medicor

medicinska föreningen’s student magazine

2021 #1
 #1 June 2021 #1 June 2021

student magazine

medicor
medicor
medicinska föreningen’s student magazine

medicinska föreningen’s
 #1 June 2021 #1 June 2021

medicor medicor
medicinska föreningen’s student magazine medicinska föreningen’s student magazine
 #1 June 2021
2021 | ISSUE 1

medicor medicor
medicinska föreningen’s student magazine medicinska föreningen’s student magazine
 2021 | ISSUE 1

2021 | ISSUE 1

medicor
medicinska föreningen’s student magazine

medicor
medicinska föreningen’s student magazine
 #1 June 2021 medicinska föreningen’s student magazine

medicor
medicinska föreningen’s student magazine

medicor

2021 | ISSUE 1
 2021 | ISSUE 1 medicinska föreningen’s student magazine 2021 | ISSUE 1

medicor medicor
• •

Prelude Contents
Dear Medicor readers, SCIENCE COVER STORY CAMPUS

Vibrant autumn colors have filled Stockholm as the daylight

slowly adjusts itself to upcoming winter. These days pave the
LIKE A DIAMOND IN
THE SKY
12 18 THE SOCIAL HUB OF
SOLNA CAMPUS
way for even more lively student life and a perfect atmosphere
Find out more about KI´s Jöns Jacob is so much
for the third issue of Medicor in 2017. brightest stars of the past. more than just a restaurant.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to all new students at

Karolinska Institutet! All of us in the Medicor team hope that we DEMOCRATIC
can turn you into devout readers of our student-run magazine
through our captivating, inspiring, and educational publications. THE SOKOLOV
14 19 BIOLOGY
Meet with the team
Our primary goal is to deliver a magazine that unifies all students EFFECT behind the student driven
by highlighting important multi-disciplinary issues spanning from The phenomenon of con- synthetic biology initiative
firmational bias from a iGEM.
our campus to the whole world. neurobiological and iron-
ical perspective.
We all at some point have fallen into the pit of complaining. In
THE HISTORY OF MF
fact, our everyday lives are full of small obscurities that
sometimes get our best - the weather, the coffee machine, lunch
20 Find out about the roots

cafeteria, late subways, workload, local news, global news...

SCIENCE SNIPPETS
A glimpse in the latest
16 and founders of Medicinska
Föreningen
Yet, we forget that at any given moment, we each get to choose findings in the research
community.
22 HUMANS OF KI
which half of the glass we will pay attention to. For this issue, we Medicor brings the spotlight

Photo by Matthjis Dorst for Medicor

adopt an appreciation theme in order to express gratitude for the on the people working behind
the scenes at KI and KS. PRESIDENT’S WORD
rich culture and diversity in our institute, to reinforce a
community feeling, and to swing us towards a more positive
21 “THE UNION HOUSE”
The Union House is
outlook. GLOBAL FOCUS
getting a facelift.. and you
In our cover story, we bring humans of KI under the spotlight NOBEL ANNOUNCEMENTS be involved.
FROM THE NOBEL
and catch glimpses of the daily lives of people with different
roles, ranging from administration to the vice-chancellor. This PRIZE TO THE NOBEL 30
PRIZE
series of interviews is a great chance to exhibit and celebrate the
Patrik Bjärterot retraces the CULTURE
diversity of lives, stories, cultures within KI and KS. path to the repuation the
Nobel Prize enjoys today.
8 WHERE DID MY
I would like to thank all the interviewees for sparing their
precious time and being part of the story. Special thanks to our NOBEL PRIZES 2017
36 CREATIVITY GO?
Medicor Magazine Tips and activities to get
new vice-chancellor Ole Petter Ottersen for allowing us to Founded 2006. Fifteenth year. Medicor reported from the No- your creative world back to
Published by Medicinska Föreningen in Stockholm TRUTH CANNOT BE bel Announcements of its glorious days.
portrait him from a more personal objective. We believe that his
vision and attitude will bring us the momentum we need.
ISSN: 1653-9796
Responsible editor: Inika Prasad SOLD
32 Chemistry, Physics, Econom-
Address: Medicinska Föreningen i Stockholm
ics, and Physiology or
New way of journalism Medicine. Find out more about
Nobels Väg 10, Box 250, 171 77, Stockholm
In line with the theme, we take a closer look at the international Contact Medicor: chefredaktor@medicor.nu asks you to get involved. this year’s winners and their
footprint of KI, remember the scientific contributions to various www.medicinskaforeningen.se contribution to the advance-
NIGHT OUT? DIG
fields of medical science under KI roof, and dig deeper into the
http://medicor.nu

Freelance material: Medicor retains the right to edit incoming mater-

ment of mankind.
38 DEEPER
roots of Medicinska Föreningen.
ial and does not take responsibility for unsolicited texts or pictures,
and printing mistakes. The contributor agrees that, through pub-
#IGIVEASHIT
Tatiana Álvarez
34 A student guide to the un-
derground nightlife in
The Medicor team has been at the Nobel announcements for the lished and signed Medicor material, their opinions do not necessarily Giovannucci on the Stockholm
prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Economics, and Physiology or represent those of Medicor or Medicinska Föreningen. importance of clean
sanitation.
Medicine. Make sure to check on our reports in which we tell you
a little bit about this year’s winners. I would like to express our
sincere gratitude to Ann-Marie Dumanski and Jessica Balksö
Nannini for letting us attend the Nobel announcements and
igniting a pure journalistic excitement in our hearts.

As you can see, there is no shortage of inspiration on this issue

and we hope that we can encourage you to not only appreciate

Warm regards,
Inika Prasad
Editor-in-Chief medicor
Editor-in-Chief | Inika Prasad
Cover: Diana Polekhina, Associate Editors | Sumedha Jassal, Vinciane Allicar
Editorial Team | Rebecka Klingberg, Chang Wei-Tse, Tom Enriko Kelt, Nadine Gelmar
Unsplash Layout Design | Anny Truong

14 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 15

CAMPUS • MEDICINSKA BOKHANDELN
Medicinska
Bokhandeln
– the student’s bookstore
AUTHORS: MIKAEL YILMAZ & JULIA EHRENSTRÖM
Medicinska bokhandeln (MB) has long been the students' safe haven for finding course
literature. The bookstore has, over the years, contributed to a more vibrant campus. Many
people know MB as it is located in front of the lecture hall Berzelius. The admirable, detailed
anatomical drawings from Andreas Vesalius' masterpiece, De humani corporis fabrica
(published 1543), decorate the glass walls. However, only a few know the view from MB:s
perspective. We have been permitted to interview the operations manager – Svetlana.
What is MB?
MB is a small business bookstore that is mainly owned by
Medicinska föreningen (MF). It is run in the form of a
limited company. The company is divided into two units
that cooperate; these are MB and Harrys böcker in
Huddinge. We have a small staff group, where I am
operations manager and two employees. Furthermore, we
have a board where a couple of students from KI are
included.
How did you come to join MB?
I have an education as an economist. A consistent thing
throughout my career has been meeting on the store floor,
exchanging words, and making customer contact, which
has always been fun. In addition to my background, I have
liked books since I was very young. The trade itself
becomes fun when the product you sell is valuable for
oneself. Therefore, MB was an obvious choice for me.
The operations manager, Svetlana, is sitting at the checkout.
16 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
Do you have a favorite book?
When it comes to books, I like
detective stories. My favorite author
is Elizabeth George. These are
beautiful bricks that you can relax
with.
Why is MB:s slogan “By and for
students”?
The owners of MB are MF, who are
students. Likewise, our customer
clientele mostly consists of students
from KI and Södertörn University.
Moreover, our assortment is mainly
based on the courses conducted on
campus. We look at the statistics and
see what sells the most among the
students, and consequently order. It
is this adaptation after the students
that distinguishes MB from the bigger
dragons (bookstores).
To make the books more affordable
for students, we have started to sell
second-hand books. Additionally, we
mediate free books given to us by
donors.
We already know that corona has
affected many businesses. But
how has it been for MB?
The pandemic has hit us very hard
because students have not been on
the campus. Nowadays, KI has
lectures digitally. Unfortunately,
Harrys böcker has been hit harder as
closure in Södertörn University has
been stricter than KI. Right now, it
looks like we are approaching a
clearing, and KI intends to open
campus during the autumn. But we
have been hit hard. No students, no
income.
Do you have a strategy to
overcome the pandemic?
We have finally set up an online
webshop [A LINK HERE] that
facilitates sales. The webshop is an
additional sales channel where
customers can order without being on
campus. Also, we have reduced
costs and adapted to the
circumstances.
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
CAMPUS • MEDICINSKA BOKHANDELN
To reduce the spread of the virus, we
limit the number of people that
simultaneously enter the store. In
addition, we have a protective shield
glass between me (checkout) and the
customer.
What do you think about the usage
of e-books instead of actual
books?
There is nothing MB can do about it,
but I generally do not like illegal
downloads. In the end, there is
someone who has worked, written,
printed, sold the book. A long chain of
people work hard to produce a book,
and to download it for free on the
web undermines these people.
I am a bookworm, and opening a
book is something special. Opening a
new book, throwing yourself into the
action, creating your own thoughts;
gives a different feeling. I also like
audiobooks when the thoughts fly
away; then I am in another world.
What would you like for KI
students to know about MB?
Our aim at MB is to offer a wide
range of books to students. If a
product is missing, we can always
order it. The waiting time for Swedish
and foreign literature is 2-3 days and
two weeks, respectively.
17
CAMPUS • MEDICINSKA BOKHANDELN CAMPUS • TEDx

The anatomical images from De humani corporis fabrica.

