The Faculty of Health, Science and Technology
News
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2026-05-11
Pulp can replace plastic in future packaging
Through green chemistry and smart processing, cellulose can be given new properties that result in stronger paper and improved barrier materials. This is demonstrated in a new doctoral thesis from Karlstad University.
Plastic is currently widely used in paper‑based packaging, such as milk and food cartons, to protect against air and moisture. However, plastic is fossil‑based and difficult to recycle together with paper. In her doctoral thesis, Mozhgan Hashemzehi shows how pulp can be modified in a more sustainable way to reduce the need for plastic in packaging.
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2026-05-08
MAX IV Visited Karlstad University
On 5 May, MAX IV visited Karlstad University as part of the MAX IV Roadshow. During the visit, both current research opportunities and future plans for the world leading synchrotron radiation facility in Lund were presented. Joachim Schnadt, Science Director at MAX IV, gave a broad introduction to the facility and its scientific capabilities.
“Going out and speaking directly with people at universities is crucial for showing what MAX IV is, what the facility can be used for, and the opportunities the infrastructure offers,” says Joachim Schnadt.
An infrastructure for many research fields
MAX IV provides advanced methods in X‑ray imaging, scattering and diffraction, as well as spectroscopy, with applications ranging from life sciences and medicine to energy, the environment and advanced materials. Today, 16 beamlines are in operation, covering a wide energy range from 4 eV to 40 keV.
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2026-05-07
Adaptive Battery Reduces Energy Costs and Peak Power Demand in Greenhouses
Researchers at Karlstad University have developed a new intelligent control strategy for battery storage in climate controlled greenhouses. By combining artificial intelligence and signal processing algorithms with short term forecasts of electricity consumption and solar power generation, energy costs can be reduced while simultaneously easing the load on the power grid.
Greenhouses provide optimal conditions for year‑round food production but are also highly energy‑intensive. In the present study, the researchers show how a battery storage system controlled by reinforcement learning can be used more efficiently when the greenhouse has a high share of locally generated renewable energy, such as solar photovoltaics.
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2026-05-07
New dissertation shows how AI makes energy systems smarter
As more households and buildings both produce and consume energy, for example through solar panels and electric vehicles, energy systems require flexible solutions. This is what Amal Nammouchi has explored in her dissertation, where the research lies at the intersection of artificial intelligence and energy.
What is AI for applied energy?
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2026-04-28
New research improves the analysis of modern medicines
A new doctoral thesis at Karlstad University provides increased understanding of how medicines can be analysed more reliably and safely. The research focuses on fundamental investigations of liquid chromatography, one of the most important analytical techniques used in the pharmaceutical industry. This type of fundamental understanding is essential, as many current challenges cannot be solved by empirical method optimisation alone.
Liquid chromatography is used to separate and measure the different components of a medicine. In addition to the active substance, medicines often contain excipients that stabilise the product and determine its final form. To establish the correct dosage and detect harmful substances, the active ingredient must first be separated from these other components.
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2026-04-21
Industrial PhD Students in EXACT Present Their Research in Short Films
How do you explain advanced research in a way that is understandable even outside academia? Industrial PhD students in the research school EXACT at Karlstad University have now taken on that challenge in front of the camera. Four new short films, in which the doctoral students present their research in a popular‑science format, have recently been published.
The films are part of a new element in the doctoral education, with a strong focus on communication. Instead of presenting their research solely through traditional academic formats, the doctoral students were tasked with summarising their work in a short film aimed at a broad audience.
