Viki Male

Research summary
During the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle and the first trimester of pregnancy, NK cells make up by far the greatest proportion of leukocytes in the uterus (about 70%). However, the origin of these cells is unknown. Broadly, there are three possibilities:

1. Mature NK cells may be recruited from the blood and acquire a uterine phenotype.
2. A circulating precursor cell may be recruited from the blood.
3. A uterine resident precursor or stem cell population, seeded early in life, may expand monthly to give new uterine NK cells.

By examining fresh and cultured primary tissue, I aim to provid evidence to support one of these hypotheses, and also to examine the way in which the NK cell receptor repertoire changes during decidualisation.

Funding: King's College Loke Wan Tho Studentship