Facial nerve palsy: A comprehensive exploration for precision medicine (FACE)
Idiopathic facial paralysis (Bell's palsy) is a common condition, but its cause remains unknown. No curative treatment exists, and many patients experience long-term symptoms that affect their quality of life and social functioning.
The FACE Clinical Academic Group (CAG) addresses this challenge by developing precision medicine for better and more personalised care.
The facial nerve controls our facial movements. One of FACE's goals is to understand the role of herpes viruses (HSV and VZV) in the development of facial nerve palsy.
Our mission and goals
FACE works to improve the diagnosis and treatment of facial nerve palsy. We study how herpes viruses affect the course of the disease and develop new biomarkers – both electrophysiological and blood-based, as well as viral and autoimmune – to support better prognosis assessment and personalised care. We also develop modern educational tools for healthcare professionals and patients.
We aim to:
- Identify biomarkers in blood and nerve tissue
- Investigate the role of herpes virus in the onset and progression of disease
- Develop electrophysiological tools for individualised prognosis assessment
- Conduct long-term clinical follow-ups
- Create digital educational resources for healthcare professionals
- Provide tailored information and support for patients
Our goals are to enable early diagnosis, targeted treatment and improved rehabilitation.
Patient benefit
FACE’s research aims to improve the quality of life for patients with facial nerve palsy by developing more accurate diagnostics, prognosis tools and treatment strategies. Through biomarker discovery, we aim to predict disease progression and enable timely, personalised treatment strategies.
The project also contributes to a deeper understanding of the causes of the disease, which may lead to new therapeutic approaches. To improve rehabilitation and reduce the psychosocial burden, we also develop educational materials and digital tools for healthcare professionals, as well as accessible information and support for patients – especially in healthcare settings outside university hospitals.
Organisation and contact details
Contact FACE
Please, write to: face@uu.se.
Project leaders
- Anna Rostedt Punga, Senior Consultant and Professor of Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Medical Sciences
- Stefan Schwartz, Professor of Virology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology
Key partners
- Andres Rodriguez Lorenzo, Senior Consultant and Docent of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgical Sciences
- Camilla Ekwall, Physiotherapist, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health
- Fanny Frejborg, postdoc, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology
- Sara Ekberg, doctoral student in clinical neurophysiology, Department of Medical Sciences
- Susann Järhult, Senior Consultant and Docent of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences
- Tanel Punga, Docent of Virology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology
- Patient representatives from Sweden and the United Kingdom