I studied Biochemistry and Physiology at Queen Elizabeth College University of London, now part of King’s. I then moved to Middlesex Hospital Medical School, now part of University College, to study for my PhD under the supervision of Professor James Tait FRS and Mrs Silvia Tait FRS. At that time I was interested in the regulation of steroidogenesis in the rat adrenal cortex. I have been at St George’s University of London since 1986 working first on regulation thyroid hormone secretion then endothelial cell biology in pregnancy and from this moved to trophoblast biology, in particular the interaction of extravillous trophoblast with maternal uterine spiral arteries. I have been Professor of Cell Biology 2003 I have collaborated with Professor Judith Cartwright for a number of years and together we have developed and characterised a number of in vitro models to study these interactions. In collaboration with the Fetal Medicine Unit at St George’s Hospital we have used uterine artery Doppler ultrasound to identify, in the first trimester, pregnancies at increased risk of developing pre-eclampsia or fetal growth restriction. Using this method we have found a number of significant cellular and molecular differences that may contribute to the pathology of these important conditions. 

Models of the maternal fetal interface

Trophoblast biology

Endothelial cell biology

• British Heart Foundation

• Medical Research Council

Collaborations:

• Professor Judith Cartwright (SGUL)

• Professor Basky Thilaganathan (SGUL)

First year MBBS 5

First Year BioMed Sci

Projects

Third year BioMed, Sci

MBBS intercalated BSc

MRes