PLACENTA-PATH

The placenta connects mother and fetus, providing all essential life supporting functions to the growing fetus. Despite the placenta's vital role in pregnancy and likely effects on lifelong health, it is poorly understood and under-researched. One reason for this is a lack of large scale studies of of human placentas drawn from a

general population, with follow up beyond delivery. In PLACENTA-PATH, I will capitalise on two unique and complementary collections of placentas. I will generate standardised, quantitative morphometrics and histopathology and link these with genetic data and detailed life long health information on both mothers

and offspring. This will create a unique resource that will underpin an ambitious programme of work to deliver a step change in maternal and child risk stratification, and in the understanding of the causes of clinical placental syndromes (hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm delivery and fetal growth restriction),

and later cardiovascular and neurocognitive health. I will use the clinical information and placental morphologic and pathology data to investigate the multifactorial and heterogeneous nature of clinical placental syndromes as well as their shared genetics and pathobiology. I will identifying homogenous subtypes of clinical placental syndromes based on placental

pathology. I will then investigate associations of placental pathology with lifelong maternal and offspring cardiovascular health and cognitive function. I will also exploit the rich phenotypic and genetic data available in PLACENTA-PATH to identify determinants of placental pathology using a triangulation framework by

applying multivariable regression, paternal negative control and Mendelian randomization approaches. PLACENTA-PATH goes beyond the-state-of-the-art by implementing cutting-edge analytical methods to unique placenta data and unprecedented, matched genetic and life course catalogues, facilitating a rapid

step change in human pregnancy research.