Collaborative study identified new plasma proteins associated with VTE

The mechanisms leading to venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains incompletely understood. In a recent study published in Circulation, researchers from TREC in collaboration with colleagues from research centers in USA and at NTNU analyzed the plasma proteome (5000-7000 proteins) from three US cohorts (MESA, CHS and ARIC) and one Norwegian cohort (HUNT) to identify potential novel risk factors for VTE. Researchers identified 23 proteins that were associated with VTE, of which 15 were new in the context of VTE. Of the 23 proteins identified, 16 were available in the UK biobank, and of these, 11 were replicated (i.e., also associated with VTE in the UK biobank study). The newly identified proteins are involved in processes like immune system interactions, tissue repair and remodeling, and vascular aging. The proteins may potentially be new targets for risk assessment and prevention of VTE.

Reference: Tang W, Li A, Austin TR, Braekkan SK, Nost TH, Li X, Deo R, Dubin R, Ganz P, Guan W, Cao R, Hansen JB, Hveem K, Hoogeveen RC, Jonasson C, Rotter JI, Matsushita K, Liu G, Pankow JS, Pankratz N, Psaty BM, Taylor KD, Thibord F, Boerwinkle E, Smith NL, Cushman M, Folsom AR. Novel Plasma Proteomic Markers and Risk of Venous Thromboembolism. Circulation. 2026; 153: 810-25. 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.125.074493.

New PhDs graduated from TREC

Christabel Esi  Damoah and Birgitte Tøndel defended their doctoral thesis in December 2025 and January 2026, respectively. TREC congratulates them with  their new degree!

Christabel Esi Damoah defended her thesis entitled «The Involvement of the Complement Lectin Pathway in Venous Thromboembolism» on December 18, 2025, with Professor Bengt Zöller (University of Lund) and Docent Maria Bruzelius (Karolinska Institutet) as opponents.

You can find the link to Christabel’s doctoral thesis here.

 Birgitte Gladsø Tøndel defended her thesis «The risk of venous thromboembolism after ischemic stroke» on Januar 22, 2026. The opponents were Karina Meijer (University Medical Center Groningen) and Marcus Lind (Umeå University).

You can find the link to Birgitte’s doctoral thesis here.

TREC affiliated MD students have graduated from the Research program in medicine

The Research Program in Medicine (Forskerlinjen) at UiT The Arctic University of Norway is a 120 ECTS credit program, of which 30 credits are for PhD courses and 90 credits are for a research project. The program is anually offered to 10 MD students who wish to pursue a research career. The program provides students with practical research experience, training in research methods and critical thinking, along with a solid foundation for further PhD studies. The Research Program in Medicine ends with oral examination consisting of 20 minutes presentation of the student’s research project by the students followed by 40 minutes defense with one external and one internal examinator during the sixth year at medical school.

During the last 15 years, the Thrombosis Research Group (TREC) has recruited 1-2 of the students elected for the research program annually for thrombosis-related projects. This year, however, we had for the first time 3 MD/PhD students (Camilla Langholm, Nikolai Hagensen Eide, and Asbjørn Lund Onsaker) that graduated from the program on Friday November 28. They all presented papers published in high-ranked medical journals and defended their projects exceptionally well during the scientific discussions. The external evaluator for all three graduations was professor Pål Andre Holme from the University of Oslo.

The achievements were traditionally celebrated with coffee and cake immediately after graduation with colleagues, family and friends in TREC premises at UiT.

 The following papers were discussed during the exams:

Onsaker et al. Histo-blood group ABO system transferase plasma levels and risk of future venous thromboembolism: the HUNT study. Blood. 2025;145(22):2656-65.

Eide et al. Mortality risk after cancer-related venous thromboembolism has decreased over the last three decades: the HUNT and Tromso studies. Haematologica. 2025;110(6):1328-38.

Langholm et al. Risk of Cancer in the Short and Long Term after Incident Venous Thromboembolism: The HUNT and Tromso Studies. Thromb Haemost. 2025.

John Bjarne Hansen  –  Professor

Sigrid Kufaas Brækkan  –  Professor

Omri Snir  –  Associate Professor

Thor Ueland  –  Professor II

Vania Maris Morelli  –  Researcher

Nadezhda Latysheva  –  Research technician

Kristian Dalsbø Hindberg  –  Researcher

Eduarda Mazagao Guerreiro  –  Researcher

Samantha Xavier

Maryam Hosseini  –  Doctoral Research Fellow

Christopher Antoun  –  Doctoral Research Fellow

Lisa Jakobsen  –  Doctoral Research Fellow

Celina Janene Cathro  –  Doctoral Research Fellow

Ellen-Sofie Wulff Eilertsen  –  Doctoral Research Fellow

Christabel Esi Damoah  –  Doctoral Research Fellow

Oda Gabrielle R. Leknessund  –  PhD student

Vårin Eiriksdatter Wikan  –  PhD student

Asbjørn Lund Onsaker  –  MD PhD student (Forskerlinja)

Nikolai Hagensen Eide  –  MD PhD student (Forskerlinja)

Camilla Langholm  –  MD PhD student (Forskerlinja)

Anna Yang Arntzen  –  MD PhD student (Forskerlinja)

Mathias Haugmo Storvand  –  MD PhD student (Forskerlinja)

Solveig Marie Valderhaug  –  MD PhD student (Forskerlinja)

Inga Røstvold  –  MD PhD student (Forskerlinja)