Initially trained as a tumor biologist, Dr Brakenhielm has since 2005 been working in a cardiovascular research laboratory, Inserm U1096, in Rouen (Normandy region) in France, where she currently directs a team of students, technicians, engineers and young researchers. Together, they are investigating the impact of therapeutic stimulation of blood and lymphatic vessel growth in cardiovascular diseases, in particular in experimental models of heart failure. Dr Brakenhielm acted as consortium leader of the Era-CVD project "LYMIT-DIS" investigating the role of microvascular and lymphatic changes in metabolic syndrome-linked cardiomyopathy (https://lymit-dis.eu/), and currently serves as co-ordinator of the Era4Health CARDINNOV project HFpEF-DIVA.