TEDxKI returns to From Mirage to Oasis

"In the midst of the always-changing and

Unveiling the history of MB Karolinska Institutet

imperfect world we live in, we often find
ourselves in need of an "oasis". A place of
rest and respite. So going from mirage to
AUTHOR: MARIA PAVLOU oasis means finding, creating, or
HOW transforming an illusion into a reality."
MB started by the initiative of the MF board. The task to operate MB was TEDx events are about bringing a agenda. The last weeks before the - Lukas & Inika
assigned to the then vice-chairman of MF – Ulf Ala-Mutka. community together to discuss, event were the hardest, as
listen, learn and share our ideas. everything was coming together and
WHY After a decade , TEDx returned to final preparations took place.
The reason behind starting a student’s bookstore was the market prices Karolinska Institutet with the theme
of course literature were relatively high in Stockholm. So the purpose of “From MiraVge to Oasis”. This theme Our team wanted to make sure that
MB was (and still is) to have high availability of course literature with the has an open interpretation. For me, it this event stayed with the attendees
lowest possible price. represents a journey, a transition. for a long time, and therefore we behind our work and having an
Being part of the team as one of the wanted to make it memorable. This is interactive role in online presence
WHEN Public Relations Directors of TEDxKI, why we implemented a buddy that made my time as part of the
23rd of August, 1993, on a Monday, MB opened as a small bookstore in this journey began in the middle of system, as we understood that - team very enjoyable. Furthermore, I
Kårhuset (MF:s student union house). The student’s interest was through March. We had to create a plan and attending one more event online - got to improve my communication
the roof; many stood in a long serpentine queue. coordinate our responsibilities, with could be tiring. We wanted our competence through social media
the guidance and tips of our audience to receive a full TEDx event and sharpen my graphic design
AFTERMATH organizers. Creating an image and experience. We also had breakout skills. Also, I met new amazing
After MB:s opening, other competitors were forced to lower their prices Link to webstore: profile for TEDxKI was one of the rooms, interactive activities, and a people which made this process fun!
significantly. It was a great win for students (!) https://medicinskabokhandeln.se/ priorities. post-event mingle where everyone
had the chance to talk to the Overall, I am so proud of being part
However, having a social media speakers and the other attendees! of this team, and I am so happy that
presence is an unrelenting task that our social media campaign was a
2008 2012 2021 requires communication with all the And even though there were plenty successful and fully realized event! If
MB expands to sell MB moves to the MB is online and members of the team on an ongoing of things to consider and manage, you are interested in being part of the
in Huddinge as current locale in sells through the basis. Attending regular meetings, the best part is that we had a blast, future team organizing the next
Harrys böcker. Berzelius väg 3. webstore. sharing our thoughts, and not only on the day of the event, but TEDxKI event, stay tuned for
brainstorming, are elements that all of those months preparing. For upcoming announcements!
ensure a well-tempered and prolific me, it was the creative thinking

18 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 19

CAMPUS • BLÅSLAGET CAMPUS • BLÅSLAGET

Find musical &

dance terms!

NO STYLE,
ONLY HITS!
Welcome to Blåslaget
AUTHOR: MAYA TOURKAMAN

Hello there! Are you also tired of long days that consist of only Zoom lectures that then transition to evenings of Netflix’s
rude: "Are you still watching?"? Did you also dream about a vibrant student life that now feels as remote as Narnia? Don’t
give up yet! Because now, you actually have the chance to ensure a student life VIP seat for this fall’s semester! How?
Simply, by joining the Medicinska Föreningen’s student orchestra, Blåslagevt, with its associated dance group, Dragplåstret!

So, who are we? Blåslaget consists

of approximately 25 musicians (band
instruments, wind instruments and Down
singers) and Dragplåstret, which has
about 10 dancers. All the musicians 1. Where does “Blåslagare” hang out?
and dancers have different
backgrounds and educations. In 3. The person that leads an orchestra.
Across
Created using the Crossword Maker on TheTeachersCorner.net
other words, everyone is welcome!
We have rehearsals every Tuesday 4. If a song is out of your range to sing or play, you
at 18:00 sharp at the Medicinska 2. What is the smallest instrument in the orchestra? can always … it.
Föreningen’s aula, always starting
with a traditional fika! So if you would 5. You will probably have to do this quite often with 7. Which instrument is the largest and lowest-pitched
like to be part of an active student life your guitar to not have it sound awful, but it also in the brass family?
Group pic - The concert “Värmeslaget” November 2019. in Stockholm with a lot of concerts, needs to be done with.
festivals, tours and other fun 8. An action to keep the muscles flexible, strong, and
Follow us on Instagram (@blaslaget) and Facebook (Blåslaget) to get the latest activities, then you should join 6. When a musician plays a note strongly. healthy, which is needed to maintain a range of
updates! You can also reach us via email at: ordf@blaslaget.se in case of any Blåslaget! motion in the joints.
questions. 9. A fabulous person who designs a dance to be
performed on stage. 10. A classical ballet term meaning “raised”.

20 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 21

CAMPUS • HUMANS OF KI
After all,
these years If you are a student at KI, you most
likely have received or sent an email
to Malin Sandell. Malin is the Student
should be as
Counsellor for 6 (!) different
programmes at KI - she is however
not only responsible for study related
issues; Malin is also the first point of
contact for students who struggle
with stress, harassments,
memorable as
discrimination, mental health/illness
or other problems related to your
studies.
Malin has been working for about 6
years as student advisor, first at KTH
possible
and now for a year at KI. Since her
studies in ethnology Malin has been
interested in people and especially
students; “in their different stories,
cultures and experiences”.
“I think it's always difficult as an
international student to come to
AUTHOR: MATILDE OVIEDO another country because there's so
many small details that I as a
Malin Sandell is the Student Counsellor for 6 (!) different programmes at KI - we met national take for granted and I just
her for an interview to get to know the person behind all these emails a bit better. know, but as an international you
have to learn everything from
scratch”.
Her mission is to be the bridge, the
smoothing hand between all these
different customs and life here at KI.
22 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
Not that her job was easy before but
of course it has not been made
easier by the pandemic. Before,
students could interact with their
classmates during lectures and
seminars and could therefore help
each other out; the online format has
taken away this support system, and
left many of these students
vulnerable to loneliness. She
explained that most of her students
now complain that they feel alien to
Sweden; and feel like they don’t live
or participate in society.
“I can't imagine what it must be like
not to know anyone, in a country I
know very little about, staring at a
computer screen in my room alone”.
Many students have now turned to
her for more help. In addition to
providing advice on Swedish life,
Malin has now also taken it upon
herself to interact with the students,
to have fika or take a walk.
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
CAMPUS • HUMANS OF KI
She is at her happiest doing these
walks, so it is her favourite part of the
job - but she feels KI could make
more of an effort. Malin’s current
project is to make internationals
more of a priority for the university;
with more seminars for incoming
students, longer and ‘funner’
introduction weeks - and perhaps
introducing a physical space that can
serve as a hangout place as well as
a place for questions and advice.
“Internationals are a great resource
for research and investigation that KI
is so invested in, so it makes sense
to give them attention as well”
This is where Malin calls for help.
Because the pandemic has taken a
toll on the amount of physical
actives; she is constantly searching
for ideas and contributions that
students can think of to make the
university more inclusive for
international students.
23
CAMPUS • SiF
SiF research for Q & A with the SiF board
1. How did your journey in
research start?
students
Are you a research-lover? Do you want to get into research but don't know how?
DIDAR: I actually have not started
my academic research journey yet! I
only recently started gaining an
interest in it when I noticed how
Studenter i Forskning (SiF) might have the answers that you are looking for! interesting research is.
JENNY: When I was in high school I
What is SiF? started volunteering at a lab in
molecular biology and genetics at a
SiF stands for Studenter i Forskning which is Swedish for Students in Research. We are a student-run local university. I learned the ropes
organization that holds events like journal clubs and research seminars, as well as provides valuable around the different lab techniques
information to students that want to pursue research at Karolinska Institutet. and eventually got to work on my
own project, which I subsequently
won a scholarship for at a science
competition for high school students.
MARIA - NEFELI: During my
bachelor studies at Karolinska
Institutet, I started working in a
laboratory part-time. I greatly enjoyed
learning new techniques while
applying my knowledge from my
bachelor courses, so I have
continued doing research in parallel
to my studies to this day.
ALI: In my first semester I came in
contact with a bunch of students
researchers, in the semesters above.
I landed my first research assistant
job through them .
CAROLINE: I got my first research
position with one of my lecturers in
my first semester of medical school. I
Board left to right: Caroline Schagerholm - President, Lina Abdel-Halim - Vice President, Christina Tsagkogianni - Events Manager, Iida Tynkkynen - Recruitment had been in contact with her due to
Manager, Linda Kogerman- Event Manager, Maria - Nefeli Christakopoulou - PR Manager, Jenny Sul - Event Manager, Didar Fares - Event Manager, Ali an international exchange and just
Rassolie - PR Manager,, Lina Cao Zhang (not in picture) - Recruitment Manager asked her if she wanted to take in a
student – and she did!
24 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
2. What advice would you give to
someone that wants to get into
research but doesn't know where
to start?
DIDAR: Find out what you think is
interesting, take a few steps in that
direction and see if you like it. (You
can find a list of professors who is
interested in hosting students at
studenteriforskning.se)
JENNY: If you keep an open mind
and you’re in it for the experience
and to learn, anything is possible. I
would start with reaching out to as
many labs of your interest as you
can; talk to supervisors and staff at
the lab and go from there. Research
requires a lot of patience so I’d give it
time to figure out your ultimate life’s
calling.
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
CAMPUS • SiF
MARIA - NEFELI: In the biomedical
programme, all lecturers are also
conducting research and they always
talk briefly about their work in the
beginning or end of the lecture. If you
find their research topic interesting,
make sure to approach them and
discuss their research, laboratory
techniques they use in their lab, and
ongoing projects that you could
potentially join.
ALI: I would definitely start by
scouring the internet–more
specifically KI sites and SiF’s
website–for interesting research
groups. After finding one, we enter
the stage of spamming and
religiously attempting to come in
contact with the PIs or researchers at
the lab, asking for a job!
CAROLINE: investigate your interest
and ask around! Maybe you have an
interesting seminar leader, know
someone who does research or
similar? There are so many ways to
get into research and the most
important advice I can give is to
show your interest and to be honest
about your background and what you
are capable of in both terms of time
and skillset.
25
CAMPUS • SiF CAMPUS • SiF

3. What is something you wished
you knew before getting into
research?
DIDAR: What I have noticed a lot of
people mention is that professors
choose their research path for a
reason, so talking about their work is
fun for them. This is why, if you are
interested in doing what they do, you
should not be afraid of inviting
Professors for a cup of coffee to talk
about their work.
JENNY: That it’s not necessarily
about the results. As I said, research
requires a lot of patience so it’s
mostly about the journey and the
process.
MARIA - NEFELI: That this is a
learning process and things won’t
always go as planned. You should
see every mistake and failed
experiment as an opportunity to learn
more and improve yourself. Also,
always remember that many great
discoveries happened by mistake!
ALI: Be willing to change labs early!
Evaluate carefully if the current
research group will benefit you in
your own development.
CAROLINE: Think about what type
of research you want to do.
Research is so different, from
working in wet labs, with patient
registries, computer softwares and
being in the clinic having patient
meetings. Not all needs to suit
everyone and it can be a deal
breaker!

