Research in my lab focuses on vascular physiology and pharmacology. Our long-term goal is to determine what molecular mechanisms facilitate maternal vascular adaptations in pregnancy and how these adaptations determine long-term maternal vascular health. Currently, we are studying the interaction between extracellular mitochondrial DNA and Toll-like receptor 9 to delineate the role of circulating mitochondrial DNA in the development of maternal vascular dysfunction in preeclampsia.
In a different project, we are studying the cross-talk between maternal adipose tissue and maternal arteries. We are interested in understanding how this cross-talk regulates maternal blood flow. We are also interested in understanding how maternal obesity impairs the relationship between maternal adipose tissue and arteries, leading to maternal vascular dysfunction and impaired blood flow to the uteroplacental unit.
Concepts/techniques: Vascular physiology (ex vivo assessment of vascular reactivity and myogenic tone, vascular cell cultures, blood pressure measurements in conscious rodents); Placental biology (placental tissue explants, trophoblast cell lines); Physiology of pregnancy (rodent models, pharmacological interventions); Other (immunohistochemistry, measurements of oxidative stress, ELISA techniques, Western blot, qPCR, laser capture microdissection).