About PRIMA

Who we are

PRIMA brings together 7 research groups united in the mission to advance cancer immunotherapy. Through scientific excellence and breakthrough discoveries, we work to unlock the full potential of the human immune system to improve cancer treatment.

PRIMA is supported by a 10‑year grant (2023-2033) from the Research Council of Norway, combined with internal funding from both the host institution and partner institutions. Beyond this, we rely substantially on external funding from additional national and international funding bodies.

Organization

PRIMA is hosted by the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Oslo (UiO), within the Institute of Clinical Medicine. One of the research groups is further affiliated with the Norwegian Centre for Molecular Biosciences and Medicine (NCMBM).

Oslo University Hospital (OUS) is a key partner in PRIMA. The Centre is organizationally linked to both the Division of Laboratory Medicine and the Division of Cancer Medicine.

Our research groups are physically located across Radiumhospitalet, Rikshospitalet, and Oslo Science Park (Forskningsparken). In addition, several team members are based at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden.

Centre management

PRIMA is directed by Karl-Johan Malmberg with Johanna Olweus as codirector, and Lise Kveberg as Centre Manager.

Staff

PRIMA is a multinational Centre with 109 members (Des 2025) from 27 different nationalities.

The members include 3 associated group leaders with complementary expertise to the 7 main group leaders, 30 PhD students, 19 postdoctoral research fellows, 25 researchers, and 20 engineers. The Centre also have a smaller number of master students, interns, and visiting researchers.

The overall gender balance is 67% females and 33% males.

Karl-Johan Malmberg

Johanna Olweus

Lise Kveberg

Photos: Moment Studio

The Young Scientist Working Group (YSWG)

The Young Scientist Working Group (YSWG) consists of engaged and motivated early‑career researchers at PRIMA who are dedicated to strengthening collaboration, career development, and networking across the centre. Each research group is represented in the YSWG, and its members work closely with the Principal Investigators (PIs) and the Centre’s management team. Together, they support and develop a range of PRIMA activities, including workshops, retreats, public outreach initiatives, and social events.

The YSWG also serves an important role as the collective voice of PRIMA’s young scientists, helping to communicate their perspectives, needs, and ideas to ensure that the centre continues to grow in a supportive and inclusive way.