Award hosted by Sahlgrenska Science Park
Arvid Carlsson Award
Sahlgrenska Science Park has celebreated the Arvid Carlsson Award every year since 2017 at the Park Annual event. The award pays tribute to innovation, knowledge and competence in conjunction with good entrepreneurship in honor of Nobel Prize winner Arvid Carlsson’s name.
Proudly presented by Sahlgrenska Science Park since 2017
The Arvid Carlsson Award recognizes a pioneering researcher or entrepreneur whose groundbreaking innovation could transform the diagnostics and therapies of the future of healthcare.
About Arvid Carlsson
Arvid Carlsson (1923–2018) was a Swedish physician, pharmacologist and Nobel Prize laureate in Physiology or Medicine in 2000. He was awarded for his groundbreaking discoveries about the neurotransmitter dopamine and its importance for brain function, and his research led to the development of new treatment principles for several neurological and psychiatric diseases, including Parkinson's disease.
Arvid Carlsson was active at the University of Gothenburg and the Sahlgrenska Academy and is internationally recognized as one of Sweden's most influential researchers of all time. His work was characterized by scientific curiosity, perseverance and the conviction that research should be translated into practical benefit for patients, values that form the basis of the Arvid Carlsson Award.
Eligibility
The award recognises life science entrepreneurs who:
Contribute to advances in human health and wellbeing
Show strong potential to impact healthcare
Combine scientific knowledge with innovation and real-world application
Recipients of the Arvid Carlsson Award receive:
Formal recognition and a commemorative diploma
A challenge prize and the opportunity to attend an international conference (including travel and accommodation)
The opportunity to share insights from the conference through a lecture for the Sahlgrenska Science Park community
Winner of 2025:
"We are honored that our research and clinical progress have been recognized through the Arvid Carlsson Award. This recognition gives us even greater motivation to continue developing treatments that can change the lives of patients with severe chronic diseases in need of advanced therapies,” says Petter Björquist, VERIGRAFT, winner of the 2025 award.
Winners through the years
Petter Björquist , CEO of VERIGRAFT
VERIGRAFT has developed a regenerative medicine platform that makes it possible to convert donated tissue into personalized transplants. The technology eliminates the risk of rejection and reduces the need for lifelong immunosuppression - factors that can improve recovery and quality of life for patients with serious medical conditions.
Johannes Hulthe and Lars Johansson, Antaros Medical
By leveraging cutting-edge imaging technologies, they’ve developed biomarkers that help pharma companies make critical decisions in clinical trials—sometimes even stopping projects early to redirect resources. Their work has led to breakthroughs in treatments for complex diseases like obesity and metabolic disorders.
Petra Apell, Texray
Texray has developed a first-of-its-kind radiation protection textile, addressing the need of a comfortable, lightweight, and safe equipment, protecting the user from harmful radiation while saving the lives of others.
Filip Peters, Acorai
With more than 60 million patients suffering from heart failure globally, the winner of the Arvid Carlsson Award 2022 is addressing a huge health and healthcare problem, by using new technologies to simplify the diagnosis and follow-up care.
Anders Hyltander, Surgical Science
This winner identified an unmet need in clinical training and practice, developed a concept that led to widespread improvements for patients and physicians as well as a successful company.
Anna-Carin Olin, PExA
Proud winners for their development of turning academic cross-functional research into a marketed solution that addresses the rising need for biomarker identification and early diagnosis of lung disease through non-invasive measurement of the small airways.
Professor Jens Nielsen
The 2019 winner has founded several biotech companies, striving to improve health through novel therapeutics. Professor Nielsen's research, focused on systems biology, modeling of metabolism, and metabolic engineering of cell factories has created big breakthrough opportunities.
Kristina Lagerstedt and Susanne Staaf, 1928 Diagnostics
The winners of 2018 are internationally recognized through a technique that is considered to be pioneer in solving one of the world’s largest threats to human health; antibiotic resistance. With a global mindset from start in 2014, the Gothenburg-based company is active in more than ten countries throughout Europe and plans future expansion in the US.
Erik Gatenholm and Hector Martinez, Cellink (BICO)
The first Arvid Carlsson Award winners have built one of the fastest growing life science companies in Sweden. With a true entrepreneurial spirit they are influencing others to believe in their ideas in bioprinting. They were personally handed the award by Professor Carlsson in 2017.