4. What was your favorite event 5. What has being part of SiF
that SiF organised and why? taught you?

DIDAR: The “How To Research DIDAR: Researchers can be fun

Lecture” for sure! Gave me
everything I needed to know about
starting my research journey, as well
as a few resources.
JENNY: The different webinars we’ve
organized so far. I find it interesting
to learn about the different fields of
research and what the latest
discoveries are.
MARIA - NEFELI: The psychedelic
research webinar was a great event
where top researchers in the field,
both from Sweden and abroad,
spoke about this rapidly advancing
field of research.
CAROLINE: Research colloquium, a
very nice gathering in Gamla Stan
with dinner and discussions of a
research topic from different
perspectives.
people too :)
JENNY: That research students
aren’t antisocial mythical creatures
but actually are fun with active social
lives.
MARIA - NEFELI: That researchers
are so fun that they have created a
parody of the Nobel prizes called the
Ig Nobel prizes, which are awarded
every year for achievements that
"first make people laugh, and then
make them think".
CAROLINE: How many researchers
that are encouraged to work with us
students and to engage us!
Where to find us:
Website: https://studenteriforskning.se
Facebook page: Studenter i Forskning Stockholm
Instagram: sifstockholm

26 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 27

CAMPUS • STUDENT HEALTH CENTER CAMPUS • STUDENT HEALTH CENTER

A reminder
from the Student Health
Center at KI
AUTHOR: FRIDA KOLASA

Sometimes, little to nothing can feel like a lot - especially during uncertain times.
The KI Student Health Center is here to help when things get too much.

Hello! How are you in these peculiar times? Are you finding
a good balance between spending time online, looking at
the screen and the rest of life? Perhaps it's a little bit
simplified, but we often speak to students about this topic.
Most of us know what to do when we have a lot of studies
to get through; we need to eat healthy, take pauses, make
sure we move our bodies, make time from social
interaction and of course sleep well.
But why is it so hard to achieve?
Sometimes the simple, small things are the most difficult to
embrace. When we are stressed, feel low and are not
allowed to see friends and family that we need to in order
to keep well, we sometimes lose part of our cognitive
ability. Decisions are more difficult to make, routines are
harder to keep up with and our patience might be lacking.
At student health we meet many students that struggle with
these problems, sometimes it can be helpful to get some
support around these issues - that seem so simple to
engage in - but that can actually be quite tricky at times.
We are here to support you, do get in touch to discuss any
difficulties you might be experiencing.
About the Student Health Center
We offer assessment, advice and supportive counselling
sessions when you experience study-related difficulties or
other problems that may impede your studies in any way.
Common reasons for contacting us are stress,
performance-anxiety or feeling low.
Currently we only offer online video-sessions. To make an
appointment you can either phone us or make a booking in
our web-based booking system. Click on the link below for
easy access: https://utbildning.ki.se/studenthalsan
We also regularly offer seminars on various topics that you
may want to take part in - previous topics range from
Stress Handling to Public speaking anxiety. Watch the
space on our website for upcoming seminars!

28 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 29

CAMPUS • OMBUDSPERSON CAMPUS • OMBUDSPERSON

Medicinska
Föreningen’s
ombudspersons
AUTHORS: NAZIRA HAMMOUD SHAHWAN & NINNA OOM

Did you know that Medicinska Föreningen (MF) has two

ombudspersons that can help students and doctoral students
with matters related to their studies? Ninna and Nazira are there
for all students at KI, regardless of membership in the union, and
– it should go without mentioning–they work under complete
confidentiality.

How can you help students and What’s a typical case for you as For how long have you as
doctoral students? ombudspersons? ombudspersons been around?

We can, for example, help them
understand their rights and
obligations, be a neutral and
independent instance between them
and KI in a possible conflict, and
investigate whether KI follows the
rules in handling their case.
However, we do not take sides or
decide on a matter.
When can students and doctoral
students contact you?
Always! No question is too big or too
small and we do our best to get back
as soon as possible. If we are not the
right people to answer a question, we
refer the student to someone who is.
Just remember — our door is always
open!
Well, our job varies a lot and the
cases that we work with are quite
different from each other. But when it
comes to student matters, we often
give support to students that have an
upcoming claim with the disciplinary
board. We also counsel students that
feel that they have been mistreated
by their teachers or peers and others
who, for example, want to know how
to have a grade reviewed. When it
comes to doctoral students, the
cases are usually connected to their
work environment and employment.
We can help them with the process
of changing a supervisor or informing
them about their rights concerning
prolongation of their contract of
employment.
KI initiated the role of the
ombudspersons in 2003, because
they wanted the students to have an
independent person/persons outside
of KI to turn to if something
happened during their studies at KI,
someone employed by the student
union for example. I, Nazira, have
worked as an ombudsperson at KI
for five years so I’ve seen quite a lot
during my time here. Everything from
more simple cases regarding
misleading and plagiarism to more
difficult cases involving sexual
harrasments during an internship
(VFU) etc. And I, Ninna, only started
working last summer. It’s a really fun
and interesting job, but I still have
much to learn!
The ombudspersons’ area of
jurisdiction used to be divided in two
— one for students and one for
doctoral students. However,we are
now striving towards gradually
merging our roles. This means that
the two of us can handle cases with
both students and doctoral students.
A big pro with this is that we are
more available to everyone – if one
of us can’t help at the time, the other
one probably can. Furthermore, we
are able to discuss cases with each
other if we find it necessary and in a
particularly tricky case, we can show
support in numbers.
How can students and doctoral
students reach you?
The easiest way is to fill out a form
on MF’s website. On the form, the
student can tell us a bit about their
problem after which we contact them.
Usually, we arrange a meeting with
the student to ensure that we
understand every aspect of the
problem and discuss how we can be
of help.
You can find the form here:
https://
medicinskaforeningen.se/en/
student-rights/
ombudspersons/
The ombudspersons
visiting addresses are:
MF Solna, Nobels väg 10 and
MF Flemingsberg, Alfred
Nobels Allé 8.

