Tamara Saez Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Discovering the why of abnormal blood vessel function in preeclampsia

Preeclampsia, a high-risk pregnancy complication involving high blood pressure and kidney malfunction, is the leading cause of illness and death in mothers and their developing child. It is thought to occur because of an inability of the mother’s blood vessels to adapt to the pregnancy, which leads to increased blood pressure and reduced blood flow. Saez is studying the impact of “bad” cholesterol on blood vessel function in preeclampsia. Eventually, her work could lead to new treatments for mothers who suffer from this complication.
In the future, Saez hopes to establish her own research lab, focused on investigating pregnancy disorders and the associated impact to a mother’s health, as well as her developing child. This fellowship will help her bring this goal to fruition.
This fellowship has been funded by generous support of the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation through the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute.