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Centre for Trophoblast Research

 
Read more at: ‘Mini-placentas’ help scientists study the causes of pre-eclampsia and pregnancy disorders

‘Mini-placentas’ help scientists study the causes of pre-eclampsia and pregnancy disorders

17 January 2024

CTR scientists have grown ‘mini-placentas’ in the lab and used them to see how the placenta develops and interacts with the inner lining of the womb – findings that could help scientists better understand and, in future, potentially treat pre-eclampsia. The study, published today in Cell Stem Cell , shows that it is...


Read more at: Cambridge-led study discovers cause of pregnancy sickness – and potential treatment

Cambridge-led study discovers cause of pregnancy sickness – and potential treatment

13 December 2023

A collaborative study led by Professor Sir Stephen O’Rahilly, joined by Centre for Trophoblast Research (CTR) researchers Prof Gordon Smith and Prof Steve Charnock Jones , has shown why many women experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy – and why some women, including the Duchess of Cambridge, become so sick they...


Read more at: Newborn babies at risk from bacteria commonly carried by mothers

Newborn babies at risk from bacteria commonly carried by mothers

30 November 2023

One in 200 newborns is admitted to a neonatal unit with sepsis caused by a bacteria commonly carried by their mothers – much greater than the previous estimate, say Centre for Trophoblast Research (CTR) researchers. The team has developed an ultra-sensitive test capable of better detecting the bacteria, as it is missed in...


Read more at: Risk of premature birth from smoking while pregnant more than double previous estimates

Risk of premature birth from smoking while pregnant more than double previous estimates

13 October 2023

CTR researchers have found that women who smoke during pregnancy are 2.6 times more likely to give birth prematurely compared to non-smokers – more than double the previous estimate. The study, published today in the International Journal of Epidemiology , also found that smoking meant that the baby was four times more...


Read more at: Unborn babies use ‘greedy’ gene from dads to ‘remote-control’ mums into feeding them extra food
Image showing the signalling cells (in green) of the mouse placenta that are key for remote controlling the metabolism of the mother to support nutrient supply and growth of the fetus. Credit_ Sferruzzi

Unborn babies use ‘greedy’ gene from dads to ‘remote-control’ mums into feeding them extra food

10 July 2023

Unborn babies use ‘greedy’ gene from dads to ‘remote-control’ mums into feeding them extra food Fetuses use a copy of a gene inherited from their dad to force their mum to release as much nutrients as possible during pregnancy, Cambridge scientists have discovered. The unborn baby ‘remote controls’ its mother’s metabolism...


Read more at: Cell mapping and ‘mini placentas’ give new insights into human pregnancy

Cell mapping and ‘mini placentas’ give new insights into human pregnancy

29 March 2023

CTR researchers have mapped the complete trajectory of placental development, helping shed new light on why pregnancy disorders happen. Researchers from the Centre for Trophoblast Research, the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI), Switzerland, EMBL’s European...


Read more at: Molecular 3D-maps unlock new ways of studying human reproduction

Molecular 3D-maps unlock new ways of studying human reproduction

16 June 2022

Molecular 3D-maps unlock new ways of studying human reproduction Centre for Trophoblast Researchers have identified the biochemical signals that control the emergence of the body pattern in the primate embryo. This will guide work to understand birth defects and pregnancy loss in humans. The study also provides a crucial...


Read more at: CTR PhD Student collaborative paper published in Hypertension, June 2022

CTR PhD Student collaborative paper published in Hypertension, June 2022

7 June 2022

A new collaborative paper by the University of Cambridge, CTR's PhD student Dr Wen Tong , and the Fourth Military Medical University in Xi’An China, has been published in the Hypertension journal. The paper describes the role of pregnancy complicated by chronic hypoxia in preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction, opening...


Read more at: Staff achievements and awards

Staff achievements and awards

1 June 2022

Staff news: The CTR community are delighted to announce these staff achievements: Prof. Graham Burton , FMedSci FRS, former Director of CTR, and former Chair of Cambridge Reproduction, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. We congratulate Graham on this well-deserved achievement! The Royal Society is a self-...


Read more at: How baby demands food from Mum before birth: a tale of two imprinted genes

How baby demands food from Mum before birth: a tale of two imprinted genes

5 January 2022

Research led by scientists from the Constância Group has identified a key signal that a fetus uses to control its supply of nutrients from the placenta. The way that a fetus grows ‘in sync’ with the placenta was not known until now. The study, carried out in mice as a 'model' (proxy) for human pregnancy, could help explain...