30 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 31

GLOBAL FOCUS • VACCINE INEQUITY
Vaccine
inequity
AUTHOR: JULIA TERPINSKA
As vaccination systems against SARS-Cov-2 are rolling out in the developed
countries, the differences between the access to equitable healthcare around the
world become more striking than ever. With the ambitious plans of the EU Commission
to vaccinate 70% of the EU adult population by summer 2021[1], and the hopes of
containing the spread in the US by fall 2021[2], the developed countries hold the end
of the COVID-19 pandemic in sight. Yet, questions about systemic privilege and
vaccine inequity have blatantly started to be unveiled once more. The devastating
example spotlights the humanitarian crisis and medical apartheid in the Gaza Strip, a
part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory under the control of the State of Israel.
32 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
Vaccine appetite: endowing lessons
learned from previous epidemics
COVID-19 pandemic largely deviates from other
modern-day pandemics by the effect it had on
different sectors of life. However, the most
prominent has been its scope. As it strongly
affected enterprises on the global market, the
developed countries saw their usual response of
turning a blind eye impeded. By contrast, the
emergency twisted into a global display of power
and privilege.
The speed of crisis mitigation and mobilization
within the developed regions has been truly
astounding. Since the initial months of the
pandemic, the administrations of the developed
countries have reversed the shrinking trend in
vaccine development. A loss of interest in vaccine
research investment had been persisting for
years before the COVID-19 outbreak due to high
research costs, relatively low prices of vaccines,
and a decrease in demand a few years after its
appearance in the market.[3] European Union
and the United States poured billions of dollars
into the research and development of SARS-Cov-
2 vaccines, luring large pharma companies and
small research groups alike to endeavor on the
path of vaccine exploration and related
fundamental research. They adjusted legal
frameworks and secured virtual doses from the
most promising suppliers, prompting SARS-Cov-2
vaccine research to be lower in risk and more
profitable for the vaccine industry. Coupled with
existing vast immunological knowledge from the
previous epidemics, it drove vaccine development
faster than ever before.
Several epidemic crises before COVID-19,
markedly SARS and MERS outbreaks, saw a
slower response from the market and states.
However, they also sparked curiosity around the
coronavirus vaccine research and revealed its
central molecular immune mechanisms.
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
GLOBAL FOCUS • VACCINE INEQUITY
Particularly interesting, are antibody coupling and
T-cell responses that cause inflammation and
worse disease onset during potential reinfection
in a process called vaccine-associated disease
enhancement (VADE).[4] Moreover, spike protein
was found responsible for the initial infection
process and identified as the molecular target.
Accounting for these and other processes, SARS-
Cov-2 vaccine safety and efficacy could be
optimized, which subsequently accelerated
SARS-Cov-2 vaccine development.[5]
Although coronavirus vaccine research has
grown with knowledge on previous epidemics, it
lacked an additional factor that would convert it
into profit. Since COVID-19 had high mortality,
was more contagious, and took its toll on a
massive number of people, its overall exerted
impact was larger. However, it became the most
momentous due to the effect it had on the global
market, as well as socio-political attitudes,
healthcare systems, and education within the
developed countries. States with prolific
infrastructure experienced a direct need for crisis
mitigation, which successfully prompted
productive SARS-Cov-2 vaccine development.[6]
It presents a subtler aspect of vaccine inequity,
where such countries and enterprises, building on
the best available science and their knowledge
capital, hold the power to direct resources and
overcome large public health issues. On the other
hand, states with shortfalls in healthcare and
research infrastructure have an impaired potential
to implement structural solutions, such as vaccine
development, for prevention of the pandemic
crisis, which often leads to more severe public
health outcomes. It is curious to notice that
COVID-19 is not the only pandemic crisis we are
living in at the moment, with the example of the
ongoing HIV/AIDS global epidemic, but its
mitigation has been faster due to its socio-
economic scope, as well as microbiological
differences.[7]
33
GLOBAL FOCUS • VACCINE INEQUITY
Vaccines are ready - but it doesn’t
mean you will get one
Following vaccine development and
manufacturing, the access to the vaccines in the
market has been largely compromised by
economic positions as well as infrastructural
factors, which led to stark vaccine inequities and
earned critique from WHO Director-General
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.[8]
The issue exacerbates with the strength of the
capitalistic market, where profit plays a central
role. Developed countries claimed the entitlement
to the first servings of the vaccine and were able
to gobble up twice or thrice the number of doses
needed to cover their population, due to their
prior investments or financial grounding.[9]
Concurrently, low-income, fragile states, often in
the Global South, cannot offer substantial prices
and, thus, compete individually for the vaccines in
the market.
Additionally, SARS-Cov-2 vaccine development
and acquisition turned into a diplomatic and
political asset. Alongside the developed countries,
Chinese and Russian administrations sprinted
towards vaccine research and Russia proudly
named its first SARS-Cov-2 vaccine in the world
– SputnikV. Now they proceed to strengthen their
global influence by distributing vaccines to
countries in the Global South in bilateral deals,
often in exchange for other benefits. It prompts
these countries to increase their dependence on
external bodies and consent to more
compromises, which forces them to pay a higher
price and deepens vaccine inequity.[10]
However, drastic differences in vaccine inequity
do not only span across the Global North and
South; they are even more striking a few
kilometers apart. Israel, having vaccinated more
than 63% of its population by June 2021, ranks
as the world leader in COVID-19 mitigation. Its
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu centered the
promise of an effective vaccination program
during his reelection campaign; he kicked off the
Israeli vaccine rollout by paraphrasing Neil
34
Armstrong’s first words on the moon and
mirroring his vaccine syringe to a rocket.[11]
Although Israel did not actively partake in vaccine
research, as Russia, China, the EU and the US
did, it was largely successful at vaccine
diplomacy. Due to the available resources and
rapid response, it was able to pay top prices for
the doses and acquire them in bulk as early as
December 2020.
Currently, while Israel launches vaccinations for
Israeli youth, a debate sparks on the legal and
moral accountability of Israel’s vaccination
program. Its epidemic relief success is
internationally bound to translate to a similar
outcome in its occupied territories, as stated in
the Fourth Geneva Convention.[12] Yet, to this
day, the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt) has
managed to vaccinate 8% of its population.[13]
The Palestinian Authority has received only 2000
doses of Moderna vaccine from the Israeli
officials, according to the UN OCHA report for
June 2021.[14] With 369 thousand individuals in a
2 million population vaccinated with the first dose
by June 10th, the Gaza Strip remains hundreds of
thousands of vaccines short.[15] Moreover,
although the general infection rate remains low,
its COVID-19 cases had risen by 58% from
March to April 2021 before the coronavirus testing
was impeded by Israeli violence escalation in
May 2021. This demonstrates how within the
same legal authority (concerning pandemic
mitigation), the access to vaccines remains
divided between religions and ethnicities.
Palestinian Authority and Hamas-run Gazan
governance were hindered from swift vaccine
purchase due to fragile position in the market
(which further deteriorated upon the border
blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt in 2007.
[16]) Instead, oPt had to rely on global
governance to obtain the doses. The issue of
inequitable vaccine distribution stimulated WHO,
CEPI, Gavi, and UNICEF to cooperate in the
establishment of a COVID-19 vaccination
program for low-income countries, called COVAX.
Up to date, it secured enough doses to cover
20% of low-income countries’ population.[17]
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
Capital and quality step in, licenses
keep them safe – and shrink vaccine
availability
Although COVAX managed to gather some of the
essential funds, it experienced large issues with
the supply chain. The manufacturing step, under
the current legal regulations, is milk and honey for
the pharma companies; and it presents itself in
the form of patents. Large market demand for
SARS-Cov-2 vaccines allows the few enterprises
to steer the vaccine prices.
Currently, a limited number of manufacturers are
licensed by pharma companies to produce
SARS-Cov-2 vaccines. Irrespective of vaccine
research being partially funded from state
resources, the intellectual property rights over the
developed vaccines, as well as confidential know-
how information, are owned by the pharma
companies. By keeping their procedures secret,
the leading vaccine parties protect their heavy
investments and knowledge capital, which allows
them to reduce competition and collect the
highest profits. However, it also results in a much
lower throughput of vaccine production.
Different regulatory maneuvers ensure company
control over a certain vaccine and a handful of
others that enable an increase in manufacturing.
Paid or voluntary licenses are examples of
variations where the main enterprise has a choice
over which companies would produce its vaccine.
At the beginning of vaccine distribution, it was
only AstraZeneca that decided to disclose the
vaccine protocol in such a way to large third
parties, i.e., Serum Institute of India, and thus,
scale-up production.
Yet, it still fell short in scope, with other
manufacturers preferring to license smaller
companies, and seek investment in the extension
of their own production lines.[18] As a rationale,
concerns were raised over the quality of vaccines
from the third parties and potential counterfeit.[19]
Nevertheless, it resulted in a bottleneck of
vaccine production and a WHO call to strengthen
pharma participation in pool patenting. Covid-19
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
GLOBAL FOCUS • VACCINE INEQUITY
Technology Access Pool was established at the
beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to integrate
several patents and technologies in one package
and enable easier access to vaccine
manufacturing in low- and middle-income
countries.[20]
Currently, more vaccine companies are
committing to ship doses to COVAX for more
equitable distribution.[21] Scaling up of vaccine
production is essential when we think about the
threat of potential, more dangerous, and vaccine-
immune SARS-Cov-2 variants, as well as basic
human decency.
Unfavorably, more bottlenecks are starting to
emerge in the COVAX system, including export
controls, syringe shortages, and a deficit of skilled
vaccine workers.[22] Moreover, with other
manufacturers remaining passive in the initial
stage of COVAX vaccine rollout, AstraZeneca
supplies from Serum Institute of India powered
the COVAX system by up to 90%.[23]
Such a one-party-oriented supply was also
condemned to failure. It transpired alongside the
infection surge and emergence of massive
farmers’ protests in India, which were grounded in
the extreme events of climate change.[24] In
March, the Indian manufacturer was forced to
reroute the resources meant for other countries to
counteract rapidly spreading infections on Indian
streets, effectuating delayed COVAX supplies
from AstraZeneca.[25] With the developed
countries hoarding up the doses, and the
manufacturing chain curbed and disrupted,
Occupied Palestinian Territory managed to
receive the first COVAX doses only on March
17th, 2021.[26]
On the other hand, Israel ensured a firm head
start through an agreement with Pfizer with
competitive funds and solid infrastructure. While
Israel prevails as a model in a successful
vaccination sprint for the general public, it stands
as a country-wide model on pandemic mitigation
for Pfizer.
35
GLOBAL FOCUS • VACCINE INEQUITY
Rolling up the sleeves –
infrastructure at hand
Medical data in a highly functioning healthcare
system contribute an enormous asset in
negotiations, adding another dimension to
vaccine diplomacy. For years, Israel has been
operating a detailed medical database on, among
others: age, sex, co-existing medical conditions,
and side effects of the vaccinations, which
encompassed the whole of its relatively small
population. Such information is invaluable both
for the optimization of vaccines in the present
sprint, as well as for the position in the evolving
world of Big Data, which tempted Pfizer to center
Israel in its vaccine distribution.[27] Moreover, the
digitalized system allowed Israel to optimize its
vaccination rollout and prioritize the most
vulnerable groups.[28]
Good healthcare supports vaccine distribution;
differences between healthcare quality contribute
to vaccine inequity. Infrastructure preparedness
may consist of vaccination centers, access to
personal protective equipment, skilled staff, and a
comprehensive, digitized medical platform - all of
which balance the utility of vaccine supply and
become essential for smooth pandemic
management. The Gazan Ministry of Health
struggled with the supply of basic health services
due to the 2007 blockade, which led to insufficient
medical equipment and electricity access that
powers it. The blockade strained Gazan
infrastructure even before the COVID-19
outbreak – 1.5 million Gazans do not have
adequate access to healthcare provision, as
36
reported by the International Medical Corps. [29]
Another threat to infection spreads is also posed
by large clusters in refugee camps and a
population density within the Strip that is 32 times
higher than that of Israel. It is further exacerbated
by hampered water, sanitation, and hygiene
(WASH) systems.
All these factors, induced by the blockade,
contributed to an immense risk of untamable
infection surge and large dependence of Gazan
healthcare on international medical and
humanitarian aid. During the COVID-19
pandemic, as of June 1st, 2021, the region
received 196 500 doses of the vaccine from
COVAX, country-specific donations, and bilateral
deals.[30] However, they still cannot
accommodate for more complex systemic issues
attributable to the blockade, such as import
restrictions and a deficit of resources.[31]
Therefore, it positioned Israel and the Gaza Strip
at significantly different levels of preparedness
attributable to the healthcare system and
infrastructure prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Counterintuitively, the same rigorous blockade
allowed for early detection and isolation of
infected individuals before they crossed the
border. All travelers must pass through land
controls, since the region is surrounded by
military forces, and there is no airport or seaport.
With the help of humanitarian aid, several
quarantine centers were established, and the sick
could be directly referred there. Therefore, up
until May 2021, the spread was significantly lower
than in other regions of the world.[32]
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
GLOBAL FOCUS • VACCINE INEQUITY
Knocking down infrastructure;
boosting vaccine inequities
However, the situation worsened on account of
the eviction of Palestinians from Sheikh Jarrah,
fire opened by Hamas, and subsequent attacks
from the Israeli military in May 2021. At the most
severe moment, 113 thousand Palestinians were
internally displaced, and presently, this number
remains at 9 thousand IDPs. Early detection and
prevention were also impeded by 70% when the
main lab testing center was bombed.[33] The
growing number of residents experiencing
physical trauma and requiring immediate
treatment placed tremendous stress on the Strip’s
healthcare system. Simultaneously, 9 (out of 30)
hospitals, 19 (out of 147) primary healthcare
centers, and key hospital accessways were
damaged by the Israeli airstrikes.[34]
It posed an immense threat to the uncontrolled
spread of COVID-19. The hospitals and clinics
served also as vaccination centers, and with
sustained damage, their vaccination capacity
plunged.[35] It represents a situation, in which the
drastic inequities in both vaccine supply and
related infrastructure are worsened by direct
military violence. It had implications in aggravated
vaccination rollout, which further deepened
inequities in vaccination programs between the
Israeli and Gazan regions.
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 37
GLOBAL FOCUS • VACCINE INEQUITY
What is to come?
Vaccine inequity has many faces, some of them
more obvious than others. Prominently, they
entail differences in the production and supply
chains – from vaccine research and development,
through manufacturing and diplomacy, to the
distribution capacity of related healthcare
infrastructure. These inequities can also be
actively exacerbated by military violence,
straining vaccine rollouts even in places under
the same pandemic mitigation authority, like Gaza
Strip and Israel. Regardless of the legal,
economic, and scientific complexities, vaccine
inequity directly impacts the livelihoods of billions
