Rhiannon Pass

During pregnancy, the mother can be exposed to a large number of xenobiotics, which can accumulate within the placenta leading to compromised placental formation and function. Despite the placenta’s critical role during fetal development, its importance is ignored in the traditional animal experiments used for toxicological assessment. There are also significant variations in animal placental biology compared to humans, limiting how the data generated from these animal experiments translates into humans.

My research aims to investigate the mechanisms responsible placental toxicity following xenobiotic exposure. Using in vitro models of human trophoblasts, the project aims to improve the understanding of how xenobiotics disrupt trophoblast function leading to adverse effects in placental function and development and associated pregnancy complications.