Placental Biology in Health and Disease

Research summary

The study is a non-interventional,observational study focused on sample collection and laboratory-based analyses to investigate the role of placental EVs and soluble factors in maternal and fetal health. The study will focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying Pre-eclampsia (PET),Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) and Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR) with the ultimate aim of identifying biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Given it’s complex and exploratory nature,the objectives are designed to be flexible allowing for hypothesis refinement as findings emerge. By incorporating a broad range of outcome measures,from cellular assays to clinical correlations,the study aims to build a comprehensive understanding of placental dysfunction and its systemic effects. To enable analysis across different physiological and pathological conditions pregnant participants with healthy pregnancies,pregnancies predisposed to PET and pregnancies complicated by GDM,FGR and PET will be recruited alongside healthy non-pregnant controls. The study will be single-site,hosted by the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH). Recruitment of pregnant participants will be from antenatal clinics,maternity wards,observation areas,day assessment units and ultrasound departments within the Women’s Centre at the John Radcliffe Hospital,or on occasion at the Horton General Hospital. Recruitment of non-pregnant participants will be via institutional email circulation in the Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health,University of Oxford or OUH staff working in the Women’s Centre at the John Radcliffe Hospital. Pregnant participants may be followed up until 6 weeks postpartum. The duration of their involvement will depend on when in their pregnancy they were recruited but up to a maximum of 48 weeks (42 weeks antenatally plus 6 weeks postnatally). During this time,they may have multiple study visits in which demographic and clinical data is collected as well as blood,urine,breath,placenta,umbilical cord,umbilical cord blood,amniotic fluid and/or uterine vein blood samples. Non pregnant participants will have a one-off study visit with no follow up,in which demographic and clinical data is collected as well as blood,urine and/or breath samples.

Principal Investigator

Prof Manu Vatish

Contact us

Email: clinicalresearchgroup@wrh.ox.ac.uk

IRAS number

317191