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

A banner with focus on cancer research.

Bojmar Lab

Cancer is a systemic disease. Our research focuses on understanding crosstalk between different organs in the human body, and how this affects cancer progression. We focus mainly on gastrointestinal cancers and their common hepatic metastasis.

Picture taken in the corridor of an emergency department in a hospital. A health worker is seen walking towards the camera with a stretcher.

Emergency Medicine Research Center

The research and development unit of the Emergency Department at Linköping University Hospital was started in 2016. In 2021, the Emergency Department became Sweden's first university healthcare unit in emergency medicine.

Doktor med surfplatta står vid en gravid kvinna.

MAMA Research Hub for Multidisciplinary Approaches to Maternity Advancement

MAMA Research Hub is an interdisciplinary research centre dedicated to advancing individualized, equitable, and evidence-based maternal maternity care and postpartum care through research, education, and clinical collaboration.

News

En kvinna i labbrock håller i en pipett.

Existing medication can restore HIV-affected immune cells

HIV exhausts the body’s immune system by overactivating it, despite effective antiviral treatment. Researchers from Linköping University have conducted cell studies showing that an existing medication restores immune cell function.

En skara människor i en föreläsningssal.

Six new SciLifeLab group leaders appointed at Linköping University

In the autumn of 2025, it was announced that Linköping University has six new SciLifeLab Group Leaders: Linda Bojmar, BKV, Johanna Ungerstedt, BKV, Martin Hallbeck, BKV, Mika Gustafsson, IFM, Claudio Mirabello, IFM and Colm Nestor, BKV.

En person i labbrock som håller i en flaska.

AI provides a more precise time of death

Artificial intelligence can be used to provide a more precise time of death, which can be crucial in e.g. murder investigations. The AI model is trained on so-called metabolites in thousands of blood samples from real deaths.

A woman in a white lab coat holding up a toothbrush.

Treatment can protect extremely premature babies from lung disease

Early hydrocortisone treatment of extremely premature babies increases their chances of survival without lung disease, according to a study led by LiU. The study also shows that the treatment is safe to give.

A couple of people that are standing in the grass.

The war in Ukraine has serious effects on children’s health

Children’s access to healthcare in Ukraine has seen a sharp decline since Russia invaded the country in February 2022. A Swedish study shows how children’s physical, mental and social health is being seriously affected by the war.

Young woman measures blood sugar level. Diabetes using lancet.

Foundations for type 1 diabetes may already be laid during pregnancy

Researchers have identified a protein pattern that, already at birth, looks markedly different in those who later go on to develop type 1 diabetes. The findings show that a combination of several factors during pregnancy affects disease risk.

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