and exposes some social groups to more severe
outcomes of pandemics like COVID-19.
Yuval Harari writes in his book “21 lessons for
21st century” about the threat of growing
biological differences between humans, where
one group can diverge from another due to their
advanced biological adaptations, mainly
grounded in economic prospects. Although in my
judgment, it is currently a far-fetched scenario,
differences in immunities of certain groups
doubtlessly are a brick in the wall that supports
such division.
Vaccine inequity is also not an isolated problem.
With the expected mass immunizations in low-
income countries not kicking off before 2022 or
2023, it exposes weaker states to prolonged
pandemic crisis management and puts additional
38 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
GLOBAL FOCUS • VACCINE INEQUITY
weight on their economies and healthcare
systems.[36] At that time, the SARS-Cov-2 virus
risks mutating to more dangerous variants and
further straining global public health. It also exerts
a strong impact on social and economic
inequities, such as compromised education
during school closures. UNESCO predicts 23.8
million youth to drop out of school due to the
COVID-19 crisis, including 11.2 million girls.[37]
Girls’ education has a stronger effect on the
country’s economy, as it alters adolescent
pregnancies, women’s emancipation, and
household earnings to a larger extent.[38] Many
outcomes of the COVID-19 crisis are yet to be
observed in the decades to come.
Equitable vaccine distribution could diminish its
negative upshot. Ideas about patents sold in bulk
under Covid-19 Technology Access Pool have the
potential in satisfying large demand for SARS-
Cov-2 vaccines and could be more warranted and
encouraged by the respective states. A prospect
of assigning SARS-Cov-2 vaccines equitably
stands, for instance, in stronger global
governance through COVAX as a leading vaccine
authority. In the spirit of a frequently repeated “no
one is safe until everyone is safe”, the developed
countries and large pharma companies should
step up and rely on WHO in vaccine
distribution.[39] Now, more than ever, efforts from
all socio-economic bodies need to be amplified to
prevent and eradicate the occurrence of stark
vaccine inequities. And the health, social and
economic inequities that follow.
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 39
SCIENCE • FOOD CRAVINGS
The Science behind
Cravings
AUTHOR: MENOSHA SIVA
With the upcoming summery days,
my mind is constantly foiled with
trying to find the best way possible to
do something fun – be it learning to
ride a bike at the ripe age of 21 or
experiencing the cool, refreshing
water of the Nordic lakes by fine
tuning my cannonball skills.
However, there seems to be one
incessant, nagging feeling in the
back of my mind – cravings. The
scorching sun somehow makes me
crave ice creams, watermelons,
colas and such. Naturally, that got
me thinking, what is the reason I
yearn for hot chocolate during the
winter, and cocktails during the
summer? In fact, why do I have
random urges to eat chocolates
regardless of season?
I was glad to find out that I am not
alone in my seemingly unexplainable
cravings. Many people around the
world tend to crave and indulge in
their “guilty pleasure” foods.
Statistically, 68% of men and a
whopping 97% of women have
experienced cravings at one point of
their lives. Globally, the most
common cravings include salty foods
(think along the lines of potato chips,
40
fries, buttered popcorn), chocolate,
and fatty fast food such as burgers or
pizza. The previous take used to be
based on ‘wisdom of the body’ – a
theory that the body knows what
nutrients are deficient and pushes us
to crave foods that are rich in said
nutrients. However, this theory has
been abandoned due to the
overwhelming research disproving it.
For example, one study revealed that
obese adults who had been put on a
low-carb diet for two years reported
having significantly decreased
cravings for carbohydrates and
sugar. To be precise, experts clarify
that we tend to lose our appetites
and veer away from our daily diets
when we have a severe nutrition
deficiency.
So then, why do we crave certain
foods? Well, people tend to crave
food that generally has a high calorie
content, leading experts to believe
there may be evolutionary
connections. Thousands of years
ago, food was scarce and hard to
obtain. People had to hunt or
cultivate their own food. Famine was
rampant – almost as rampant as fast
food chains in this day and age.
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
Therefore, it seems reasonable to
conclude that we are genetically
predispositioned to want high calorie
items and store the excess precious
calories as fats to be used later on.
However, at the end of the day, there
is a biological factor playing its hand
in our urges to reach for the
seemingly sinful snacks. Humans
and many other mammals are driven
by hormones. Our emotions, bodily
rhythms, and even growth is highly
regulated by these hormones; a
deviation from normal will translate
into a profound effect within our
body. Upon scarfing down a hearty
meal, the hormone Leptin is secreted
by fat cells and signals to our brain
that we are full. However, have you
ever eaten a large meal, only to find
out you miraculously have some
room left for dessert? This is
because seeing, smelling, or hearing
about dessert can trigger your brain’s
reward centre (which has the ventral
tegmental area, the nucleus
accumbens, and the prefrontal
cortex) while simultaneously
releasing dopamine. Therefore, just
by the thought of a soft, oozy warm
chocolate cake, your mouth starts to
salivate as you crave that rush of
dopamine. By that point, it’s a battle
of leptin versus dopamine, and it’s
not a fair game.
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
SCIENCE • FOOD CRAVINGS
On a similar note, two other
hormones play a crucial role in
triggering cravings; Ghrelin and
Peptide YY. Ghrelin is famously
known as the ‘hunger hormone’ as it
stimulates food intake. Peptide YY,
on the other hand, reduces appetite.
For those midnight oil-burners out
there, you might want to learn about
a recent study in the Journal of
Sleep and Biological Rhythms that
found a correlation between sleep
deprivation and a change in these
hormone levels indicative of obesity.
This suggests that our actions,
directly or indirectly, can also be a
culprit in inducing our cravings.
Nevertheless, getting enough sleep
is not the only thing you can do to
put your cravings at bay. Eating more
protein, meal planning, managing
stress, and eating before grocery
shopping can all help to deter you
from caving in to your pesky
cravings. While the theory of ‘The
wisdom of the body” has been
debunked, mindful eating combined
with a healthy diet may help to deal
with cravings. John Hopkins’
Bariatrics department has a fun little
online questionnaire that can help
one distinguish between hunger and
cravings, while providing tips on
mindful eating. The link will be
provided at the end of this article.
However, if you’re craving non-food
substances, you may want to check
if you suffer from pica, a compulsive
eating disorder commonly found in
pregnant women and pre-
adolescents where people crave and
consume non-food items. In this
case, please reach out to a medical
professional.
41
SCIENCE • MALE & FEMALE AUTISM
X, Y, and Autism
AUTHOR: V. F.
1 The ABC of ASD
Today, as much as 1% of the population
carries the diagnosis of autism or autistic
spectrum disorder (ASD), which is
described by the American Psychiatric
Association (APA) as “a
neurodevelopmental syndrome
characterized by difficulties with social
reciprocity, social communication,
flexibility, and sensory processing”. This is
maybe why the term spectrum comes into
play: autism is truly a continuum of
developmental and cognitive states often
accompanied by comorbidities such as
epilepsy and other physical and
psychiatric abnormalities. Moreover,
individuals with ASD have varying
language skills, with the two extremities
being completely absent speech and fluent
language. Cognitive development may
also vary dramatically, with all the possible
conditions from profound intellectual
disability to above-average intelligence.
Thus, in the same way, as no two
snowflakes are alike, no two patients with
ASD will show exactly the same
phenotype. This extreme clinical
heterogeneity of the disease is probably
one of the primary obstacles in
understanding the pathophysiology and
causes of autism. On top of this, sex and
42 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
2 The Y chromosome
gender differences in the manifestation of
the disease complicate the matter even
more.
Genetics is known to have a major role in
the development of ASD, but the impact of
environmental factors cannot be
underestimated either. Even if some ASD-
specific alleles have already been
identified, the exact genotypic profile is still
to be mapped. The only fact that is clear
so far is that the mode of inheritance is not
Mendelian, with identical mutations
potentially being associated with highly
varying phenotypes. De novo mutations
are known to play a significant role in the
development of the disease along with the
identified inherited mutations.
3 What sets us apart
Generally, the age of diagnosis in ASD is
relatively high. Since today the diagnosis
is still set on a purely behavioral basis,
autistic people receive their diagnosis
when they are older than 3-4 years old on
average. This is, however, not always the
case. As will be discussed later, one of the
big problems with female autism lies in the
comparatively higher age of diagnosis
than for males.
ASD is known to be more prevalent
among males compared to females, with
the ratio being ca. 4-5:1 according to
different sources. The cause for this
difference is still quite poorly understood.
Notwithstanding, several theories have
been proposed, with the most common
ones being the potential involvement of
the X-chromosome in the etiology of the
disease, and the effects of hormonal
influences and epigenetic modifications in
utero. It should be noted however that
none of these theories are confirmed yet.
So one may wonder what it is that makes
female autism special. Some other
questions that might arise are if indeed
ASD shows a male bias in prevalence or if
it is something in the diagnostic methods
used today that makes it easier to
diagnose the disease in males compared
to females. And generally, should female
autism be classified as a separate
condition?
The complex interplay between sex/
gender differences and autism and the
male bias in the prevalence of the disease
has stimulated many research projects in
recent years, ranging from clinical and
neurobiological to etiological studies.
Many questions around this topic still
remain unaddressed and the findings are
extremely complex and quite inconsistent.
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
SCIENCE • MALE & FEMALE AUTISM
The typical “male-like” or the most neutral
phenotype that probably directly comes to
one’s mind in association with the concept
of ASD is the classical dyad: “difficulties in
social communication and restricted and
repetitive behavior, interests or activities”.
What could be interesting on a side note is
that atypical language development,
historically associated with the diagnosis
of ASD, has recently been removed from
the criteria. Since the language skills vary
so greatly between patients, it is now
referred to as a co-occurring condition.
In light of the fact that ASD already is
highly heterogeneous when it comes to
genetic patterns, it might be difficult to
distinguish a female-specific genetic
characteristic in patients with ASD.
Moreover, de novo mutations have been
proposed to have a more substantial role
in autism, compared to the inherited ones.
An interesting notion is the association of
paternal age with increased risk of de
novo mutations correlating with the
increased risk of autism only in females
but not in males.
When it comes to the phenotypic and
behavioral representation, studies
comparing male and female phenotypes
have revealed a number of typical
differences. In summary, females usually
tend to have more comorbid neurological
43
SCIENCE • MALE & FEMALE AUTISM
abnormalities, less RRBI (“restricted,
repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or
activities”), together with an overall higher
level of intellectual impairment. At the
same time, females exhibit better
expressive behaviors despite similar social
difficulties and different manifestations of
friendship-related behaviors. There are a
number of studies suggesting additional
characteristic features that may be more
associated with the female phenotype,
such as pathological demand avoidance.
Generally, females require a greater
genetic load and more co-occurring
conditions in order to reach the threshold
for diagnosis compared to males, often
referred to as the “female protective
effect”. This is also when one of the main
problems with female autism becomes
4 Diagnosing and understanding female autism
What could also be considered special
with female autism is that even within this
group, there are subgroups with highly
varying traits. The female patients with the
classical male-like traits usually also
develop a cognitive delay which therefore
allows a relatively early diagnosis and thus
an early possibility to get help.
However the main diagnostic challenge
lies in the subgroup of the higher
functioning female patients with atypical,
compensated, or camouflaged
characteristics, who therefore also are
more likely to be misrecognized, with the
age of diagnosis being much older than for
the first subgroup. Taking this fact into
account, some studies suggest that the
actual male:female ratio in the prevalence
of ASD is lower than it was thought before,
within the interval of 2–5:1. Thus even
among the female population ASD is a
common, though under-recognized,
problem.
44 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
significant: the diagnosis-setting is more
complicated and therefore usually occurs
later compared to males with a high risk of
the disease going completely
unrecognized.
It should be noted that modern studies
comparing the phenotypic differences
between the sexes with ASD use the same
diagnostic criteria and generally do not
take into account the social gender
differences. Therefore they may lack
sensitivity for the female ASD phenotype.
Thus the results of these studies can not
be considered completely reliable and to
what extent the aforementioned
differences arise due to male-biased
recognition remains to be determined.
However, this can also be seen from a
different perspective. Some studies
5 Conclusion
present the view that the comparatively
older age of diagnosis in females is not the
main problem per se. It is not that women
are prone to be underrecognized, but
rather that their need for a clinical
diagnosis being less pronounced
compared to males, or it can also be that
the need arises at later developmental
stages. This can simply indicate that
females with ASD generally tend to be
more socially adaptable than males and
manage without professional intervention
for a longer time.
So this is where the dilemma arises: to
diagnose or not to diagnose? Where is the
line between autistic and non-autistic in
this case? On the one hand, the late
diagnosis will decrease the woman’s
chance of timely getting help, while the
early identification of ASD may help to
mitigate the risks associated with the
disease, for example by identifying the
patient's special needs and providing
appropriate interventions. At the same
time, the lack of a diagnosis may help one
escape stigma and promote a feeling of
security and identity and thus improve the
overall quality of life.
The late diagnosis is, in any case, a
serious concern for the wellbeing of high-
functioning females with ASD. Many late-
diagnosed high-functioning female
patients report pretending “being normal”
throughout their life having to camouflage
the autistic traits in social situations,
something known as social mimicry. For
the majority, health professionals had not
noticed that their symptoms might be
caused by ASD, methods used due to
So, what can be concluded from the
existing studies is that the phenomenon of
the late diagnosis of female autism can be
explained both by the specific features of
the female ASD phenotype and also the
modern male-based diagnostic system
itself. Many questions about female autism
remain unanswered, however, while the
problem of differences in presentation and
gender bias in ASD diagnosis and
research is still highly valid. It is not
improbable that different diagnostic criteria
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
SCIENCE • MALE & FEMALE AUTISM
being masked by other co-occurring
mental conditions, such as anxiety,
depression, and eating disorders.
“Four to five years of depression and
anxiety treatment…years of talking
therapy…and not once did anyone
suggest I had anything other than
depression”, as one of the participants
recall in the study by Mandy et al.
On the other hand, it should be noted that
although timely identification of female
ASD and due support is highly important,
one should also remember not to
pathologize or stigmatize the females who,
even possessing high-risk autistic traits,
are able to manage on their own and/or do
not meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis
or functional impairment.
may arise for the two sexes in the future,
so maybe we will then indeed once and for
all draw a line between the male and the
female phenotypes?
And yet, one of the most important and
obvious takeaways so far would be that
autism is a continuous spectrum, rather
than a binary condition and that the line
between pathology and norm can be
extremely thin, especially when it comes to
female autistic traits.
45
SCIENCE • HUMANS & BLOOD SCIENCE • HUMANS & BLOOD

