The placenta is a complex organ, essential for all mammalian reproduction. Despite its critical importance, our understanding of the processes that ensure successful placentation are limited. My work has aimed to advance our knowledge of these processes controlling embryo implantation, placentation, and maternal vascular adaptation in pregnancy.
More recently my research program has focused on the development of novel therapeutics and innovative delivery strategies to improve our ability to regulate these processes to enhance pregnancy success, as well as mediate the pathological processes that occur in major complications of pregnancy. Especially preeclampsia, a serious complication of pregnancy, responsible for >70,000 maternal deaths worldwide and far greater perinatal loss. There are currently no efficacious treatments to halt disease progression other than delivery. A therapeutic advance is urgently needed.
The key pathophysiological stages in preeclampsia include 1) placental damage and oxidative stress, 2) elevated anti-angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors and 3) endothelial and vascular dysfunction.
Our team has developed novel preclinical screening approaches, utilising primary human tissue models and mouse models of disease to test innovative therapeutic strategies, which include examining new drugs and innovative delivery methods.
We have now generated exciting preclinical findings repurposing drugs with good safety profiles and targeted nanoparticle therapeutic delivery directly to the placenta to mitigate the pathological progression of this syndrome.
Importantly the novel strategies we are developing for major complications of pregnancy are focused towards clinical translation and offer exciting possibilities for the future management of obstetric diseases.