Preterm birth and fetal growth restriction are important complications of pregnancy. They are associated with abnormal function of the placenta, which leads to deleterious effects on fetal/newborn development, especially brain development. My research focuses on prenatal inflammation, an important risk factor for these serious pregnancy pathologies, and mainly on alarmins as non-infectious inducers of inflammation at the maternal-fetal interface.
Through the analysis of human high-risk pregnancies, my laboratory investigates the potential of alarmins as biomarkers of an adverse maternal-fetal environment. We are addressing using ex vivo/in vitro techniques, the impact of alarmins on human placental trophoblast and Hofbauer cell function. We also use pre-clinical models in order to understand the long-term impact of prenatal inflammation on neonatal development with particular interest into neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and cerebral palsy. Both human and pre-clinical models are used to investigate novel therapeutic approaches
Our research will help gain a better understanding of the processes linking prenatal exposure to inflammation, abnormal function of the placenta and altered fetal development which is greatly needed in order to find new strategies to protect the placenta and the fetus against the deleterious effects of inflammation.