Investigating the role of placental hormones in pregnancy complications

Project Description

Low birth weight is defined by the World Health Organisation as weight at birth of <2,500 grams. In 2024 in the UK 43,000 babies (6.3% of live births) were born in this category with higher prevalence in low and middle income countries. Babies in this category are at increased risk of dying. Those that survive are more likely to have developmental problems in childhood and poorer health in later life. Women who have small babies can also experience problems with breastfeeding contributing to adverse outcomes. We hypothesis that both fetal growth restriction and problems with breastfeeding are outcomes of the same underlying pathology which is placental endocrine insufficiency. Placental hormones drive adaptations required for a successful pregnancy which include securing nutrients for fetal growth and preparing the mammary gland for lactation. The student will statistically interrogate existing data from the Grown in Wales study, a pregnancy cohort study of 355 women which includes measures of placental hormones, birth weight including custom birth weight centiles, and reported breast feeding behaviours. The student will examine placental gene expression data to interrogate the origins of placental endocrine defects. If desirable, the student may switch to working with a murine model of placental endocrine insufficiency to establish causality. The self-funded project offers scientific training in population statistics, molecular biology and gene expression analyses, and the potential to gain experience of in vivo training, histology and in situ hybridisation/immunohistochemistry.

Applicants are expected to hold (or about to obtain) a minimum upper second class undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) with a biomedical/biological sciences focus with some element of reproductive biology. A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a similar discipline would be desirable.

How to apply: 

You can apply online – consideration is automatic on applying for a PhD in Biosciences

Please use our online application service at https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research/programmes/programme/biosciences-phd-mphil-md

Please specify that you are applying for this particular project, the supervisor and source of funding.

Information on the application process can be found here

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/applying

Academic criteria: Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a first or upper second-class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, Applicants with a lower second class will only be considered if they also have a Master’s degree. Please check the entry requirements of the home institution for each project of interest before completing an application. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience.

English requirements: If English is not your first language you will need to meet the English language requirements of the university that will host your PhD by the start of the programme. Please refer to the relevant university website for further information.