Over the past few years, Anders Christensson has led the modernization of kidney care in Skåne. The focus has shifted from late-stage treatment to early detection and preventive measures. The results are clear: since 2018, the need for hospital dialysis has decreased from approximately 500 patients to just over 400.
From laboratory to healthcare
The Skåne Model represents a journey from basic research and clinical studies to implementation in healthcare. Malmö has a long tradition of combining laboratory and clinical work. During his doctoral research in Malmö’s chemistry laboratories, focusing on PSA research, Anders Christensson met researcher Anders Grubb, who had discovered the biomarker cystatin C. Together, they developed cystatin C into a globally recognized, highly reliable biomarker for estimating kidney function.
This work gained attention at a time when kidney care faced major challenges. Together with eight hospitals and primary care in Region Skåne, Anders Christensson established a model for improving kidney care based on research results from Malmö. Implementing such changes is demanding, but all involved clearly saw the potential.
“I received very strong support from politicians, hospital directors, the regional management, and Lund University to make these changes,” says Anders Christensson.
The Skåne Model on the global stage
What began as a regional initiative quickly gained international interest. The work led to an invitation from the American Society of Nephrology to describe the model in the journal Kidney360.
Previously, Anders Christensson was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to New York for kidney diagnostics research at Rockefeller/Cornell University. The scholarship allowed him to build strong research networks in the USA and globally, which continue to this day. This inspired him to strengthen the link between research and improvements in healthcare.
A stimulating research environment
In Malmö, the hospital, CRC, and Wallenberg Laboratory are located next to each other. For Anders Christensson, this physical proximity has always been crucial.
“There is a long-standing tradition of collaboration, and the historical foundation remains today.”
Anders Christensson describes Malmö as a place of unpretentious openness, where researchers are invited early into collaborative projects and the mix of professions and disciplines fosters creativity. For the future, he emphasizes the importance of maintaining the close link between academia and healthcare.
