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Tara Stanne

Researcher

Department of Laboratory Medicine
Mail
tara.stanne@neuro.gu.se
Visiting address
Clinical Genetics and Genomics, Medicinaregatan 3b
41345 Göteborg
Room number
3125
Postal address
Box 445
40530 Göteborg

About Tara Stanne

Associate Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg

Tara Stanne, PhD is an Associate Professor and co-group leader of the Stroke Research Group at the Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, where she leads the team together with Prof. Christina Jern, MD, PhD. She completed her undergraduate studies at Mount Allison University in Canada before earning her PhD at the University of Gothenburg. She subsequently undertook postdoctoral training at the University of Oxford and Imperial College London, focusing on chromatin remodeling and other mechanisms of gene regulation.

Her current research now centers on identifying novel molecular biomarkers for ischemic stroke. This includes work on stroke subtypes and clinical outcomes, with the broader aim of advancing understanding of the underlying pathophysiological and recovery mechanisms. In the long-term, her research seeks to contribute to new strategies for stroke prevention, stroke diagnostics, and improved recovery.

 

Main Research

Characterizing hemostatic protein isoforms in ischemic stroke

Stroke is a major cause of disability and death. Because the hemostatic system regulates how blood flows and clots, disruptions in this system can influence stroke risk. Alternative splicing allows one gene to encode multiple mRNA transcripts. Resulting protein isoforms can have different biochemical properties and changes in isoform expression are linked to many diseases. We propose that variations in hemostatic protein isoforms are linked to ischemic stroke, yet many of these isoforms are still poorly understood. This project uses advanced RNA sequencing and mass‑spectrometry–based proteomics to map these isoforms in blood samples from stroke patients. The insights gained may help pave the way for more personalized approaches to stroke prevention and treatment.

Brain injury biomarkers for stroke

Stroke is a common neurological condition, and many survivors live with long-term physical and cognitive challenges. Blood‑based biomarkers offer a promising way to support faster and more reliable diagnosis, patient monitoring, and can provide prognostic information. However, unlike other neurological diseases no such biomarkers are used routinely in stroke care. Our research aims to change this by integrating multi-omics data—proteomics, transcriptomics, and genetics—with machine learning. For example, we recently explored plasma brain‑derived tau (BD‑tau) as a blood‑based marker of neuronal injury in acute ischemic stroke. We found that BD‑tau closely tracked the extent of brain injury and added meaningful prognostic value beyond age and stroke severity. The greatest benefit was in mild and posterior circulation strokes, which are diagnostically challenging. The broader goal is to develop tools that can support clinical assessment in acute stroke.

 

Education & Degrees

·  2022 Associate Professor in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg

·  2009-2010 Postdoc, Div Cell and Molecular Biology, Imperial College London, UK

·  2007-2009 Postdoc, Dept Biochemistry, University of Oxford, UK

·  2007 PhD, Dept Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg

·  2001 BSc, Biochemistry (Honours), Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada

 

Academic Achievements and Honors

2025- Michele Sale Award for Women in Stroke Genetics, an internationally competitive mid-career award of the International Stroke Genetics Consortium (ISGC)

 

Main applicant on grants from:

2025- International Seer Insights Grant, Title: Leveraging proteogenomics to discover ischemic stroke subtype-specific protein isoforms  

· 2025- John and Brit Wennerström Foundation for Neurological Research, Title: Blood-based biomarkers for improved stroke diagnostics

· 2025- Agneta Prytz-Folkes och Gösta Folkes Foundation, Title: Neuroimaging and blood-based biomarkers for ischemic stroke outcome prediction

· 2024- Per-Olof Ahls Foundation for Neurological Research, Title: Hemostatic proteoform identification in ischemic stroke patients

· 2024- Gothenburg Foundation for Neurological Research, Title: Neurological protein biomarkers of post-stroke cognitive impairments

· 2023- Rune and Ulla Amlöv Foundation for Neurological Research, Title: RNA biomarkers in ischemic stroke subtypes and outcomes

· 2023- John and Brit Wennerström Foundation for Neurological Research, Title: Regulation of hemostatic factors in human liver and association to ischemic stroke

 

Co-applicant (Main applicant, Prof. Christina Jern) on project grants from:

· 2026-2028 The Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet, VR), Title: On prothrombotic pathways and blood biomarkers in ischemic stroke

· 2025-2027 The Swedish State (ALF), Title: Blood-based biomarkers for stroke–Towards improved diagnostics and outcome prediction

· 2024-2027 Data Driven Life Science (DDLS) Research School PhD student position, Title: Towards precision medicine for ischemic stroke: Integrating clinical, neuroimaging, and molecular omics data using deep and machine learning-based approaches

 

Group Members

(See main webpage, On prothrombotic pathways and blood biomarkers in ischemic stroke)

 

Networks

International Stroke Genomics Consortium ISGC

SCALLOP consortium (Systematic and Combined AnaLysis of Olink® Proteins) SCALLOP - genetic regulation of the proteome

CORAL consortium CORAL — Olink®

DDLS (Data Driven Life Science) Research School, co-supervisor to PhD student DDLS Research school - SciLifeLab

 

Key Publications

·     Björn Granelli*, Annelie Angerfors*, Sofia Furutjäll, Hanh Nguyen Larsson, Cecilia Brännmark, Björn Andersson, Tara M Stanne†, Christina Jern†. Elevated acute-phase plasma levels of S100A12 [EN-RAGE] are associated with vascular recurrence after ischemic stroke. Eur Stroke Journal. 2026 Jan;11(1):23969873251384439.  

·     Gonzalez-Ortiz F*, Holmegaard L*, Andersson B, Brännmark C, Blomstrand C, Zetterberg H, Jood K, Blennow K†, Jern C†, Stanne TM†. Plasma brain-derived tau correlates with cerebral infarct volume. J Intern Med. 2025 Feb;297(2):173-185. 

·     Stanne TM, Gonzalez-Ortiz F, Brännmark C, Jood K, Karikari T, Blennow K†, Jern C†. Association of Plasma Brain-Derived Tau With Functional Outcome After Ischemic Stroke. Neurology. 2024 Feb 27;102(4):e209129. 

·     Angerfors A, Brännmark C, Lagging C, Tai K, Månsby Svedberg R, Andersson B, Jern C†, Stanne TM†. Proteomic profiling identifies novel inflammation-related plasma proteins associated with ischemic stroke outcome. J Neuroinflammation. 2023 Oct 4;20(1):224. 

·     Stanne TM, Angerfors A, Andersson B, Brännmark C, Holmegaard L, Jern C. Longitudinal Study Reveals Long-Term Proinflammatory Proteomic Signature After Ischemic Stroke Across Subtypes. Stroke. 2022 Sep;53(9):2847-2858.

·     Pedersen A, Stanne TM, Nilsson S, Klasson S, Rosengren L, Holmegaard L, Jood K, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Jern C. Circulating neurofilament light in ischemic stroke: temporal profile and outcome prediction. J Neurol. 2019 Nov;266(11):2796-2806. 

·     Olsson Lindvall M, Hansson L, Klasson S, Davila Lopez M, Jern C, Stanne TM. Hemostatic Genes Exhibit a High Degree of Allele-Specific Regulation in Liver. Thromb Haemost. 2019 Jul;119(7):1072-1083.