Commitment to medical law at Uppsala

“This is truly welcome and gratifying news! This makes it possible to create a stimulating research environment surrounding this subject. There is a constantly growing demand for expertise in medical law in society, and this investment represents a first step toward meeting this demand over the long term,” says Elisabeth Rynning, who has been Sweden’s only professor of medical law since 2003.

The subject addresses various legal aspects of activities such as medical and health care, biomedical research, and forensic medicine. The subject is interdisciplinary in that it involves many traditional legal fields in both Swedish and international law. It is also closely related to medical ethics. 

The grant is for a total of SEK 6.6 million over four years and, among other things, will fund two salaried positions for doctoral candidates and a post-doctoral position. This is an important step in a more long-term commitment to this research field, where legal science meets medicine.


Other grants for Uppsala researchers from the Ragnar Söderberg Foundation:

- Law, aquatic ecosystems, and sustainable fisheries, SEK 2.5 million: Gabriel Michanek, professor of environmental law

- Networks and agreements in contract work, SEK 2.5 million: Erika Björkdahl, researcher in civil law

- Role of cellular origin for tumorigenicity of glioma-derived cancer initiating cells, more than SEK 1 million: Lene Uhrbom, researcher at the Department of Genetics and Pathology.

- Tradition and renewal in the field of water law – On the encounter between permitting regimes for water rights and modern environmental demands, just under SEK 1 million: Jan Darpö, researcher in environmental law.

- The Earth Pear book project, which will trace the history of economic thought in Sweden, SEK 50,000: Lars Magnusson, professor of economic history.

- Self-defense against international terrorism, SEK 260,000 (half of which from the  Torsten Söderberg Foundation), Daniel Janse, doctoral candidate.