Ebba BRAKENHIELM PhD Tumor Biology, Habilitus Cardiac Pathophysiology

Course and current status

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE______________________

2019-present: Research Director (Inserm, DR2) at Inserm U1096

Rouen Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine, University of Rouen, France

Research topics:

1. Inflammation in Heart Failure (HFpEF-DIVA, ERA4Health),
2. Lymphatic regulation of cardiac inflammation (ANR CITE-Lymph),
3. Inflammation in metabolic syndrome (COST EU-Metaheart)

2012-2019:    Tenured researcher (chargé de recherché Inserm, CR1) in the laboratory led by Dr Vincent Richard at Inserm U1096, Rouen Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine, University of Rouen, France

Research topic: “Development of biotherapies targeting cardiac lymphatics in heart failure”

2007-2011:        Tenured research associate in the group of Pr. Christian Thuillez at the Inserm U644, U.F.R de Médecine-Pharmacie, University of Rouen, France

Research topic: “Development of novel therapeutic strategies to stimulate revascularization with focus on myocardial ischemia and heart failure”

2005-2006:        Postdoctoral fellow in the group of Pr. Christian Thuillez at the Inserm U644, U.F.R de Médecine-Pharmacie, University of Rouen, France

Research topic: “Role of vasculogenesis in cardiovascular diseases and studies of cell therapy during ischemic remodeling”

2004-2005:          Postdoctoral researcher in Pr. Lily Wu’s group at the MRL Research Laboratories, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, USA

Project: “Use of molecular imaging to investigate tumor lymphangiogenesis and metastasis in prostate and breast cancer”

2003-2004:         Research associate in Pr. Yihai Cao’s group at the Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

Projects: “Angiogenesis inhibitors in obesity” and “Identification of novel angiogenesis inhibitors from adipose tissue”

EDUCATION & DEGREES_______________________

2012:    Dr Habil degree in Physiology at the Rouen University 

2003:    Ph.D degree in Tumor Biology at the Karolinska Institutet in Pr. Yihai Cao’s group with a thesis entitled “Angiogenesis in Obesity and Cancer”.

1997-1999:    Undergraduate studies of Human Physiology, Neurobiology and Neuropsychology at the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 

1998:   Master of Science degree in Chemistry at the University of Stockholm, Sweden. Exam project work in Dr. Ulo Langel’s laboratory at the department of Neurochemistry with a thesis entitled “Novel Cell-Penetrating Peptides”.

Scientific summary

Initially trained at Stockholm University in Sweden as chemist, specializing in neurochemistry and cell-penetrating peptides for delivery of therapeutic molecules, she opted for a PhD thesis (1999-2003) in tumor biology at Karolinska Institutet working in the laboratory of Pr Yihai Cao. The thematic of her research work was “Discovery and Characterization of Novel Angiogenesis Inhibitors in pathophysiology”, including evaluation of the impact of anti-angiogenic treatments both in the setting of tumor models and in adipose tissue expansion using mouse models of obesity. Further,  she also participated in studies of therapeutic angiogenesis for ischemic diseases.

She pursued postdoctoral studies at UCLA, California, in the laboratory of Pr. Lily Wu, focusing on molecular imaging to investigate te link between tumor lymphangiogenesis and distal metastasis in prostate and breast cancer xenograft mouse models.

Between 2005-2019 she worked as a tenured Inserm researcher in a cardiovascular research laboratory, Inserm U1096, at Normandy University (UNIRouen) in France, where she currently, as Research Director, leads a team of 3 graduate students, several research engineers and technicians. Together, we have been investigating the impact of therapeutic stimulation of blood and lymphatic vessel growth in cardiovascular diseases, in particular chronic heart failure. Dr Brakenhielm previously co-ordinated Era-CVD project LYMIT-DIS (Targeted Lymphatic and Microvessel Treatments in metabolic-DISease HFpEF - Inserm U1096 (lymit-dis.eu)) investigating the vascular and lymphatic mechanisms involved in HFpEF. She currently leads the ERA4Health project HFpEF-Diva Diverging HFpEF Phenotypes : patient-tailoreD targeting of anti-Inflammatory pathways to limit Ventricular and Atrial remodelling | ANR

Her most notable recent research contributions include:

• Heron C, ... .., Brakenhielm E.  Cardiovasc Res 2023 (cited 16 times)
• Houssari M, .., Brakenhielm E.  ATVB 2020 (cited 68 times)
• Brakenhielm E et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020 (cited 49 times)
• Cuijpers I, .. Brakenhielm E. Basic Res Cardiol. 2020 (cited 80 times)
• Brakenhielm E, Alitalo K  Nat Rev Cardiol 2018. (cited 112 times)
• Henri O, ..., Brakenhielm E.  Circulation 2016 (cited 246 times)
• Banquet S,... Brakenhielm E . Circulation 2011 (cited 81 times)

She is currently a member of the Inserm specialized commission CSS3 (since 2022), a member of the Circulation Research editorial board (since 2024), and an active member of the european society of cardiology (ESC), the european vascular biology organization (EVBO) and the Lymphatic research community.