Paquette Lab

The placenta is a critical organ to understand health throughout the lifespan.

The placenta is a transient and often misunderstood organ.  It plays a crucial role in development, and shapes health throughout the lifespan.  This premise is known as the Developmental Origins of health and Disease (DOHaD). Our lab is intersted in learning more about the placentas key role in infant and child health outcomes. We also examine how chemical exposures during this vulnerable time period affect placental function, and infant and child heath

Placental multi-omics data can be used to understand underlying biology.

The placenta regulates key biological processes including immune regulation, hormone signaling, waste and nutrient transport.  These processes are reflected in molecular data that can be captured at the end of pregnancy (i.e 'omics data). Our lab uses omics data to integrate exposure and health outcomes data.  We also integrate multiple forms of omics data together to gain more insight into the underlying biology.

Tackling Spontaneous Preterm Birth through a Precision Environmental Health Lens

We are currently applying this approach to identify risk factors for spontaneous preterm birth. Preterm birth is the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality, and preterm infants require intensive acute and long-term care.  More research is needed to understand the underlying risk factors and mechanisms leading to spontaneous preterm birth.