Karolinska Institutet, Region Stockholm, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and Stockholm University are set to establish a new medical radiation science centre in Sweden for cancer care.

The centre in Stockholm will combine research expertise from the universities and the healthcare sector to advance future cancer treatment.

Karolinska Institutet reported that cancer remains a significant health challenge in Sweden, with one in three individuals expected to be diagnosed during their lifetime.

More than 600,000 people in the country are currently living with cancer or have previously received a diagnosis.

The new centre will foster interdisciplinary education and research, primarily in tumour imaging, medical radiotherapy, radiation protection, and cancer-related biomarkers.

The collaboration will bring together engineers, researchers, and clinicians from industry, universities, and the healthcare sector to strengthen Sweden and Stockholm’s position in precision-focused radiation therapy and related fields.

This new centre aims to integrate advanced techniques to improve radiation therapy’s effectiveness while minimising harm to healthy tissue, particularly by combining individualised treatment with new pharmaceuticals and targeted immunotherapy.

Karolinska Institutet president Annika Östman Wernerson said: “Precision-focused radiation therapy is a promising area of research.

“Karolinska Institutet values this initiative and the opportunity to participate in developing future cancer treatments in collaboration with other leading universities and Region Stockholm. I believe that this gathering of forces will be of great importance to many patients, their relatives and society at large.”

All four parties have signed a letter of intent to establish the centre for enhancing education environment and joint research in Hagastaden, Stockholm.