Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV)

The Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV) is one of the largest departments at Linköping University with affiliation mainly to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Our goal is to provide education and research in medicine and biomedicine, of high international quality.

Research

At BKV, you will find leading research with both depth and breadth across a wide spectrum of modern biomedicine; from detailed molecular and cellular studies to genetics, clinical research, and epidemiology.

The research activities are expanding and are still in a very positive development. Some of our strongest areas of research of very high caliber are neurobiology, genetics, cancer and blood cell research, drug research, as well as regenerative medicine and systems medicine.

Several research centers that BKV is involved in:

  • Barnafrid – National centre for knowledge concerning violence against children
  • Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience – CSAN
  • Ingrid Asp Psoriasis Research Center
  • The Center for Disaster Medicine and Traumatology – KMC
  • Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine – WCMM

Education

In basic education, BKV conducts activities in the following areas:

  • Biomedical Laboratory Science Programme, 180 credits
  • BSc Experimental and Industrial Biomedicine, 180 credits
  • Supplementary study programme to biomedical scientist, 60 credits
  • Complementary Programme for Biomedical Laboratory Scientists with a Foreign Degree, 90 credits
  • Speech and Language Pathology Programme, 240 credits
  • Medical Programme, 360 credits

Education at an advanced level

  • Master's Programme in Genetic counselling, 120 credits
  • MSc Experimental and Medical Biosciences, 120 credits

Doctoral studies

BKV has about 300 doctoral students, of which 50 are employed as doctoral candidates and the rest are clinical doctoral candidates.

Standalone Courses

BKV offers around 30 standalone courses.

Contract Education

Our experienced researchers and teachers provide contract education related to the fields of healthcare and social care, of high quality.

Collaboration with Region Östergötland

BKV is involved in the development of several strategic research areas at Linköping University and Region Östergötland. The missions of these areas are to conduct internationally outstanding research that can eventually lead to practical applicability in healthcare, social care, or business activities. And to create an inclusive research environment with a high scientific level.

The strategic research areas are:

  • Medical Inflammation and Infection Center (MIIC)
  • Center for Systems Neurobiology
  • Cancer
  • Strategic Research Area in Forensic Sciences
  • Circulation and metabolism - CircM

BKV in Numbers

  • Turns over half a billion SEK annually
  • Over 500 employees
  • 100 teaching positions
  • 50 professors
  • 300 doctoral students – 50 employed and the rest are clinical doctoral candidates

You can read more about our activities and departments below.

Upcoming events

Research

Girl reaches for a book on a bookshelf.

Swedish-speaking children with developmental language disorder in comparison with second language learners

The focus of this project is language processing in children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and bilingual children learning Swedish as their second language (L2). They are similarly challenged by Swedish grammar.

Children playing doctor with teddy bear

Health examinations of children in out-of-home care

Research has consistently shown, both nationally and internationally, that children and young people placed in community care face a higher risk of poor health outcomes.

WCMM Symposium 2024

Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine Symposium

WCMM at LiU focuses on the medicine-technology interface and build upon our existing strengths in research within molecular medicine, medical technology and bioengineering.

News

Male researcher in university surrounding.

Claudio Cantù receives prestigious award

Professor Claudio Cantù has been awarded this year's Eric K. Fernström prize for young, particularly promising and successful researchers at Linköping University.

All participants of the 2024 PALS Summer School.

Thirteen countries represented at this years PALS Summer School

At the end of June, the PALS Summer School in Transcriptomics during Development and Cancer was held, offering four days of inspiring talks, lively discussions, and even some sauna sessions by the lake.

Forum Scientium members in front of Golden Gate bridge.

Bay Area expedition for future collaborations

Forum Scientium's annual study visit is designed to broaden the academic and professional networks of its students. This year's focus was on the Bay Area - one of LiU's strategic areas for collaboration.

Christopher Sjöwall presents the book Rheumatology.

Christopher Sjöwall in the editorial committee for the new edition of textbook in rheumatology

Christopher Sjöwall, professor at Linköping University, has participated in the editorial committee for the latest edition of the textbook Rheumatology. The book is an important resource for students and professionals in medicine and healthcare.

Person (Peter Larsson) infront of a microscope.

Existing drug can repair ion channel linked to epilepsy

Mutated variants of a particular ion channel cause difficult-to-treat epilepsy. A study published in the journal Nature now shows that a commonly used anaesthetic drug, propofol, can restore the function of this ion channel.

Henrik Green.

Nerve damage from cancer treatment can be predicted

Many women treated for breast cancer using taxanes, a type of cytostatic drug, often experience side effects in the nervous system. Researchers at LiU have developed a tool that can predict the risk level for each individual.

Our divisions

Teaser image for the division Barnafrid at BKV.

Barnafrid (BARNAF)

Barnafrid is a national knowledge center with the aim of assembling and disseminating knowledge about violence and other abuses against children. It is a government commission that was assigned Linköping University in 2015.

Teaser image for the Division BKH at BKV.

Division of Children's and Women's Health (BKH)

The Division of Children’s and Women’s Health consists of a number of different research and educational areas - obstetrics / gynecology and pediatrics.

The Division of Cell and Neurobiology (CNB)

The Division of Cell and Neurobiology is a dynamic and innovative environment where we conduct research and teaching on both the structure and function of various cells as well as the nervous system and sensory organs.

Core Facility 

Contact us

Department management

Co-workers