The Scientific Council for Medicine and Health

The Swedish Research Council's Scientific Council for Medicine and Health supports research of the highest scientific quality in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and healthcare science. The Scientific Council has eleven members, nine of which have been elected by researchers at Swedish higher education institutions (HEIs).

Responsible for allocating research funding

The Scientific Council for Medicine and Health decides which calls will be made within medicine, odontology, pharmacology and healthcare science. They also decide on which applications will be awarded grants. To help them, they have 20 review panels with some 160 members, who examine and prioritise the applications that are submitted to the Swedish Research Council, before the Scientific Council takes a decision. It is the Scientific Council that appoints members to the review panels.

Following up and evaluating research in the area

The Scientific Council follows up, evaluates and develops strategies for the area, for example through research overviews. The Scientific Council finances Swedish participation in several international collaborations and conducts a regular dialogue with the HEIs through a reference group with representatives (deans and pro-deans) from the country's pharmaceutical and medical faculties.

Composition of the Scientific Council

The Scientific Council for Medicine and Health has eleven members. Nine of the members are active researchers and are elected by researchers at Swedish HEIs‌. The Government appoints the other two members, one from the healthcare sector and one from the pharmaceutical industry or the biotechnology industry. The term of office is three years and members can be reelected for a further three years.

The Scientific Council meets six times a year.

Members 2022–2024

Name

Title

Organisation

Mikael Sigvardsson (chair)

Professor in molecular hemathology

Dept of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University and Linköping University

Elias Arnér

Professor in biochemistry

Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics,

Karolinska Institutet, KI

Elisabeth Björk

Global Head of reseach, cardiovascular diseases

AstraZeneca

Johannes Blom

Chief physician and senior medical advisor

Södersjukhuset

David Engblom

Professor in neurobiology

Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköpings University

Ann Hellström

Professor/Chief Physician

Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Gothenburg

Charlotte Häger

Professor

Community medicine and rehabilitation, Umeå University

Jörgen Johansson

Professor in Microbiology

Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University

Anna Karlsson

Professor in clinical virology

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, KI

Diana Karpman

Professor

Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University

Inger Sundström Poromaa

Professor in reproductive health

Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University




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Contact

Contact scientific councils, councils and committees

sark@vr.se

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