Dr. Kajsa Tunedal

Biography

Kajsa Tunedal is a PhD student at Linköping University specializing in the application of mathematical models to understand cardiovascular diseases, particularly obesity and hypertension. Her main research focus lies in modeling the cardiovascular system to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of high blood pressure, a common health issue affecting approximately 25% of men worldwide. Hypertension, characterized by systolic/diastolic blood pressure levels of 140/90 mmHg or higher, is a significant risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease and heart failure. Despite the known basic underlying mechanisms, the treatment and connection of hypertension to cardiovascular diseases remains complex. Tunedal's aim is to describe these intricate mechanisms further by developing a mathematical lumped parameter model of the cardiovascular system. She creates personalized models of individual hemodynamics using pressure cuff measurements and informative imaging data, such as four-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (4D Flow MRI). By comparing personalized models, she has found new insights into the hemodynamic mechanisms of hypertension. Furthermore, her updated cardiovascular model, combined with automated data processing, provides a novel clinical tool for individualized diagnostics and treatment planning for hypertension. Besides her research, Tunedal acts as a supervisor for bachelor projects in systems biology and oversees engineering projects within the undergraduate programs.

Research Interests

Experience