News

The project titled "MIREN - development of a rapid and minimally invasive procedure for the diagnosis of endometriosis" received funding in the second round of the Medical Research Agency's competition for head-to-head research for non-commercial clinical trials or research experiments (edition II - ABM/2023/1).

The project concerns the development of a rapid and minimally invasive procedure for the diagnosis of endometriosis.

The leader in the project will be the Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute in Warsaw. The Medical University of Bialystok, on the other hand, will be the consortium partner.

The project has received funding in the amount of PLN 25,045,333.28, of which the Medical University of Bialystok will receive PLN 2,822,433.56.

The centre's clinical coordinator and the principal researcher of the Medical University of Bialystok will be prof. dr hab. Sławomir Wołczyński.

Endometriosis is a chronic disease that affects millions of women worldwide (about 10% of the population of women of reproductive age). It is characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue (endometrium), outside the uterine cavity. The presence of ectopic endometrial foci causes local inflammatory and autoimmune reactions. The disease may be accompanied by symptoms such as increased menstrual pain, pain during intercourse or chronic pain in the pelvic region.

The pain associated with endometriosis can be a limiting factor for women's professional and social life, and is often the cause of major depressive disorder. In addition, endometriosis can also be a cause of reduced fertility. It is estimated that about 50% of all cases of female infertility are due to endometriosis. Thus, endometriosis is a very significant problem both societal and clinical.

The proposed research will evaluate the clinical value of imaging studies (ultrasound, MRI) in combination with commercially available molecular tests (FUT4 mRNA) in a group of women with suspected endometriosis. The analyses performed will allow the creation of a simple algorithm for early detection of endometriosis in patients with clinical symptoms. Thus, we will enable female patients to make a deliberate decision regarding motherhood (timing of pregnancy, securing fertility). Moreover, early diagnosis will allow the implementation of the most effective pharmacological treatment available. An additional goal of the project, a scientific purpose, is to explore new aspects of the pathophysiology of endometriosis with an immunological and genetic basis.