The annual research awards are given to individual researchers and research groups who, with their articles, have distinguished themselves by high scientific quality, innovative thinking and significance for patient treatment.
This year, Kristina Haugaa won the Excellent Researcher Award 2026, while Ida Lindeman and Nicola Pietro Montaldo won the Early Career Awards 2026.
Improving diagnostics and treatment of heart disease
Kristina Haugaa is a professor at the Institute of Clinical Medicine at UiO and the head of department and consultant at the Department of Cardiology at OUS. She also heads ProCardio, Centre for Research-Based Innovation (SFI).
She is an internationally leading cardiologist and researcher in cardiogenetics, cardiac imaging, sports cardiology, and sudden cardiac death.
“It is a great and very pleasant recognition of the work that the research group has done, and for which I am very grateful. The award inspires further work, and we have many plans for the future,” Haugaa says.
One of her research goals is to improve diagnostics and treatment through automation and individualization.
“For example, our research will reduce the number of deaths in patients with underlying heart disease through the correct identification of high-risk individuals who can be offered an implantable cardioverter defibrillator,” she says.
DNA reparation in cancer and Parkinson's disease
Nicola Pietro Montaldo is a researcher at the Department of Microbiology and CRESCO, a Centre of Excellence (SFF).
His research focuses on DNA repair mechanisms in cancer and neurodegeneration, such as Parkinson's disease.
“It is a great pleasure to receive this recognition. It is particularly meaningful to see that the field of DNA repair is highlighted in this way, because it reflects the broad relevance of our work.”
He talks about several translational and innovation-focused projects that he believes can benefit patients.
“The award provides renewed motivation to continue pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve, especially at the intersection of DNA repair, transcription and new approaches such as artificial intelligence in cancer research and neurodegenerative diseases.”
Read more about Montaldo's research on Parkinson's disease here.
Working with specific B cells behind autoimmune diseases
Ida Lindeman is a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, and a researcher at the Norwegian Coeliac Disease Research Centre. She has made important contributions to the understanding of adaptive immunity.
“This award means a lot to me. The prize motivates me to continue my work on identifying and characterizing the specific B cells that drive autoimmune diseases so that they can be combated with precision treatment,” Lindeman says.
She developed the widely used software BraCeR, which enables the reconstruction of B-cell receptor sequences from RNA sequencing data from single cells.
“The goal of my research is that patients with autoimmune diseases will receive the right treatment earlier, with fewer side effects,” the prize winner says, and continues:
“My research contributes to understanding which cells actually drive the disease, which forms the basis for identifying new, more specific points of attack for future medicines.”
Read more about the winners of the awards on the Oslo University Hospital website.