4 minute read
Dr. Stephen Renaud
How has your work changed over the last year?
“We are a placental biology lab, and that part of our research has stayed consistent, but over the past year we have looked into interactions between the placenta and other fetal organs. Specifically, interactions between the placenta and the fetal brain, because if the placenta is not functioning properly, then neurodevelopmental problems can arise. We’ve also studied heart development, which I think is fascinating. The heart and the placenta seem to develop in parallel and if one organ is not functioning properly, then it can impact the development of the other. I think we coped okay during COVID. It was certainly challenging because we are a very cohesive group, but we were able to adapt and continue to be productive. Graduate students were still able to go into the lab with limited capacity. But there was less interaction and certainly less collaboration. There were some experiments that we needed to put on hold due to decreased accessibility, which was a bit debilitating. But I think if we didn't have that limitation, we may have not shifted our projects to new areas. ”
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What does your day-to-day look like as a researcher and a professor?
“It depends on the month and the day. When not teaching I try to spend my mornings focusing on research and writing. I found that I needed to have some designated time because otherwise I would just be too distracted to accomplish that day’s goals. In the afternoons, I have scheduled times to meet with graduate students and any remaining time I use to catch up on other assignments. Some days are more open but others are really hectic with meeting after meeting. Every day is a new adventure!”
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More about his research http://bit.ly/RenaudInfo
Contact Info srenaud4@uwo.ca (519) 661-2111 Ext. 88272
What are some of the major challenges and barriers to placental biology research?
“A significant barrier is that pregnancy is kind of a black box; it is hard to investigate in part because there is no reliable model of human development outside the uterus. So, we're dependenton using cell culturesand animal models and they all have limitations.The past few years have been betterin terms of culture systems that have been established –for the longest time there was this magical cell that lives in the placenta that nobody was able to identify and grow in culture. That cell has now been discovered. We’re using those cells and it is opening many doors to better understand placental development. Still, that's just one cell type; all the cell interactions and physiological and hormonal environments in pregnancy cannot be replicated at this point. We’re often asked to justify what the clinical implications are in what we're doing. From a disease perspective, pregnancy may be the most difficult state to try experimenting with a new therapeutic because you havenot only the health of the mother and baby to consider but also whether the therapeutic will disrupt the baby’s development. So we are limited to diagnostic approaches and creative solutions that will not jeopardize fetal or maternal health. Are there anyspecific developmental diseasesthat you're looking? Yes, our focus is preeclampsia. It is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy which is incredibly common and very serious for both the mother and the baby.”
Where do you see the field heading in the next 5 to 10 years?
“It was five or six years ago that there was a big headline from the Huffington post, saying the placenta is the least understood human organ. Suddenly, there's been a big push to recognize that theplacenta is not well understoodand should be prioritized.This is the organthat provides the environment for the brain, the heart, the kidney, the liver, and every other organ during the most critical stages of their development. We need to understand the placenta if we are to understand how environmental disruptions affect development of these other organs. Within the next 5-10 years, I think we're going to be able to exploit a lot of new technologies to better grasp placental development. For example, single cell technologies, imaging, and the new cell culture model that we're using in my lab. Another one of the issues I mentioned earlier was the lack of a cure for preeclampsia – the only cure is to deliver the baby. But that often results in preterm birth, which is the source ofmany problems for the baby because their organ systems are not sufficiently mature. Therefore, new strategies to mitigate symptoms of preeclampsia and prolong the pregnancy are a priority. Alternatively, some scientists are working on an “artificial womb” that provides an environment similar to the one created by the placenta. Therefore, preterm babies can continue to mature and risks associated with prematurity can be reduced. But, having an artificial womb also opens up several ethical issues to debate.”