AnemiA, B, & O
A shortage of RBCs or The idea is that an individual One problematic blood group

Humans
hemoglobin is called anemia
and is a common condition,
especially amongst people
who menstruate n. There are
many causes of anemia, but
one of the interesting ones is
without a certain sugar
molecule on their RBC cannot
take blood from someone with
that particular sugar molecule:
O blood type can’t take from A,
B, or AB. Similarly, Rh- can’t
that does not have any sugar
molecules connected to the
ABO-system is the Bombay
blood group, which can only
receive blood from other
people of the same blood

& blood called sickle cell anemia. This

AUTHOR: MIKAIL YILMAZ
Blood is necessary for humans. Without it, we
would be cold, bleak, and, of course, dead. Blood
is a vital fluid in our bodies where it circulates in a
complex network of arteries and veins. The
significance of blood in the human mind can be
appreciated by the marks it has left in our culture; The science of blood
contracts were sealed with blood; consumption of Blood is essential to life –
blood is forbidden in Judaism because it’s almost all animals have it.
considered to be sacred; “bloody” is a common Even insects have an
intensifying word in British; warriors drank the analogous liquid called
blood of their enemies; many traditional folk hemolymph. The blood’s main
remedies include blood as an ingredient; there role is to help distribute
are stories of vampires with an endless taste for nutrients and oxygen to every
blood; and for more than 2,000 years, bloodletting cell in our body so they have
was the dominating treatment in the doctor’s the energy to survive. In
arsenal of remedies. However, the greatest contrast, single-celled
impact of human’s fascination with blood has organisms (e.g. bacteria, and
been the discoveries of the blood’s scientific fungi) and animals of high
properties, which have benefited millions of surface/volume ratio and slow
human lives. metabolism (e.g. sponges,
corals, and jellyfish) can rely
on passive diffusion of
nutrients and oxygen from
water to their body. Thus,
these animals don’t need
blood. Similarly, one part of the
human body is in direct contact
with the air and can get oxygen
by passive diffusion without the
need for blood – the cornea of
the eye.
In humans, blood is composed
of 55% plasma (water +
protein), 40% red blood cells
(RBC), and the remaining 5%
is platelets and white blood
cells. The characteristic red
color of blood is attributed to
the RBCs, which are discoid
bags that contain the iron-
based protein hemoglobin as
the oxygen-binder. All
vertebrates have red blood,
from sharks to birds. In
contrast, crustaceans, spiders,
and octopuses have blue
blood because their blood
contains the copper-based
protein hemocyanin as the
oxygen-binder. Moreover, the
breakdown of RBCs gives rise
to the colors in bile, urine, and
stool. A similar color transition
can be seen in contusions: first
red, then blue, then green,
then yellow, and lastly brown.
Thanks to our blood, the
insides of our bodies are
colorful like a rainbow.
anemia is caused by a genetic
mutation that renders the
RBCs “sickle-shaped” which
reduces the life span of RBCs
from the usual 4 months to a
mere 2 weeks. Interestingly,
this condition is a formidable
defense against malaria. As a
consequence of an
evolutionary adaptation, it is
common for people living in
zones of widespread malaria
(e.g. Africa) to have sickle cell
anemia. On a similar note, one
of the world’s most common
enzymatic mutations is G6PD-
deficiency – affecting 400
million people mostly around
the Mediterranean sea – which
causes hemolysis during
infections and thereby protects
against malaria.
Historically, as physicians
realized the importance of
blood as a life force, they have
tried to transfuse blood from
lambs and calves to humans.
These attempts had dire ends
(one physician recalls: “his
urine became black as soot
and then he died”). Therefore,
transfusion was often
prohibited, even between
humans. Then in 1901, Nobel
prize winner Karl Landsteiner
discovered the blood groups in
AB0-system and Rh-system.
With this knowledge,
transfusion became an
accessible treatment.
take from Rh+. This means
that blood group O- is a
universal giver, and AB+ is a
universal taker. There are in
fact hundreds of different
group. This blood group is rare
and mostly found in the Indian
subcontinent. The purpose of
blood groups is not fully
known, but it’s suggested that
blood-grouping systems, but different endemic infectious
the two aforementioned diseases can be a reason (e.g.
systems are most dangerous if malaria). A recent study found
not considered in blood A-blood type was linked to
transfusion. A serious worse Covid-19 infections.
consequence of incompatible
blood groups is that a Rh+
woman being pregnant with a
Rh- fetus will lead to the
mother’s immune system
attacking the baby. However,
there are treatments for this.
Studies of ethnic distribution of
blood groups in the world have
found that native Americans
almost exclusively have O-
blood type. One explanation
for this is that the whole native
American population started off
of 8-10 families with high-
frequency of O-blood type and
wandered to Alaska around
14,000 years ago. O-blood
type is also common in
Malaria-spread areas in Africa,
and has protective properties
against malaria. Moreover, the
common blood type in Europe
is A, and the most common in
Asia is B.

