Research into Pregnancy Complications
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Research into Pregnancy Complications
IRAS ID
171356
Contact name
Asif Ahmed
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Aston University
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
The normal fetal development requires the healthy development of the placenta (after birth), which connects the mother to the fetus. This process is orchestrated by the invasion of a specialised cell called the trophoblast (fetal cells) into the maternal uterus to build an oxygen and nutrient exchange system between pregnant mother and fetus. Poor placentation leads to pregnancy abnormalities including early pregnancy loss, fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia and premature delivery. As yet there is no effective treatment to prevent these conditions.
We are investigating regulatory factors in pregnancy that may cause poor formation of the placenta and subsequently lead to disorders of pregnancy. The placental tissue obtained at the surgical termination of pregnancy provides a ‘molecular window’ into the regulator factors involved in the development of the placenta. Insights into the role of regulatory factors (protective enzymes, growth factors, signalling proteins) in this process of placental development could lead to the identification of new targets for diagnostic use and therapeutic intervention in pregnancy complications. The NHS costs for a preterm baby born before 28 weeks is £94,190. Delaying premature birth by a week could save £260 million a year for the NHS.
Our strategy is to identify mechanism and targets, which tackle these "regulatory" factors as possible culprits by identifying key “protective pathways”. The study proposes in a completely anonymised way to collect placental tissue obtained at the surgical termination of pregnancy for use in gene and protein expression analysis and functional studies on freshly isolated trophoblast or explant tissue cultures. We hope to establish the role of such factors during pregnancy and learn how to use this knowledge to prevent or treat abnormal pregnancy in the future.
REC name
West Midlands - Edgbaston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/WM/0284
Date of REC Opinion
29 Feb 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion