Reproductive Physiology research group

Reproductive Physiology research group

Aim

The aim of our group is to produce new insight into the physiology and pathophysiology of human pregnancy which will translate to improving the future health of mothers and their babies.

Our research is multidisciplinary in nature. We work with a range of tissues and cells from the female reproductive tract to elucidate pathways that distinguish a normal, healthy pregnancy from disease.

--Dr Raheela Khan,
Associate Professor

Student examining tissue section using a microscope

 

Research issues 

Reproductive health is crucial to successful conception, pregnancy and delivery. Globally, 15 million babies are born before they are 'ready' and within the UK, preterm birth accounts for ~8% of all deliveries.

High profile conditions such as gestational diabetes and obesity in pregnancy pose new challenges. Thus, there is a need for early diagnosis, prevention and cure of several pregnancy specific disorders as current clinical treatments are limited or non-existent.

A better scientific understanding of the biological mechanisms that determine reproductive outcomes is an important goal.

Techniques

 

 

What we are doing about...

1. Preterm labour

Although the triggers for both term and preterm labour are not known, switches in expression and function of proteins that favour a contractile phenotype are thought to be activated too early.

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2. Pre-eclampsia

This condition, characterised by hypertension and proteinuria, is present in 1-5% of pregnant women.

More

 

3. Infertility

Approximately 1 in 7 couples seek advice for infertility. For some 25% of these infertile cases, there is no known explanation.

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Current projects

  • Mechanisms regulating production of proinflammatory mediators in labour and preterm labour
  • Role of non-prostanoid eicosanoid modulation of vascular function in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies
  • Ion channels in endometrial function
  • The insulin signalling pathway in adipocytes of women with and without polycystic ovarian syndrome
  • Control of myometrial contractility

Outcomes

Our research has led to publications in leading peer-reviewed journals. Find out more from the individual group member's profile.

Selected publications

 

 

 

 

Reproductive Physiology

Division of Medical Sciences and Graduate Entry Medicine
School of Medicine
The University of Nottingham
Royal Derby Hospital
Uttoxeter Road, DE22 3DT


telephone: +44 (0)1332 724622
email:gem@nottingham.ac.uk