The Preeclampsia Foundation today announced Hena Patel, MD, and Sarah E. Harkins, PhD, RN, as recipients of its 2027 Vision Grants. These highly competitive monetary awards of $20,000 each recognize promising investigators with novel, innovative research ideas related to preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The grants have a special focus on health inequities in the U.S. The recipients were selected through the 2026 application cycle, and their grants will be awarded in January 2027.

Hena N. Patel, MD, FACC & Sarah E. Harkins, PhD, RN

“Black and Indigenous women in North America are more likely to develop hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and to have adverse outcomes,” said Eleni Tsigas, Preeclampsia Foundation Chief Executive Officer. “By focusing this year’s funding on research that includes and centers these highly affected populations, we hope to add to the body of research to better understand those connections, increase representation in our patient registry, and ultimately improve maternal health outcomes.”

Dr. Hena Patel is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the University of Chicago and Director of the Women’s Heart Center. She specializes in advanced cardiovascular imaging, including echocardiography, cardiac MRI, and cardiac CT, and is passionate about advancing women’s cardiovascular health. Her work focuses particularly on cardio-obstetrics and improving care for women affected by pregnancy-related conditions such as preeclampsia. Dr. Patel is dedicated to better understanding the lasting effects of pregnancy complications on cardiovascular health and improving care for women throughout their lives.

Dr. Patel’s grant proposal, “Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction and Subclinical Myocardial Remodeling After Preeclampsia,” will investigate the potential long-term cardiovascular effects of preeclampsia in diverse populations.

“I am truly honored and grateful for the Preeclampsia Foundation’s support and for the opportunity to advance research focused on improving cardiovascular health for women affected by preeclampsia,” shared Dr. Patel.  

Dr. Sarah E. Harkins is a registered nurse and National Library of Medicine Postdoctoral Fellow in Biomedical Informatics at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She earned her PhD in Nursing from Columbia University School of Nursing in 2025, where her dissertation examined perinatal health experiences and outcomes among Black and Hispanic women with disabilities. Dr. Harkins’ current research integrates community-engaged methods and informatics approaches to identify and address racial inequities and improve the quality of perinatal care and outcomes for all women.

“I am very honored to have been selected for this prestigious research award,” Dr. Harkins shared.  

Dr. Harkins’ grant proposal, “Advancing Equity in Preeclampsia Care Quality: A Mixed Methods Study of Black Women’s Perceptions of Care and Clinical Management for Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy,” will examine patients’ experiences and clinical care to help advance equity in preeclampsia care.

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 accelerating research. 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.