Research Overview

Research Focus 1: Leveraging placental Omics data to study effects of the prenatal environment on placental function and child health

The placenta sits at the direct interface between maternal physiology and the developing fetus, functioning as both a target and a barrier for environmental toxicants. We combine molecular epidemiology in human cohorts to evaluate the reproductive toxicity of chemical mixtures and maternal stressors: 

• Prenatal Chemical Exposures: We profile genome-wide transcriptomic and microRNA alterations following exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organophosphate flame retardants. This work leverages advanced mixture modeling, identifies sexually dimorphic placental responses, and validates epidemiological findings in cell models to uncover novel mechanisms of reproductive toxicity, moving beyond the known role of thes chemicals as endocrine disruptors. 

• Maternal Physiological & Nutritional Factors: We investigate how maternal systemic cues—such as psychosocial stress, circulating hormones, and diet—shape the placental epigenome and transcriptome. Our studies identify key associations between maternal dietary factors and placental gene networks essential for fetal growth and development.

Selected Publications

• Lapehn S, Parenti M, Firsick EJ, ... Paquette AG. (2025). An assessment of organophosphate ester mixtures and the placental transcriptome. Environment International, 198, 109402.

• Parenti M, Melough MM, Lapehn S, ... Paquette AG. (2024). Associations Between Prenatal Vitamin D and Placental Gene Expression. The Journal of Nutrition, 154(12), 3603–3614.

• Paquette AG, MacDonald J, Lapehn S, et al. (2021). A Comprehensive Assessment of Associations between Prenatal Phthalate Exposure and the Placental Transcriptomic Landscape. Environmental Health Perspectives, 129(9), 97003.

Research Focus 2: Precision Medicine for Infant & Child Health Outcomes

Precision medicine is an innovative approach that tailors disease prevention incorporating information about genes, environments, and lifestyles. Precision medicine can improve prenatal care because the traditional "one-size fits all" approach to prenatal care cannot capture the complexity of maternal-fetal biology. Our lab addresses this gap by investigating the placenta as an active molecular regulator of infant development. Deploying high-dimensional multi-omics and causal mediation frameworks across large prospective cohorts, we identify the molecular pathways linking prenatal conditions to perinatal and long-term child health outcomes

• Variability in Gestational Age and Spontaneous Preterm Birth: We identify transcriptomic alterations and microRNA dysregulation linked to the timing of delivery, focusing on mechanisms that drive spontaneous preterm birth. This includes evaluating how placental endocrine signals—such as corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)—act as molecular clocks regulating gestational length.

• Placental Efficiency & Infant Growth: Placental efficiency is an important perinatal metric that reflects fetal development and can predict health throughout the lifespan. We have characterized patterns of placental gene expression associated with placental growth. We have used mediation analyses to identify that prenatal phthalate exposure is  linked to genes governing nutrient transport, mitochondrial function, DNA damage, and syncytialization that drive placental efficiency.

• Neurodevelopmental Programming: Dr. Paquettes initial research centered in profiling placental epigenetic marks and neuroendocrine pathways (including glucocorticoid and serotonin signaling) associated with newborn neurobehavior and early childhood development.

Selected Publications

• Paquette AG, MacDonald J, Bammler T, et al. (2023). Placental transcriptomic signatures of spontaneous preterm birth. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 228(1), 73.e1–73.e18.

• Parenti M, Lapehn S, MacDonald J, ... Paquette AG. (2025). The placental transcriptome serves as a mechanistic link between prenatal phthalate exposure and placental efficiency. Environment International, 206, 109949.

• Paquette A, Parenti M, Lapehn S, ... Sathyanarayana S. (2025). Associations between maternal plasma concentrations of corticotrophin releasing hormone and the placental transcriptome. Placenta, 160, 29–38

Research Focus 3: Building Multi-omic networks to better understand placental biology