Preeclampsia Foundation and Preeclampsia Foundation Canada have announced that Olivia Nonn, PhD, Mancy Tong, PhD, and Kelsey McLaughlin, PhD are their 2024 Vision Grant research award recipients. These highly competitive monetary awards recognize the best junior investigators with novel research ideas in preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

A scientific review committee reviews all Vision Grant applications with a further review by a patient advisory board.  The Preeclampsia Foundation and Preeclampsia Foundation Canada’s Boards of Directors then renders the final decision on these recommendations. Dr. McLaughlin’s research proposal is funded by generous support from Cara HELLPs research fund, established at Preeclampsia Foundation Canada. We're also pleased to recognize the 140 Over 90 Run Event as helping to finance one of these grants this year.

Dr. Olivia Nonn received funding for her study "Analysing the effect of high blood pressure in pre-eclampsia through an in vitro Trophoblast Stem Cell Microfluidics model." She received both her MD and PhD degrees at the Medical University of Graz (Austria), working with placentology experts Prof. Berthold Huppertz and Prof. Martin Gauster. Her studies included stays at the Obstetrics/Gynecology department at the Royal Infirmary University of Edinburgh, UK, the University of Pennsylvania, USA, and the Centre for Trophoblast Research at the University of Cambridge, UK. She currently works at the Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a cooperation between the Max‐Delbrück‐Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and the Charité ‐ Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany), and teaches at the Division of Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Graz (Austria). Her translational research on diseases in pregnancy focuses on preeclampsia and early pregnancy disturbances.

Pictured: Dr. Olivia Nonn

Dr. Mancy Tong will be receiving funding for her research study, "Decidual inflammation in the early pathogenesis of preeclampsia." She is an Assistant Professor at Yale School of Medicine with over 10 years of experience studying maternal-placental crosstalk in healthy and pathological pregnancies. She has dedicated her career to deciphering the maternal and placental contributions to obstetric complications since she was first introduced to preeclampsia research during her graduate training at The University of Auckland, New Zealand. Dr Tong's independent research program at Yale examines the impact of early maternal inflammation and infection on endometrial function and the consequent effects on placentation and pregnancy outcomes. 

Pictured: Dr. Mancy Tong

Dr. Kelsey McLaughlin will be receiving funding for her study entitled "Leveraging PlGF testing to identify pregnant patients at the highest risk of HELLP syndrome: a novel approach to improve maternal and perinatal health". She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Toronto, and Staff Scientist in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Sinai Health System. She completed her PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Toronto with a focus on understanding cardiovascular function in pregnant people at risk of preeclampsia and investigating novel therapies to improve maternal vascular function. Dr. McLaughlin’s clinical research program focuses on cardiovascular health in pregnancy, with the goal of advancing the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of hypertension in pregnancy to improve maternal and fetal health.

Pictured: Dr. Kelsey McLaughlin

For more information or to arrange an interview, please call 1.800.665.9341.

Preeclampsia Foundation Canada

Preeclampsia Foundation Canada was incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act in May 2015. A charity dedicated to its mission of raising awareness and advancing education and research of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. These activities are made possible by the combined efforts of our dedicated Board of Directors, Medical Advisory Board members, donors, and volunteers. For more information, visit www.preeclampsiacanada.ca.

About the Preeclampsia Foundation

The Preeclampsia Foundation is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2000 to improve the outcomes of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy by educating, supporting, and engaging the community, improving healthcare practices, and finding a cure. We envision a world where preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy no longer threaten the lives of mothers and babies. For more information, visit www.preeclampsia.org.