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RESEARCH FOCUS

Our laboratory investigates specialized survival strategies used by the embryo as it grows within the uterus. Central to the embryo's survival is the formation of an organ derived from the embryo called the placenta. This organ gains access to the maternal blood supply and facilitates the delivery of nutrients to the fetus. We study how early stem cells develop into the placenta. We have learned that the placenta is built in response to cues present in the maternal environment; and diseases of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, result when the embryo is not successful in its adaptations to the maternal environment. Inadequate in utero adaptive responses have potentially long-lasting impacts on adult health and disease.

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Image by Julian Hochgesang

UPCOMING EVENTS

Society for the Study of Reproduction Annual Meeting
July 15-19, 2024
Dublin, Ireland
Society for Reproductive Investigation
March 12-16, 2024
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Greenwald Symposium on Reproductive and Developmental Sciences
November 7-8, 2024
Kansas City, KS & MO
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
October 19-23, 2024

Denver, Colorado

RECENT UPDATES

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Esteban Dominguez was awarded the Best Poster - Postdoctorate at the 2023 U.S. DOHaD meeting.

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Mikaela Simon was awarded an NIH F31 fellowship.

GW23 Ayelen

Ayelen Moreno won a poster award at the 2023 Greenwald Symposium

GW23 Savannah

Savannah Speckhart won a Poster Award at the 2023 Greenwald Symposium

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

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August 2023

Extravillous trophoblast cell lineage development is associated with active remodeling of the chromatin landscape

Nature Communications

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August 2023

Core conserved transcriptional regulatory networks define the invasive trophoblast cell lineage

Development

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January 2023

CITED2 is a conserved regulator of the uterine-placental interface

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A​

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October 2021

Intersection of regulatory pathways controlling hemostasis and hemochorial placentation

PNAS

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January 2021

ASCL2 reciprocally controls key trophoblast lineage decisions during hemochorial placenta development

PNAS

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November 2020

Protective role of IL33 signaling in negative pregnancy outcomes associated with lipopolysaccharide exposure

FASEB

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