Dr Samarpita Sen

A healthy pregnancy begins long before a baby starts to grow. The uterus must first prepare itself to welcome and support an embryo. This preparation involves changes in the cells that line the uterus, a process referred to as decidualisation guided by hormones and influenced by the mother’s overall health. Poor maternal nutrition can interfere with these changes and increase the risk of pregnancy complications. To study this, I use endometrial and trophoblast organoids to closely examine how the uterus and early embryo communicate. This work aims to improve our understanding of early pregnancy and foetal development and the biological reasons behind adverse pregnancy outcomes in case of maternal undernutrition.