Investigating the association between maternal fatty acid profiles and pregnancy outcomes and how these relate to premature labour.

Preterm birth occurs when a mother delivers her baby before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Preterm birth has been linked to child mortality and disorders, such as cerebral palsy and autism. Studies have shown that maternal diet can play a role in preterm birth and that certain types of maternal blood lipids may influence the length of pregnancy, the birth weight of the baby, and his/her brain development. The mechanism is still not fully understood, but research indicates that certain fats in the blood may affect inflammation, which is related to early labour and the brain requires certain fatty acids for its growth and development. This is a large prospective study, which aims to confirm the relationship between fatty acid profiles in early pregnancy and gestational age at delivery, pregnancy outcomes, and causes of preterm birth in a cohort of 1000 pregnant women. It also aims to investigate whether certain types of fatty acids are related to inflammation in the maternal blood and urine, placenta, and cord blood. The study has been approved by the North West- Liverpool Research Ethics Committee and recruitment of pregnant women at booking (8-12 weeks of gestations) has already started in March 2018. Women are being followed at 18-22 weeks, 26-30 weeks, 34-36 weeks and at delivery. Bloods and urine samples are collected at every timepoint and processed in the laboratories of Imperial College London at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Urine is stored for metabolomics and analysis of inflammatory markers. From the bloods, plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells are stored for immune function analysis. Immune cells are also stored for later RNA sequencing and gene expression analyses. Red blood cells are washed and stored for fatty acid analysis. Once the recruited 1000 women deliver, the stored samples of those who have a preterm delivery will be analysed against normal healthy controls matched for age, ethnicity, and BMI. Fatty acid content, metabolomics, and immune function will be assessed using a variety of tests. The results of the study will help us to understand role of certain fatty acids and inflammation in the all trimesters of pregnancy. In turn, this will help build the foundation for subsequent studies aiming at optimizing maternal fatty acids to improve pregnancy outcomes.

Candidates will hold a first or upper second-class honours degree in biological or biomedical sciences, or a relevant subject area. A Master’s degree or equivalent research experience in a relevant subject area would be most advantageous. Applicants are requested to send a full CV, including the names and addresses of at least 2 academic referees, and a personal statement (500 words) outlining how a PhD in this field will impact on their career aspirations. Applicants should submit their CV and personal statement should be emailed to Nicola Ruivo ([Email Address Removed])