Innovation for life – the forefront of research and innovation at Karolinska

The film series "Innovation for life" focuses on and tells the story of how Karolinska University Hospital, together with Karolinska Institutet, has contributed to today's field of medical research through numerous innovative inventions and methods.

Part 1 of the series tell how doctors Kerstin Hagenfeldt and Kristina Gemzell Danielsson together contributed to women's health worldwide through the development of the copper intrauterine device (IUD), the abortion pill, and international guidelines for contraception through their work at the World Health Organization (WHO).

Part 2 of the series highlights how researchers Nanna Svartz and Johan Askling's work has contributed to significantly improve survival opportunities for patients with rheumatic diseases today.

Part 3 tells the story how Sven-Ivar Seldinger's discovery made it possible to introduce instruments into the vascular system, which has revolutionized healthcare in various fields. Now, Staffan Holmin is working on an inverted Seldinger technique to deliver medications directly to specific organs and perform gentler biopsies.

Lastly, part 4 highlights how Tore Curstedt and Ulrika Ådén, two researchers who have contributed to making Sweden a world leader in neonatal care. Tore, along with his colleague Bengt Robertsson, achieved a revolutionary breakthrough with surfactant treatment, significantly increasing the survival rate of prematurely born infants. Ulrika's research has focused on how caregiving can promote healthy brain development in children, both in the short and long term. These innovations have opened doors for further research and have contributed to giving more and more children the opportunity for a good life.