Research group

Developmental Physiology and Medicine

Silhouette images depicting the stages from pregnancy to pre-teenage stages of life

Discovering developmental processes from conception, throughout pregnancy and during childhood, and innovating medical monitoring and diagnostics that create the best start to life and optimise life-long health.

About

Development in the first 1000-1500 days of life (from conception into early childhood) has long-lasting effects on our chances for health for our entire life-course, and the risk of later ill-health, especially non-communicable disease (NCDs). 

Our aim is to improve the scientific basis for diet, drug and novel monitoring and diagnostic interventions to optimise reproductive outcomes and maximize the chances of health in later health. 

Our research focuses on identifying key biological pathways by which nutrition, environmental toxicants/ allergens, and health and disease status of the mother and father influence a myriad of developmental processes from: 

  • the egg and sperm production
  • maternal reproductive tract cross-talk with the developing embryo
  • early embryo-fetal growth and cardiometabolic function
  • placental structure and transport of nutrients
  • paediatric gastrointestinal, respiratory and allergy function

We are scientists and academic clinicians with expertise at the forefront of developmental molecular biology, computational modelling, animal physiology, and human basic, clinical and population studies. This facilitates the translational development of interventions that optimise life-long health for the next generation. We advocate widely for this area of early life medical science with a wide range of stakeholders in government and non-government policy, industry, and civic spaces. 

DPM Research Teams and labs 

Spotlight on our early career researchers 

Dr Davis Laundon, Placental and endometrial lab 

Molly Rutt, Placental and endometrial lab 

Ela Proudley, Placental and endometrial lab

People, projects, publications and PhDs

People

Dr Felino Cagampang PhD

Associate Professor
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Dr Franchesca Houghton

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Pluripotent stem cells
  • Regenerative medicine
  • Preimplantation embryo development

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Professor Graham Roberts

Prof in Paed. Allergy & Resp. Medicine
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Dr Jane Cleal PhD

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Areas of Scientific Expertise:
  • Reproductive Cell Biology – Fundamental mechanisms of cell biology in placenta and endometrium and the impact on the intra-uterine environment, fetal development and lifelong health.Regulation of Reproductive Cell Biology – Maternal exposures and molecular regulation of cellular gene expression, phenotype and function in placenta and endometrium and the clinical translation.Disease/phenotype – Fetal growth, Obesity, Cardiometabolic programming, Subfertility, Recurrent pregnancy loss.Cellular mechanisms – Membrane transport, endocytosis, vesicular transport & signalling, gene transcription, microRNA biology, epigenetic regulation.Vitamin D - Transport, regulation, metabolism and signalling.

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Professor Jaswinder Sethi BSc DPhil FRSB

Professor of Immunometabolism

Research interests

  • Immunometabolism
  • Obesity
  • Metabolic diseases

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Professor Jon Dorling MBChB, DCH, MRCP (UK), FRCPCH, MD

Research interests

  • Maternal and child health
  • Infant nutrition and feeding
  • Placental transfusion

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Dr Kirsten Poore

Principal Teaching Fellow
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Professor Lucy Green

Professorial Fellow-Enterprise

Research interests

  • Fetal physiology and nutrition
  • Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD)
  • Equality and diversity in research, education and public engagement

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Professor Rohan Lewis PhD, FTPS

Prof of Placental&Integrative Physiology

Accepting applications from PhD students

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Related research institutes, centres and groups

Related research institutes, centres and groups

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We welcome enquiries