Pascale Cossart, Sven Hagströmer, and Thomas Sakmar Appointed Honorary Doctors at KI 2020

STOCKHOLM, April 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Three new honorary doctors have been appointed by The Board of Research at Karolinska Institutet. Pascale Cossart, Sven Hagströmer, and Thomas Sakmar will have their doctorates formally conferred at Stockholm City Hall on 13 November 2020.

An honorary doctorate can be awarded to researchers who have contributed to science, humanity, or Karolinska Institutet. It can also be awarded to individuals who lack the official requirements of a PhD but have contributed to research and development relevant to KI.

Pascale Cossart

Pascale Cossart is a world-leading expert in the field of infection biology. Through groundbreaking research combining microbiology and cell biology, she has shown how interaction between the bacterium Listeria - that she uses as a model- and human cells can cause an infection. She pioneered the research field today known as cellular microbiology. In addition to her work as professor at the Pasteur Institute, Pascale Cossart has acted to strengthen European research on microbiology and cell biology.

For many years Pascale Cossart has supported the scientific careers of young and female researchers. She has also greatly contributed to European collaboration within the research field of infection biology. During her career, Pascale Cossart has received several awards. Among them are the Robert Koch Prize (2007), the Balzan Prize (2013), and FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award (2014). Pascale Cossart is a member of the American National Academy of Sciences (NAS) as well as the British Royal Society. She also serves as Secrétaire perpetuel of the French Academy of Sciences.

"I felt really honored to hear that I was awarded this honorary doctorate. I feel honored because for me the Karolinska Institute is the magic name of a place where science is honored more than anywhere else. Receiving an honorary doctorate in medicine for someone who was originally a chemist is in addition quite flattering meaning that the science I did with all my collaborators really reached the level I was looking for and has been really appreciated," says Pascale Cossart.

Sven Hagströmer

The economist Sven Hagströmer has founded the investment company Creades as well as the Swedish bank Avanza. Today he serves as chairman in both companies. Sven Hagströmer is highly dedicated to social entrepreneurship and was the founder of Allbright - a foundation that aims for equality and diversification amongst high-ranking positions in the swedish business world. He is also the founder of Berättarministeriet and the scientific publishing house Fri Tanke.