46 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 47

SCIENCE • HUMANS & BLOOD SCIENCE • HUMANS & BLOOD

What blood can tell us In an emergency situation,

In the clinic, a patient’s blood
gives a variety of useful
information about bodily
functions. Thus, blood is
almost always analyzed in a
hospital, e.g., to measure
blood glucose level. Blood
might even be a more
significant diagnostic tool than
we’ve thought before, as new
research shows that
Alzheimer’s disease can be
potentially identified in a blood
analysis. Some cancers can be
detected through blood
analysis as well. In the future,
we might have the technology
to detect a myriad of diseases.
there might not be enough time
to make a blood group test of
the patient (in Swedish: BAS-
test). As such, O- blood is
given as it is highly compatible
with most blood types; this can
be life-saving. Blood is also
used for research. However,
the source of that bag of blood
is blood donations. During the
Covid-19 pandemic, donations
have tapered off. One bag of
blood is used every minute in
Sweden. So don’t forget to
donate some of that red, life
force running in your veins.
The blood donor gets benefits
such as checkup for anemia,
checkup for common blood-
borne viruses (HIV, hepatitis)
and you get to know your
blood group!

Tips:
You can donate blood in Odenplan (Blodcentralen, Norrtullsgatan
6), which has a great view over Stockholm, offers free food and a
choosable gift after blood donation!

Interesting facts about blood:

- Research has shown that mosquitoes prefer blood type O.
- Our blood contains around 0.2 milligrams of gold.
- Irrational fear of blood is called hemophobia.
- The culture of bloodletting was taken over by barbers who hung a
bloody towel outside their stores, which have over time
transformed into the familiar Barber’s pole.

48 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 49

CULTURE • COLORS OF SPRING CULTURE • COLORS OF SPRING

COLORS
OF SPRING
Earlier this spring, we had a photo competition themed
“Colours of Spring” on the Medicor instagram
@medicor.mag. We asked our followers for their
favourites, and here are the results!

2ND PLACE: ADAMANTIA CHASSIOTI

3RD PLACE: IIDA TYNKKYNEN

1ST
50 PLACE: MORGAN SÖDERSTRÖM medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 51
CULTURE • QUEEROLINSKA CULTURE • MUSIC’S ROLE IN THE PANDEMIC

Can you solve the

Queerolinska word search? Music’s role in the pandemic

BY: LUKAS LEHTONEN
– a source of escapism?
Every word can be read…
• from left to right • from top to bottom • diagonally from bottom left to top right • diagonally from top left to bottom right • AUTHOR: ISABELLA BLOMBERG

Asexual This past year and half has been life
BDSM changing for the vast majority of the
Bisexual population, globally. The prevailing
Cisgender pandemic has forced many people to
Demisexual live in confinement, isolated from the
Drag world around them due to lockdowns
Expression and rules on social distancing. The
Gay isolation has subjected them to an
Genderqueer increased risk of feeling anxious and
Heterosexual lonely. This truly unique situation has
Homosexual affected the general mental health
Identity negatively (Sandoiu A, 2021). What
Intersectionality measures have been taken by
Intersex individuals to subside the distress of
Lesbian this pandemic? Has there been a
Nonbinary way to escape?
Oritentation
Pansexual One tool that numerous people have
Pride used to escape their depressing
Pronouns reality is listening to music during
Queer their times of long isolation and exile.
Rainbow This behavior can be described as
Spectrum escapism. The word escapism is
Straight defined as a “tendency to seek
Transgender distraction and relief from unpleasant
Trans man realities, especially by seeking
Trans woman entertainment” (Oxford Languages,
2021). In the field of psychology, the
word escapism can have a negative
connotation, since it is often
correlated to escaping
Definitions for the hidden words (and more!) can be found at https://lgbtqia.ucdavis.edu/educated/glossary
You can reach out to us at queerolinska@medicinskaforeningen.se to hear more about our association and what we do at KI!
responsibilities and avoiding reality. Studies have shown that listening to
However, during the ruling pandemic, music reduces anxiety and improves
it might have had a more positive the mental state (V. Thoma M, La
significance and impact on people’s Marca R, 2013), which has been of
mental health. Music, subjective to great importance during the past
the one listening, might have let year and a half. Music has been a
people escape reality, and feel better source of meaningful escapism,
about the situation. where the redirection of the mind has
been favourable in the case of well-
Music stimulates a range of being, thus showing that the power of
emotional responses that give rise to music has had an undeniably
the sensations of “chills”. “Chills” can positive effect.
be described as a euphoric
response. Brain imaging shows that Do you want to escape your reality or
these chills give rise to a feeling of feel less anxious? Well, then this is
reward. The rewarding feeling is an encouragement, to listen to your
similar to that which arises due to favourite song, even if it is just for a
biological stimuli such as sex and moment, to see if your mood
food or those that are artificially changes, and if it elicits a feeling of
stimulated by drugs. Music induces reward which might boost your
the release of high levels of mood.
neurotransmitters such as dopamine
which gives rise to the rewarding
sensation. Activation of the reward
system is also correlated to a
decrease in brain activity associated
with negative emotions. Survival-
related stimuli has been strongly
correlated with music and thus
proved to be biologically relevant
when it comes to connections in the
brain that are involved with feeling of
reward and pleasure (J. Blood, J.
Zatorre, 2001).

52 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 53

CULTURE • NETFLIX RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS
AUTHORS: ANDREA WESTMAN, MADELINE FALCOTET, SUMEDHA JASSAL
With the pandemic going on for more than a year now, our visits
to movie theaters for entertainment purposes has declined
dramatically. With that, the shift to OTT platforms such as netflix
has seen an overwhelmingly positive response. Here are a few
Netflix recommendations from around the world to binge watch
if you haven't already!
AMERICA
New Girl Grey’s Anatomy
Follows the life of Jess who, after a Set at a hospital in Seattle
breakup, moves into an apartment Washington and is centered around
shared with three other guys. Things the character Mereidith Grey. Over
are a little rough at first but as time the course of the series, Meredith
goes on they all become close goes from resident to successful
friends and some even share the surgeon all while grappling with
occasional romance. It's fun and trauma from her past and present.
lighthearted and definitely worth the The show is action packed with
watch. plenty of tragedy and relationship
drama.
54 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
Marriage Story
It examines the divorce of Charlie
and Nicole and their struggle of trying
to stay civil through the grueling
process. Things become complicated
when Nicole moves from their New
York home back to California, taking
their son with her. To say the least,
lawyers get involved and it isn’t
pretty.
FRANCE
Call My Agent
It sheds light on a job that’s different
from other tv shows; illustrating the
backstage stories of actors and
actresses that one does not think
about naturally. Additionally, the cast
includes very famous French actors
which further makes the show cool.
INDIA
Ajeeb Dastaans
It comprises 4 short stories which
convey the stories of 5 women in
India. It discusses poignant topics
such as the prevailing patriarchal
society, the caste system and
homophobia whilst also exploring
prejudice, jealousy, and unjust
entitlement. This anthology casts
very famous Indian actors and leaves
the viewer in a pensive state of mind.
SWEDEN
Kalifat
This series discusses the impact of
radicalisation in Sweden by drawing
the connection between ISIS based
in Raqqa and Swedish immigration. It
also puts into perspective how
people in their teenage years may
get brainwashed easily, unable to
distinguish between right and wrong
and end up putting themselves, their
families and nations in danger.
Lupin
The main actor, Omar Sy makes you
glued to the story instantly. The story
is nice, fresh, and very entertaining.
Since it is adapted from a novel, it is
fun to see a good tv adaptation. Also,
it’s very nice to discover the
backstage of the Louvres during the
first few episodes.
Bombay Begums
This drama film rightly sheds light on
the plight faced by 5 women in
modern, working day, urban India. As
the film progresses, it explores the
layers of frustration and anger felt by
women after being subjected to male
suppression in the chauvinistic
society. It is an appropriate
representation of how the me too
movement emerged in India and the
impact it left
Bonusfamiljen
This series explores the complexities
associated with modern day families.
It puts a humorous spin to
realistically displays how relationship
dynamics and people change with
time.
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
CULTURE • NETFLIX RECOMMENDATIONS
The Intouchables
It’s an amazing movie, the story is
passionate, the actors fantastic. It’s
sad and very happy at the same
time, it’s very heartwarming. The
story also touches upon issues in
France and this is quite interesting as
well.
Delhi Crime
Based on the infamous real-life Delhi
gang rape of 2012, this series fights
against the stereotypes on corruption
associated with the Indian police
force. It navigates through the
investigation of the rape case which
brought justice to the victim and thier
family. It is a gripping drama which
provides a sense of emotions
ranging from fear to pain.
55
CULTURE • THE DICE METHOD
The Dice Method
AUTHOR: LAURA VOLLE
Are you super busy and have
approximately a million things to
do? Don’t know where to start
between, say, staring at your
hastily scribbled notes for the
umpteenth time, reading your
assigned course literature or
actually answering those seminar
questions you’ll be quizzed on
tomorrow?
Boy, do I have the technique for you!
It’s coined (very imaginatively) The
Dice Method, and it consists of rolling
a six-sided die to determine your
next course of action.
Sounds simple? That’s because it is!
You just identify five things you want
to/really should/ need to do and
assign them numbers. “But a six
sided die has six (6) sides! Why only
five?”, one might ask. That’s because
number six is going to be your lucky
spot – a break!
Here’s an example of what that
might look like:
1) Read the course book
2. Go through notes
3. Rewatch recorded lecture
4. Explain 1 topic to friend
5. Try a past exam
6. BREAK
56
This might be helpful, especially if
you’re feeling stuck, because:
It forces you to split up what you
want to do into five small categories
– a good starting point for figuring out
what exactly you have to do and
what’s most important to you!
It can make routine procedures like
studying feel new and refreshing to
you! You never know what you’re
going to get in which order and that
element of surprise can shake a tired
brain out of its stupor (not literally).
It forces you to take breaks in semi-
regular intervals. At any given point
(unless there’s something wrong with
your die) you have a 1/6 chance to
get that sweet, sweet timeout – this
is pretty reasonable, and when you
do roll that six, you know you
deserve it!
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1
It cuts down on the brainpower you
have to spend on deciding what to
study beyond identifying five general
categories. If you’re already tired
from slogging through endless
lectures, this is one less mental
weight your poor head has to
shoulder.
Now, if we’re thinking big here, the
applications for this ‘technique’ are
limitless. It’s useful for any situation
where you can figure out your top 5
priorities and then address them in a
random order.
You’ve got an essay due in a week,
dishes, that one pesky phone call,
your daily workout and sooo much
studying to be done and have spent
the last two hours aimlessly reading
through Medicor articles? No more of
that! (Until you roll a six, and then it’s
right back to the articles for a bit
CULTURE • THE DICE METHOD
And you can go even further – there
are so many decisions we make
throughout the day we spend
thoughts, spoons, and time on, but
that are ultimately meaningless.
Picking what tea you’ll have for
breakfast! Deciding on an ice cream
flavour at that new shop! The hoodie Of course, this method isn’t for And lastly, the dice are not in control
you’ll wear to obscure your bad hair everyone. It’s important to remember – you are. If you haven’t seen a
day, general body shape, and other that if you already know exactly what single six for hours, take a break! If
clothing! you want to do, this is more likely to you keep doing the same thing again
frustrate you than help. and again, decide where you want to
All of these are decisions that some Consequential decisions should be draw the line and pick something
people make happily, some people made with careful consideration – else! If there’s something on your list
do not care about – and some people would you toss a coin to decide what you really can’t bring yourself to do,
may agonize over for twenty minutes degree you’ll take? Perhaps, but also take it off – or change the method!
before deciding that it’s easier to stay maybe don’t do that!
in bed (that’s me.) However, if you want to mix up your
Maybe address the urgent stuff studies, try out a new dish on the
I am one of those people that really before you do anything else. If
struggle with making small decisions, something is due in the next half
and sometimes it’s just so much hour, it might be a good idea to
easier not to make them. In the prioritize that over changing your
grand scheme of things, no one bedsheets. But often, there simply is
gives a damn about what teacup I no obviously more important issue/
slurp my English Breakfast out of – technique, and then the dice method
including me – and yet having to pick can come in handy.
one may immobilize me for the rest
of the morning.
I’m a nerd and have several full dice
sets laying around at home, so
where a D6 isn’t enough, I may toss
a D12 or a D20 instead (for the
unaware: the number after the “D”
denotes how many sides a given die
has.) For numbers not covered by
my beloved dice, I consult
random.org – possibly my favourite
website in the world.
)
medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 57
CULTURE • COOKING AT KI CULTURE • COOKING AT KI

