Molecular Epidemiology

Our research focuses on the causes and consequences of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, the identification of predictive biomarkers and lifestyle factors, and novel methods in disease surveillance.
We apply traditional and modern methods for causal inference in large observational datasets, some of which our team have developed based on high-throughput molecular methods. These data include metabolomics, metagenomics, genomics, proteomics, and imiomics. We have also performed large register linkages and collected COVID-19 data through an innovative national syndromic surveillance app.
We are an international, creative, and collaborative research environment with an ambition to make a positive impact on society. Our research is projected to lead to important new insights into disease mechanisms, which in turn can facilitate the development of new treatments for these diseases, as well as new biomarkers of disease for improved risk prediction and prognostics. Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the group has been striving to develop novel methods for monitoring the transmission of infectious disease agents and for establishing a systematic approach to vaccination safety to safeguard communities in future health crises.
Group members
Research projects
- Dietary meat intake in relation to cardiovascular disease: Understanding molecular mechanisms using plasma metabolome and proteome profiling
- Dog ownership and physical activity in SCAPIS Uppsala
- Evaluation of COVID-19 vaccination appointment letters on uptake across sociodemographics
- Genome-wide association study of the gut microbiome
- Gut microbiota and risk of cardiovascular disease
- Parental health and socioeconomic consequences of caring for children with type 1 diabetes
- Prediction of the gut microbiome from plasma metabolites
- The influence of host traits on the gut microbiome
- The role of gut microbiome, plasma metabolome, and proteome biomarkers in understanding alcohol-induced cardiovascular disease risk
- The Swedish Healthcare Guide 1177 and Symptoms reported through it may aid in surveillance and predict COVID-19 hospital admissions
- Transforming user narratives into vaccine safety signals: Advanced text analysis of syndromic app data in the UK and Sweden
Publications
A genome-wide association study of imaging-defined atherosclerosis
Part of Nature Communications, 2025
- DOI for A genome-wide association study of imaging-defined atherosclerosis
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Part of Vaccine, 2025
- DOI for Adverse drug reactions following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination of 3805 healthcare workers cause substantial sick-leave and are correlated to vaccine regimen, age, sex and serological response
- Download full text (pdf) of Adverse drug reactions following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination of 3805 healthcare workers cause substantial sick-leave and are correlated to vaccine regimen, age, sex and serological response
Associations between physical activity and CVD-related metabolomic and proteomic biomarkers
Part of PLOS ONE, 2025
- DOI for Associations between physical activity and CVD-related metabolomic and proteomic biomarkers
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Bereavement and type 1 diabetes in childhood: a register-based cohort study in Sweden
Part of Diabetologia, p. 549-556, 2025
- DOI for Bereavement and type 1 diabetes in childhood: a register-based cohort study in Sweden
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Part of EBioMedicine, 2025
- DOI for Cardio-metabolic-related plasma proteins reveal biological links between cardiovascular diseases and fragility fractures: a cohort and Mendelian randomisation investigation
- Download full text (pdf) of Cardio-metabolic-related plasma proteins reveal biological links between cardiovascular diseases and fragility fractures: a cohort and Mendelian randomisation investigation
Part of European Heart Journal, p. 147-157, 2025
- DOI for Cardiovascular events following coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination in adults: a nationwide Swedish study
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Part of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 2025
Part of European Journal of Public Health, p. 795-802, 2025
- DOI for Effect of COVID-19 vaccination appointment letters on uptake by sociodemographic characteristics: a regression discontinuity analysis in Sweden, December 2020 to September 2021
- Download full text (pdf) of Effect of COVID-19 vaccination appointment letters on uptake by sociodemographic characteristics: a regression discontinuity analysis in Sweden, December 2020 to September 2021
Part of Diabetologia, p. 1078-1079, 2025
Part of Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2025
Impact of genetic variants linked to liver fat and liver volume on MRI-mapped body composition
Part of JHEP Reports, 2025
