Pre-eclampsia research: Funding for Hanna Allerkamp

The Medical University of Graz is delighted to have received a prestigious award: Hanna Allerkamp from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology has been awarded the renowned BioTechMed-Graz Young Researcher Group Funding. The project will receive a total of €499,221 in funding.

Entitled “GRIP: GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Preeclampsia Therapy”, the research project addresses one of the greatest challenges in obstetrics: pre-eclampsia. This serious pregnancy complication is associated with high blood pressure and organ damage and affects millions of women worldwide. To date, the only effective treatment often involves premature delivery. Furthermore, the condition increases the long-term risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in both mother and child.

The GRIP project is pursuing an innovative therapeutic approach: it is investigating the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists – drugs that have so far been used primarily in the treatment of diabetes and obesity. These active substances can improve vascular health, regulate fat metabolism and reduce inflammatory processes – key factors that are disrupted in pre-eclampsia. The aim is to determine whether these drugs can restore the function of the placenta and blood vessels.

The research is being conducted in close collaboration between the Medical University of Graz and Graz University of Technology. Clinical data is being combined with state-of-the-art technologies: in the ‘PregWin’ pregnancy cohort, the team is analysing GLP-1 levels in relation to metabolic changes. In addition, an innovative human 3D ‘mini-placenta’ model is being developed to test the safety and efficacy of the active substances. Furthermore, tissue samples donated during caesarean sections are being examined in ex vivo systems to better understand the communication between the placenta, adipose tissue and maternal blood vessels.

GRIP is not only intended to develop a new therapeutic approach for pre-eclampsia. The project also lays the foundation for a novel preclinical research platform that may in future contribute to the development of further treatment strategies for pregnancy complications.