Cooking at KI
RECIPE BY: MAGNUS NYKVIST

Cooking at KI is an event planned by Global Friends

whose aim is to promote different cultures by
inviting international students to share recipes from INSTRUCTIONS
their home country. Just like any other cooking
show, you can join the currently digital event from 1. Finely chop the shallots 3. Add a few tablespoons of 5. Once the pasta is 1-2
the comfort of your home and follow the steps and the Calabrian chilies (if olive oil to the pan and over minutes shy of al dente, drain
demonstrated by the chef to cook and enjoy the used). Finely chop the garlic medium heat cook the onions and transfer to the sauce. Toss
international dish of the day. and grind to a paste using the until they begin to soften. Add to combine. Let the sauce and
back of your knife or grate the basil stem, garlic paste, the pasta mingle with each
using a microplane. Grate your Calabrian chilis (or chili flakes) other for a couple of minutes
pecorino on the finest setting and sardine fillets. Cook until while the pasta finishes
PENNE ALLA VODKA on your cheese grater. Push fragrant and the sardines have cooking. Adjust the
through a sieve to create an melted completely. consistency of your dish with
● 500 g penne of good quality intense pecorino powder. the reserved pasta water if
● 2-3 garlic cloves, minced and Puree tomatoes by hand in a 4. Add the vodka and reduce needed.
then pureed with the back of a bowl. Push through a sieve to until most of it has evaporated.
knife or grated with a microplane remove seeds (this step is Then add the pureed 6. Plate up (preferably on
● 2 shallots, finely diced optional but keep in mind that tomatoes. Bring up to a boil preheated plates) and enjoy
● 2 dl cream tomato seeds can be bitter). then immediately turn down with pecorino on top.
● 3-4 tablespoons vodka the heat and let it reduce until
● 1 can of whole peeled tomatoes, 2. Get a pot of salted water the sauce is thicker than a
pureed and sieved to remove going on the stove and a wide- regular tomato sauce. Add the
seeds (preferably San Marzano bottomed pan next to it to cook cream, bring back up to a boil
tomatoes) the sauce in. then turn down the heat once
● 5-6 Calabrian chilies, minced again and let simmer while you
(can be substituted for 1-2 are cooking the pasta.
teaspoons of chili flakes)
● 1 stem of basil
● 1-2 sardine fillets
● 1 dl pecorino, finely grated and
sieved
● 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
● 1 cup reserved pasta water to
adjust consistency
● salt to taste

58 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 medicor • 2021 | ISSUE 1 59

CULTURE • PROJECT WISDOM CULTURE • PROJECT WISDOM

6 books to read this summer

– book recommendations from Project Wisdom
AUTHORS: ANASTASIJA ZUBOVA & AYU TAMAKI

Project Wisdom is a student-led book club that curates a reading list every semester and
gathers KI students to read and discuss popular science literature. A wide array of books is
chosen to highlight different messages and to challenge the readers’ critical thinking. We
would like to present you Project Wisdom’s selection of books for the spring semester of 2021.

1. Blindness by Jose Saramago
Blindness is a novel about a contagion that causes
blindness and the chaos that ensues, putting forth the idea
of the public uniting to overcome a terrible disease. We
chose this book because it reflects current social
circumstances amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. This book –
first published more than two decades ago – gives us a
chance to compare our lives today to fictional ones,
highlighting the similarities and differences between the
real world and the author’s imagination. As it is hard to face
the impacts of Covid-19 alone, we hope that this book will
be a fantastic opportunity to come together to contemplate
our lives critically and subjectively during this pandemic.
2. How to Argue with a Racist: What Our Genes Do
(and Don't) Say about Human Difference by Adam
Rutherford
This book was chosen to shed light on the racism that
persists in society today. Racist pseudoscience has
become so commonplace that it can be hard to distinguish
but its toxic effects on society are evident. Stereotypes and
myths not supported by the modern study of human
genetics are frequently propagated. We believe that racism
is not an issue to shy away from, butone we must face
together to understand its underlying mechanisms. We
hope that readers are challenged to face how
misinformation may be skewing their worldview and critical
thinking.
3. The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by
Elizabeth Kolbert
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History highlights one of
the most important issues that the world faces today –
environmental and ecological destruction. This book
combines research from multiple disciplines and evaluates
the myriad problems associated with human activity and
provides opportunities for readers to think about what they
can do to salvage the Earth's natural environment. Kolbert
argues that we are the catalysts of the sixth extinction, and
studying how we have altered and damaged the Earth
allows us to fix our mistakes and avoid repeating them. We
hope that readers can rethink the fundamental question of
what it means to be human and what we can give back to
the Earth.
4. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse
Tyson
Astrophysics is a topic that seemingly has little to no
relation to the medical field. However, there has been a
great demand for books that cover a broader scope of the
sciences, and so to match this demand one of the most
critically acclaimed popular science books on astrophysics
was chosen. Renowned worldwide as an educator and
celebrity, Tyson gives us a perspective into his mind by
attempting to describe the infiniteness of the universe.
Written to be read while waiting for your morning coffee to
brew, or during your wait for the bus to arrive, we hope that
the book will not only provide useful knowledge but also
bring a momentary escape from the real world and allow
readers to wander into the magic of the universe.

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5. Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the
World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by
Hans Rosling
Honoring the late Professor Rosling from Karolinska
Institutet, this worldwide best-selling book highlights the
lack of knowledge in public health of average people. Most
know surprisingly little about the world. When asked simple
questions about global trends, such as why the world's
population is increasing or how many live in poverty, we
frequently get the answers wrong. So wrong, in fact, that a
chimpanzee choosing answers at random can consistently
out-perform journalists, Nobel laureates, and investment
bankers. Inspiring and revelatory, Factfulness was chosen
as an urgent and essential book for all current and future
scientists. We hope that this book will help students gain a
better and more realistic understanding of the world.
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6. The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of
Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design by
Richard Dawkins
Evolution, evolution, evolution... Say it how many times
you want but do you really know what it is? In the
eighteenth century, theologian William Paley developed a
famous metaphor for creationism: that of the skilled
watchmaker. If natural selection can be said to play the
role of a watchmaker in nature, then it is a blind one—
working without foresight or purpose. In an eloquent
manner, Dawkins illustrates the beauty behind evolution
that allows simple organisms to slowly change over time to
create a world of enormous complexity and diversity. This
book challenges the readers to think critically of evolution
and appreciate the elegant scientific proofs that went into
evaluating problems of evolution.
More about Project Wisdom:
Project Wisdom was established to unite people from different disciplines within the Biomedical Educational
Section (BUS) of the Medicinska Föreningen. For years, bachelor’s and master’s students formed friendships
whilst reading popular science books, sharing their thoughts, and engaging in discussions. In 2021, the book
club was expanded to all international programs and now we unite nearly 70 students every semester to actively
discuss popular science. You can join us at the beginning of every semester, and it is completely free! We also
have a monthly newsletter that is always open for any submissions.
Contact us!
We are always open for any questions, suggestions and feedback.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectwisdomki
Email: projectwisdomki@outlook.com
Project Wisdom Team,
Anastasija Zubova and Ayu Tamaki
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