The Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation major grant 2020 goes to Marie Wahren-Herlenius

Professor Marie Wahren-Herlenius, Group Leader at CMM, has received the biggest yearly grant in Sweden within the research area of heart and lung diseases: the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation major grant consisting of SEK 15 000 000. The purpose is to fund groundbreaking Swedish research with high potential of being significant to the patients.

This grant will support Marie Wahren-Herlenius and her Group members in their mapping of mechanisms which underlie severe heart diseases in children where the causes are found in the immune system, such as congenital heart block. In utero, the children are exposed to pathological antibodies originating from the mother which, by inducing inflammation which destroys the AV-node in the fetal heart, interfere with its ability to conduct electrical impulses and produce contractions. Congenital heart block is a condition with high mortality in its natural course.

The research conducted by Marie Wahren-Herlenius includes searching for biomarkers that will enable early diagnosis and pinpointing elements in the immune system that are crucial in producing the damage to the children’s hearts. The research group performs both clinical end experimental research with the aim of finding better tools for a safer diagnosis, earlier discovery of damage to the heart tissue and more efficient treatment methods.

A more detailed description of Marie Wahren-Herlenius’ research can be found on her Group page.

Congratulations to Marie Wahren-Herlenius and best wishes for her future research.

Photo from The Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation

Small photo on CMM main page: Marie with co-aplicants. From left to right: Håkan Eliasson, Gunnar Bergman, Sven-Erik Sonesson, Linda Lagnefeldt and Marie-Wahren Herlenius. Photo by Ylva Sonesson.