Kungl. Vetenskapsakademien

The focus of this seminar is to look at the ways that plastic can potentially break down in the ocean and what science knows about toxicity, for example.

Leif G. Anderson, member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

– Sweden is falling behind in scientific competitiveness and decisive measures are required to make sure that the country remains at the scientific cutting edge. If the country’s most prominent, young researchers are given the possibility to develop into successful, top scientists, Sweden may well remain a scientific nation in the future

Staffan Normark, Permanent secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

The prize money will primarily go towards financing further studies of MDS stem cells, for instance, studies carried out after stem cell transplants.Transplantation of stem cells is currently the only therapy able to cure MDS, but the relapse frequency after transplant is still very high. Although we now know which cells cause the development of MDS and later on leukaemia, we still do not understand why these stem cells are so good at resisting various kinds of treatment. If we can identify new “therapeutic targets” in the MDS stem cells, we hope to be able to find a cure for MDS.

Professor Sten Eirik W. Jacobsen

In total, the program will provide funding for 24 Swedish postdoctoral researchers to go abroad. Additionally, by means of international recruitment, 35 foreign postdoctoral researchers and 25 guest professors will be given the opportunity to come to Swedish institutions. The program also includes SEK 40 million in support to the Institut Mittag-Leffler

Göran Sandberg, Executive director of the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation

A broad and comprehensive endeavour is called for in order to recover a position at the top. For instance, more Swedish postdoctoral researchers will be given the opportunity to work abroad. Being part of a dynamic environment that spans all fields of mathematics will give them a broader view of the subject. They will also develop an international network that will be beneficial to them for the duration of their careers

Staffan Normark, Permanent Secretary of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

The aim of the endeavour is for Sweden to recover a position at the international cutting edge. Mathematics is one of the largest subjects at Swedish universities. It is also a subject of utmost importance for the future development of Sweden since it constitutes the basis for many medical and virtually all scientific and technical applications

Peter Wallenberg Jr., Vice-chairman of the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation