GRANTS. On behalf of the labor market parties, AFA Insurance allocates SEK 50 million to six new research projects within an R & D program with focus on research on working life without cardiovascular disease. Professor Fredrik Bäckhed and Professor Annika Rosengren lead two of the projects.
Gut microbiota as treatment strategy in cardiovascular disease
Obesity, high blood lipids and diabetes increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. While modern drugs have reduced the incidence of these diseases in society, it is counteracted by unhealthy eating. The research team has found a link between diet, gut microbiota and cardiovascular disease and will investigate how the relationship is affected by work-related stress.
Fredrik Bäckhed, at the University of Gothenburg, is awarded SEK 8,000,000 to study the gut microbiota in relation to work-related stress in women and men aged 50-64. The study is combined with animal experiments.
The project is expected to lead to new methods for assessing and treating cardiovascular disease through analysis and change of gut microbiota.
The process from healthy to sick –stress, cardiovascular risk factors and early atherosclerosis
Many get cardiovascular disease already in working age, but most get it later in life. However, between the ages of 50 and 65, risk factors such as increasing obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and early signs of atherosclerosis develop rapidly. The project will investigate how stress in working life, socioeconomic factors, unemployment and other psychosocial factors affect the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Annika Rosengren, at the University of Gothenburg, is awarded SEK 11,000,000 to study the effect of exposure to work stress earlier in the working life, education, income and other social factors in 30,000 people aged 50 to 64. Data comes from the cardiovascular disease Swedish cardio pulmonary bioimage study, SCAPIS.
The project is expected to generate knowledge that will better prevent the development of cardiovascular related risk factors and early atherosclerosis in working age.
More information about the focus on AFA Insurance (NB. In Swedish): https://www.afaforsakring.se/nyhetsrum/pressmeddelanden/20172/07/50-miljoner-kronor-till-forskning-om-hjart–och-karlsjukdomar/
Portrait photos by Cecilia Hedström.
