Organisation and governance

Contributing partners from seven regions and seven universities

Genomic Medicine Sweden builds upon a broad national commitment and consists of a collaboration between Sweden’s seven regional authorities with university healthcare and Sweden’s seven universities with medical faculties. The initiative is coordinated by Region Skåne in close collaboration with Karolinska Institutet.

Participating regions
Region Skåne (Host Region)
Region Stockholm
Region Uppsala
Region Västerbotten
Region Västra Götaland
Region Örebro CountyRegion Östergötland

Participating Universities
University of Gothenburg
Linköping University
Lund University
Karolinska Institutet
Umeå University
Uppsala University
Örebro University

In broad cooperation with healthcare and the life science sector

GMS works together with a wide range of actors within healthcare and life science including Biobank Sweden, Sweden’s Regional Cancer Centres, Clinical Studies Sweden, SciLifeLab, universities, patient organisations, industry, and other public authorities. By working together we develop the best model for introducing improved diagnostics and personalised treatment into to the healthcare system at the same time as we bolster research and innovation in precision medicine.

With regional centres as the driving force

In each of Sweden’s seven regions with university healthcare we have established regional centres for genomic medicine, so called GMCs (Genomic Medicine Centres) as collaborations between healthcare regions and universities. These centres act as primary contact points for conducting gene sequencing of patient samples within the healthcare system as well as facilitating excellent research through their connection to universities. Every GMC is responsible for introducing new diagnostics that improve the healthcare system’s ability to deliver individualised treatment. Each centre is also responsible for including other neighbouring healthcare regions (without university hospitals) in the GMS initiative to ensure that genomic medicine is provided to patients across the whole of Sweden irrespective of location.

A management group with nationwide representation

The activities of GMS are led by a management group consisting of members from each region.

Richard Rosenquist Brandell, Chair
Anders Edsjö, Vice chair
Marene Landström, Umeå (substitute Richard Palmqvist)
Mia Wadelius, Uppsala (substitute Ulf Gyllensten)
Valtteri Wirta, Stockholm
Bianca Stenmark, Örebro (substitute Paula Mölling)
Tobias Strid, Linköping (substitute Peter Söderkvist)
Per Sikora, Göteborg (substitute Lars Palmqvist)
Thoas Fioretos, Lund (substitute Sofia Gruvberger Saal)

Co-opted members: Anna Lindstrand

GMS Strategic collaboration group

The strategic collaboration group is supporting the work of the GMS management team. The members of GMS strategic collaboration group represent all GMCs and each area of ​​activity within GMS.

Richard Rosenquist Brandell, Chair
Anders Edsjö, Vice ordförande, Co-chair Solida tumours
Anna Lindstrand, Co-chair Rare diseases
Anna Wedell, GMC Karolinska
Åsa Johansson, Co-chair Complex diseases
Bianca Stenmark, GMC Örebro
Bo Jacobsson, Co-chair Complex diseases
Christian Giske, Co-chair Microbiology
Craig Wheelock, Co-chair Complex diseases
David Gisselsson Nord, Co-chair Childhood cancer
Hans Ehrencrona, Co-chair Rare diseases
Kina Höglund, GMC West
Lars Engstrand, Co-chair Microbiology (until June 30 2024)
Lars Palmqvist, Co-chair Legal aspects
Lars-Åke Levin, Co-chair Health economy
Lovisa Lovmar, Co-chair Rare diseases
Lucia Cavelier, Co-chair Hematology
Marene Landström, GMC North
Maria Johansson, Co-chair Innovation and industry collaboration
Maria Johansson Soller, Co-chair Communication and education
Mia Wadelius, GMC Uppsala
Mikaela Friedman, Co-chair Communication and education
Mårten Lindqvist, GMC Örebro
Paula Mölling, Co-chair Microbiology
Per Sikora, Co-chair Informatics, Co-chair Microbiology
Peter Söderqvist, GMC Southeast
Richard Palmqvist, GMC North
Sofia Gruvberger Saal, GMC South
Therese Fagerqvist, Co-chair Innovation and industry collaboration
Thoas Fioretos, Co-chair Hematology
Tobias Strid, Co-chair Informatics
Ulf Gyllensten, GMC Uppsala
Valtteri Wirta, Co-chair Informatics

A strong and representative steering committee

The steering committee for GMS works with ensuring the best possible conditions for a national infrastructure for precision medicine, deciding on strategic questions regarding an effective collaboration between healthcare regions and universities, and for ensuring sustainable funding for GMS. The steering committee consists of seven members appointed by each of Sweden’s seven regions with university hospitals, two members jointly appointed by the remaining fourteen Swedish regions, seven members appointed by each of Sweden’s seven universities with medical faculties, two members appointed by industry, and two members appointed by patient organisations.

Mats Ulfendahl, Chair, Research Director, Region Östergötland
Oskar Ahlberg, Patient organisation representative, Rare diseases Sweden
Jonas Appelberg, Acting Head of research and education, Region Örebro County
Gunilla Bodelsson, Head of Department, Region Skåne
Ann Ekberg-Jansson, Research Director, Region Västra Götaland
Mia von Euler, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University
Cecilia Fagerström, Research Director, Region Kalmar
Margareta Haag, Patient organisation representative, Network against cancer
Jan Holgersson, Vice-Dean for infrastructure, University of Gothenburg
Martin Hallbeck, Vicedekan, Linköpings universitet
Clara Hellner, Research Director, Region Stockholm
Jonas Larsson, Vicedekan Medicinska fakulteten, Lunds universitet
Frida Lundmark, Branch organisation representative, Swedish Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry (LIF)
Anna Martling, Dean, Karolinska Institutet
Beatrice Melin, Director of Research Development and Innovation, Region Västerbotten
Andreas Muranyi Scheutz, Research Director, Region Uppsala
Kent Nilsson, Head of Department, Region Västmanland
Jesper Olsson, Branch organisation representative, Swedish Medtech
Malin Sund, Umeå University
Eva Tiensuu Janson, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Uppsala University

Coopted members:
Sonja Eaker, Biobank Sweden
Anders Edsjö, Genomic Medicine Sweden
Maja Neiman, SwedenBio
Hasse Knutsson, Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions
Cecilia Ljungberg, Swedish Labtech
Anders Brinne, Vinnova
Richard Rosenquist Brandell, Genomic Medicine Sweden
Stephanie Juran, Rare Diseases Sweden
Päivi Östling, SciLifeLab

Scientific Advisory Board

Dame Sue Hill, Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in NHS England

Bettina Lundgren, CEO, Danish National Genome Center, Denmark

Jaana Sinipuro, Senior Advisor, Sofigate Oy, Finland

Albrecht Stenzinger, Head of the Center for Molecular Pathology (CMP), Head of the Section for Biomarker Development and Molecular Diagnostics and Senior Consultant Pathologist at the Institute of Pathology (IPH), University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany

Dag Undlien, Head of Department of Medical Genetics at Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Norway

Clinical reference group

In addition to the management and steering committees GMS also has a clinical reference group who support the introduction of precision medicine in Sweden and consists of specialists in rare diseases, hematology and solid tumours.