- DOI for Impact of genetic variants linked to liver fat and liver volume on MRI-mapped body composition
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Part of International Journal of Cardiology, 2025
- DOI for Lipoproteins and lipoprotein lipid composition are associated with stages of dysglycemia and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis
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Low-fibre diet is associated with high-risk coronary plaque features
Part of Cardiovascular Research, p. 1204-1214, 2025
- DOI for Low-fibre diet is associated with high-risk coronary plaque features
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Meat intake in relation to composition and function of gut microbiota
Part of Clinical Nutrition, p. 124-133, 2025
- DOI for Meat intake in relation to composition and function of gut microbiota
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Part of Metabolism, 2025
- DOI for Plasma metabolite profiles of meat intake and their association with cardiovascular disease risk: A population-based study in Swedish cohorts
- Download full text (pdf) of Plasma metabolite profiles of meat intake and their association with cardiovascular disease risk: A population-based study in Swedish cohorts
Part of Cardiovascular Research, p. 1649-1652, 2025
- DOI for Plasma proteomic and metabolomic profiling of coronary and carotid atherosclerosis in the SCAPIS study: differences and similarities
- Download full text (pdf) of Plasma proteomic and metabolomic profiling of coronary and carotid atherosclerosis in the SCAPIS study: differences and similarities
Precision nutrition for cardiometabolic diseases
Part of Nature Medicine, p. 1444-1453, 2025
Precision Omics Initiative Sweden (PROMISE) will integrate research with healthcare
Part of Nature Medicine, p. 1730-1732, 2025
Proteins associated with preserved ratio impaired spirometry
Part of ERJ Open Research, 2025
- DOI for Proteins associated with preserved ratio impaired spirometry
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Raising the bar for publication of Mendelian randomisation studies in Diabetologia.
Part of Diabetologia, p. 2088-2091, 2025
Part of Metabolism, 2025
The association between the gut microbiome and 24-h blood pressure measurements in the SCAPIS study
Part of Communications Medicine, 2025
- DOI for The association between the gut microbiome and 24-h blood pressure measurements in the SCAPIS study
- Download full text (pdf) of The association between the gut microbiome and 24-h blood pressure measurements in the SCAPIS study
Part of eBioMedicine, 2025
- DOI for The circulating dihydrotestosterone/testosterone ratio is increased by gut microbial 5α-reductase activity in females
- Download full text (pdf) of The circulating dihydrotestosterone/testosterone ratio is increased by gut microbial 5α-reductase activity in females
Part of Diabetologia, p. 2168-2178, 2025
The metabolic signature of salt intake: a cross-sectional analysis from the SCAPIS-study
Part of Nutrition & Metabolism, 2025
- DOI for The metabolic signature of salt intake: a cross-sectional analysis from the SCAPIS-study
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The urinary microbiome in association with diabetes and diabetic kidney disease: A systematic review
Part of PLOS ONE, 2025
- DOI for The urinary microbiome in association with diabetes and diabetic kidney disease: A systematic review
- Download full text (pdf) of The urinary microbiome in association with diabetes and diabetic kidney disease: A systematic review
Part of Scientific Reports, 2025
- DOI for Time series anomaly detection in helpline call trends for early detection of COVID-19 spread across Sweden, 2020
- Download full text (pdf) of Time series anomaly detection in helpline call trends for early detection of COVID-19 spread across Sweden, 2020
Part of European Journal of Epidemiology, 2025
Part of Food & Nutrition Research, 2024
- DOI for A Swedish dietary guideline index, gut microbial α-diversity and prevalence of metabolic syndrome - observations in the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS)
- Download full text (pdf) of A Swedish dietary guideline index, gut microbial α-diversity and prevalence of metabolic syndrome - observations in the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS)
Part of EBioMedicine, 2024
- DOI for Accelerometer-based physical activity is associated with the gut microbiota in 8416 individuals in SCAPIS
- Download full text (pdf) of Accelerometer-based physical activity is associated with the gut microbiota in 8416 individuals in SCAPIS
Analysis of plasma metabolomes from 11 309 subjects in five population-based cohorts
Part of Scientific Reports, p. 8933, 2024
- DOI for Analysis of plasma metabolomes from 11 309 subjects in five population-based cohorts
- Download full text (pdf) of Analysis of plasma metabolomes from 11 309 subjects in five population-based cohorts
Associations between epigenetic aging and diabetes mellitus in a Swedish longitudinal study.
