Karolinska: SEK 10M grant from McDonald’s entrepreneur for gender medicine

24 Feb 2010 | Network Updates

The Karolinska Institutet has received a grant of SEK 10 million (€1.2 million) from Paul Lederhausen, an entrepreneur whose achievements include the establishment of the McDonald's fast food chain in Sweden.

The donation will allow the Karolinska to establish the Erica Lederhausen Professorship in Gender Medicine Research, one of the first professorships in the world in the field of gender medicine.

The field of gender medicine has revealed biological differences between men and women that are crucial to how medical care and treatment should be designed.

However, even though insight into medical differences between the genders has increased, both men and women are still affected by a lack of knowledge within gender medicine, in both care and research. For example, all studies of osteoporosis have been carried out on women, leading to the lack of guidelines for the treatment of men.

“Everyone’s right to receive the best possible health care and medical treatment is fundamental in a democratic society. I find it very exciting to be involved in supporting the growth of such a new area as gender medicine, which has the potential to generate discoveries of major significance for women and men to receive the best possible care and treatment,” said Lederhausen.

The Erica Lederhausen Professorship in Gender Medicine Research will be based at the Karolinska Institutet Centre for Gender Medicine, which was inaugurated in 2001 as the first centre for gender medicine in the world. The professorship will be directed towards research into gender differences for widespread public diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and psychiatric conditions.

“The establishment of one of the first professorships in gender medicine in the world is an important initial step for us in realising our visions for the future,” said Harriet Wallberg-Henriksson, President.

Never miss an update from Science|Business:   Newsletter sign-up