IVA’s Gold Medal 2026: Joakim Lundeberg
Joakim Lundeberg, Professor of Molecular Biotechnology at KTH, has been awarded IVA's Gold Medal 2026. His method for spatial transcriptomics has become a standard tool in life sciences worldwide. The innovation is of particular importance to cancer research.
Joakim Lundeberg, born in 1963, trained as an engineer in chemical engineering at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, where he completed his PhD in biotechnology in 1993. After a period as a postdoctoral researcher at the Norwegian Radium Hospital in Oslo, he returned to KTH and built up a leading research operation in molecular biotechnology and genomics. In 2000 he was appointed professor in the subject.
Lundeberg is a pioneer in method development for the analysis of DNA and RNA, focusing on technical breakthroughs that make new biological and medical insights possible. His most significant innovation is spatial transcriptomics, a method that for the first time makes it possible to map gene expression directly in the spatial context of the tissue. The method analyses mRNA molecules in tissue sections using position-specific molecular barcodes. Researchers can thereby determine which genes are active, in which cells they are expressed and where in the tissue those cells are located. This represents a paradigm shift, in which gene expression can be linked to cellular and tissue-specific function with high precision.
The methodology combines classical pathology with advanced biotechnology and AI-based analysis, opening new possibilities for understanding complex biological systems. Its significance is greatest in cancer research, where an understanding of the tumour microenvironment is decisive for developing more precise and effective treatments. The work has led to scientific breakthroughs and laid the foundations for new diagnostic tools and therapies in precision medicine.
The journal Nature Methods named spatial transcriptomics Method of the Year 2020.
Lundeberg's research has also had a wide industrial reach. The technology was commercialised through the spin-off company Spatial Transcriptomics AB, which was later acquired by 10x Genomics. The Visium platform, developed by 10x Genomics, is used globally today in basic research, drug development and clinical research.
As a professor at KTH, Lundeberg has built an internationally leading research environment at the interface between technology, biology and medicine. At Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab) he has also played a central role in developing the national genomics infrastructure. His interdisciplinary approach and his ability to turn research into practical benefit have been decisive in strengthening Sweden's position in life sciences.
Through his scientific advances, his industrial impact and his leadership in academia and research infrastructure, Lundeberg has had a profound and lasting effect on both research and society.
"A strong driving force for me is seeing the benefit of what I do. Receiving IVA's Gold Medal means a great deal. It is a recognition, and confirmation that what I am passionate about has been noticed by others."
Joakim Lundeberg
Citation for IVA's Gold Medal
Professor Joakim Lundeberg is awarded IVA's Gold Medal for ground-breaking contributions to molecular biotechnology and genomics, in particular the development of spatial transcriptomics. The method makes it possible to map gene expression directly in the spatial context of tissues, providing new insights into biological systems and disease processes, not least in cancer research. Lundeberg's work has also had a major industrial impact through successful commercialisation and global use.
