Swedish institute loses decades of research after sample fridge breaks
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It is reported that the estimated value of the lost samples was around 500m krona, or $47 million.
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A view of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden in an undated photo (Karolinska Institutet)
The Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Stockholm, Sweden, suffered more than a mere mishap when a freezer malfunctioned and stopped operating during the Christmas holidays, losing research samples gathered over decades.
The samples were collected in tanks with liquid nitrogen at -190C at the institute, which is home to the grand Nobel Assembly which selects a Nobel prize winner in physiology or medicine.
On Monday, the dean of KI’s southern campus, Matti Sallberg, stated: “It happened at possibly the absolute worst time imaginable in Sweden, just one day before Christmas Eve,” adding that the event has been reported to local authorities.
The possibility of sabotage or foul play has been ruled out.
The malfunction occurred between December 22 and 23 in the supply of liquid nitrogen to 16 cryogenic tanks; even though the tanks are able to last four days without additional nitrogen, being left without any for five days led to the destruction of samples.
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It is reported that the estimated value of the lost samples was around 500m kronor ($47m).
“Those worst affected are those researching leukemia, they have gathered samples from patients over as much as 30 years,” he said, “Currently there is no indication that it was due to outside influence but the police report was done to cover all bases.”
“These are samples that have been the subject of extensive studies and there were plans for more studies,” Sallberg said.
