Niklas Björkström says: “For a successful pregnancy to be established, a multitude of coordinated biological events need to occur in the uterus. The uterus contains a large number of immune cells that contribute to this process and many pregnancy disorders are linked to dysfunctional immune responses. In this project, we will study how the immune system of the uterus is regulated by the female sex hormones, both in healthy women during the menstrual cycle and in pregnancy as well as in women with disorders that affect fertility. In our studies, we will make use of the most advanced techniques to characterize the human immune system and perform studies on clinical material that we obtain from both healthy women and women that suffer from obesity or PCOS, two conditions with menstrual dysfunction and reduced fertility. Our aim is to provide ground-breaking insights into the mechanisms underlying pregnancy disorders and reduced fertility.”