Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine. It is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality world-wide, and there are over 4000 cases per year in Canada. Currently, the only definitive treatment is to deliver the fetus. However, preterm births lead to short and long-term health consequences for the newborn. For the mother, PE leads to a high-risk delivery and increased risk of premature heart disease. PE is heterogeneous in etiology with both genetic and maternal environmental influences playing a role. Therefore, a better understanding of the complex biology of PE is necessary for breakthroughs in our prevention and management of PE. The placenta is a key organ in fetal development, and certain immune genes in the placenta have been suggested to be involved in PE. My project aims to study the genetic underpinning of PE by analyzing genetic information from > 400 placentas collected after delivery at hospitals in Canada and the US. I will first identify genetic variants that are important for normal fetal development. Then, I will study genetic variations in immune-related pathways in placentas from PE patients. Using publicly available datasets, I will identify a selected set of genetic changes that can be used to differentiate PE placentas from healthy ones. This project will help to identify genetic risk factors for PE and may identify novel treatment targets, which will significantly improve the lives of > 4000 mothers and their babies per year.