.

Thin film physics contribute to space mission

The European Space Agency is launching their Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE). On the spacecraft, plasma probes made at LiU will investigate the ice on moons orbiting Jupiter.

Honorary doctors: resource-effective region and holistic view on health

LiU will promote two new honorary doctors at the Academic Ceremony in May. They are Charlotta Sund, president and CEO of the company Tekniska Verken, and Lennart Nordenfelt, senior professor in Theory and Ethics of Health Care.

AI learning user behaviour – the future of automation

Automated systems collaborating with humans will be better if they get to know the user through artificial intelligence compared with traditional systems that the user has to learn. This is shown in a recent study involving air traffic controllers.

The brain’s cannabinoid system protects against addiction

High levels of the body’s own cannabinoid substances protect against developing addiction in individuals previously exposed to childhood maltreatment, according to a new study from Linköping University.

Stem cell research can help people with hard-to-heal wounds

Advances in burns treatment open up new possibilities for healing other complicated wounds. For the first time, stem cells are now being tested as a treatment for hard-to-heal leg ulcers.

Through the eye of the needle – how do you utilize a starting grant?

Physicist Emma Björk got her first big research grant in 2021. The grant finances four years of her own passion project, and all of a sudden, she became established as a researcher. – My first thought was, what do I do now?

From LiU to Google

"Digital marketing and business. Those things you can learn. But the soft values ... quickly understanding the culture of the team, the country, and the specific market. SMIO at Linköping University provided this”, says the alumna Elena Shabrova.