Magnus Essand named 2026 Cancer Researcher of the Year
Magnus Essand, professor at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, has been named the 2026 Cancer Researcher of the Year by the Swedish Cancer Society. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt, Uppsala University.
The Swedish Cancer Society has named Magnus Essand, professor at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, as Cancer Researcher of the Year for 2026 (Årets cancerforskare). He has received this award for his research in immunotherapy, where he has made contributions to the development of the next generation of therapies for cancer through clinical trials.
Magnus Essand, professor at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, was named the 2026 Cancer Researcher of the Year by the Swedish Cancer Society with the following justification:
For research in immunotherapy to combat cancer that is unique in the world. With cutting-edge molecular engineering, he has created innovative cell therapies that have gone all the way from the laboratory to patients and with results that are saving lives.
Magnus Essand’s research is translational, which means that it takes its starting point in the laboratory but aims to convert results into practical therapies for the patient. His work combines gene therapy, cell therapy, and immunotherapy in advanced clinical trials, primarily targeting lymphoma, which is a form of blood cancer.
The award was presented on 10 March in conjunction with the Swedish Cancer Society’s 75th anniversary event.
Anders Berndt
Facts
Cancer Researcher of the Year is an award that was established by the Swedish Cancer Society in 2016 with the aim of highlighting cancer researchers’ fight against cancer in the lab, at the computer, or in the healthcare system. The recipient of the award is decided by the Research Board of the Swedish Cancer Society.