A philosopher who deepens and renews the public conversation on ethics, judgement, and views of humanity within healthcare and medicine
Jonna Bornemark, philosopher and author, is one of Sweden’s most influential contemporary philosophers. Through her research in practical knowledge, phenomenology, and existential philosophy, she has shed light on central questions about embodiment, the limits of measurability, and the importance of human judgement—themes directly relevant to medical practice and education. Bornemark’s acclaimed book Det omätbaras renässans (The Renaissance of the Immeasurable) has had a major impact on Swedish healthcare and on how its core mission is understood. She has shown how excessive trust in measurability and standardization risks undermining professional judgement and ethical reflection—two pillars of high-quality care.
A journalist who highlights global health issues on Swedish Radio
Sara Heyman, journalist and nurse, has for many years reported on global health problems around the world, such as hunger and antibiotic resistance. Through her reporting, Sara Heyman has made complex global health issues comprehensible and accessible. Giving voice to researchers, healthcare workers, and affected individuals in different parts of the world is particularly important today, as global health efforts are challenged by withdrawn research funding and halted projects.
A leading researcher in Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease with strong ties to Lund
Roger Barker combines patient studies—aimed at understanding why diseases arise, how symptoms develop, and what clinical subtypes exist—with advanced experimental research that develops new restorative treatments based on cell and gene therapy. Over the past two decades, Roger Barker has played a leading international role in developing a new generation of therapies for patients with Parkinson’s disease, based on the use of stem-cell-derived dopamine neurons and vector-based gene therapy—so-called Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP), a strategically prioritized research area at Lund University.
Barker has strong ties to Parkinson’s research in Lund. For 15 years, he has been an important partner in the clinical cell therapy program for patients with Parkinson’s disease, Stem-PD, based on the transplantation of cells derived from embryonic stem cells using a method developed in Lund.
Roger Barker will be conferred at the honorary doctorate ceremony in 2027.