Orlando, FL – February 2, 2022 – The Preeclampsia Foundation announced today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s (SMFM) 42^nd Annual Meeting – The Pregnancy Meeting™ – that applications are now being accepted for its 2022 Vision Grant program.

The Preeclampsia Foundation and its Canadian affiliate, Preeclampsia Foundation Canada, will each award one medical research Vision Grant to study preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, up to $20,000 USD. Preeclampsia Foundation Canada’s grant will be paid in Canadian funds and will be equivalent to $USD based on the Bank of Canada currency exchange at the date of issuance.

Vision Grants are intended to provide initial funding for novel, innovative research by promising young investigators that will advance progress towards detection, prevention, or treatment of preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Post-doctoral, Clinical Fellows, or Early Stage Investigators only are eligible to apply. Projects with potential to alter clinical management and improve patient outcomes will receive priority, but any well-considered research proposal will be accepted for review. International applications are welcome; however, submissions must be in English. The Foundation has committed to funding grants that address known research knowledge gaps.

The application deadline is Wednesday, April 13, 2022, with award notification in early August 2022. Instructions to apply can be found at www.preeclampsia.org/research-funding (US) or www.preeclampsiacanada.ca (Canada).

Since its inception, the Preeclampsia Foundation’s Vision Grant annual program has invested more than $550,000 in novel research – ranging from molecular biology and immunology to potential therapies, with the goal of supporting new, potentially groundbreaking concepts. These results have, in turn, generated additional funding from the National Institutes of Health, earned scientific presentations at major conferences, and inspired young investigators to challenge a medical conundrum that has baffled the medical community for more than 2,400 years.

“We look forward to receiving diverse, quality applications again this year,” said Dr. Thomas Easterling, director of the Preeclampsia Foundation’s Medical Advisory Board. “There has been significant progress toward understanding preeclampsia during the past two decades, but there’s much more research that needs to be done. We’re pleased to be able to fuel this work through our Vision Grants for young investigators.”

“Preeclampsia Foundation Canada looks forward to supporting ambitious and innovative research that will lead to improved maternal and infant health,” said Violet Mateljan, President of the Preeclampsia Foundation Canada Board of Directors. “We are very proud to partner and invest in research that will impact and make a difference for all expectant women and their babies.”

About the Vision Grant Award program 

According to the World Health Organization, preeclampsia is one of the least funded areas of research, especially when considered against Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). The Preeclampsia Foundation’s Vision Grants fund medical research pertaining to the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

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.

About Preeclampsia Foundation Canada

Preeclampsia Foundation Canada was incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act in May 2015. As an affiliate of the U.S. based Preeclampsia Foundation, its mission is to raise awareness and advance education and research of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. For more information, visit www.preeclampsiacanada.ca.

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