Part of GeroScience, 2024
Cardiac biomarkers for detection of coronary artery disease in the community
Part of Scientific Reports, 2024
- DOI for Cardiac biomarkers for detection of coronary artery disease in the community
- Download full text (pdf) of Cardiac biomarkers for detection of coronary artery disease in the community
Part of Nature Human Behaviour, p. 276-287, 2024
- DOI for Evidence from Finland and Sweden on the relationship between early-life diseases and lifetime childlessness in men and women
- Download full text (pdf) of Evidence from Finland and Sweden on the relationship between early-life diseases and lifetime childlessness in men and women
Genetic drivers of heterogeneity in type 2 diabetes pathophysiology
Part of Nature, p. 347-357, 2024
- DOI for Genetic drivers of heterogeneity in type 2 diabetes pathophysiology
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Harnessing human microbiomes for disease prediction
Part of Trends in Microbiology, p. 707-719, 2024
Imprints on the gut microbiome: A study of sleep apnea, physical activity, and antibiotic use
2024
Integration of polygenic and gut metagenomic risk prediction for common diseases
Part of Nature Aging, p. 584-594, 2024
- DOI for Integration of polygenic and gut metagenomic risk prediction for common diseases
- Download full text (pdf) of Integration of polygenic and gut metagenomic risk prediction for common diseases
Part of Diabetologia, p. 1828-1837, 2024
- DOI for Major cardiovascular events and death in parents of children with type 1 diabetes: a register-based matched cohort study in Sweden
- Download full text (pdf) of Major cardiovascular events and death in parents of children with type 1 diabetes: a register-based matched cohort study in Sweden
Markers of imminent myocardial infarction
Part of Nature Cardiovascular Research, p. 130-139, 2024
- DOI for Markers of imminent myocardial infarction
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Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Risk of All-Cause Mortality in Women
Part of JAMA Network Open, 2024
- DOI for Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Risk of All-Cause Mortality in Women
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Multi-modal single cell sequencing of B cells in primary Sjögren's Syndrome.
Part of Arthritis & Rheumatology, p. 255-267, 2024
- DOI for Multi-modal single cell sequencing of B cells in primary Sjögren's Syndrome.
- Download full text (pdf) of Multi-modal single cell sequencing of B cells in primary Sjögren's Syndrome.
Part of Scientific Reports, 2024
- DOI for New connections of medication use and polypharmacy with the gut microbiota composition and functional potential in a large population
- Download full text (pdf) of New connections of medication use and polypharmacy with the gut microbiota composition and functional potential in a large population
Part of Spatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology, 2024
- DOI for Predicting COVID-19 hospitalizations: The importance of healthcare hotlines, test positivity rates and vaccination coverage
- Download full text (pdf) of Predicting COVID-19 hospitalizations: The importance of healthcare hotlines, test positivity rates and vaccination coverage
Part of Kidney international reports, p. 1849-1859, 2024
- DOI for Prioritization of Kidney Cell Types Highlights Myofibroblast Cells in Regulating Human Blood Pressure
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Part of European Journal of Epidemiology, p. 35-49, 2024
- DOI for Pulmonary function and atherosclerosis in the general population: causal associations and clinical implications
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Part of Circulation, 2024
Risk factors for Charcot foot development in individuals with diabetes mellitus
Part of Diabetologia, p. 2702-2710, 2024
- DOI for Risk factors for Charcot foot development in individuals with diabetes mellitus
- Download full text (pdf) of Risk factors for Charcot foot development in individuals with diabetes mellitus
Part of European Journal of Public Health, p. 14-21, 2024
- DOI for Sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 testing rates: spatiotemporal patterns and impact of test accessibility in Sweden
- Download full text (pdf) of Sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 testing rates: spatiotemporal patterns and impact of test accessibility in Sweden
Part of Scientific Reports, 2024
- DOI for The association between novel urinary kidney damage biomarkers and coronary atherosclerosis in an apparently healthy population
- Download full text (pdf) of The association between novel urinary kidney damage biomarkers and coronary atherosclerosis in an apparently healthy population