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Cambridge Cardiovascular

 

Research

I’m interested in fetal origins of cardiovascular disease in adverse pregnancy.

Chronic fetal hypoxia and associated fetal growth restriction is one of the most common consequences of complicated pregnancy, such as during placental insufficiency and preeclampsia.  Chronic fetal hypoxia increases oxidative stress in the fetal heart and circulation and programmes cardiovascular disease in the adult offspring.  Given the global epidemic in heart and vascular disease, there is an urgent need to identify preventative therapy, particularly following clinical diagnosis of fetal growth restriction. My research investigates the effect of antioxidant therapies on the fetal cardiovascular system during hypoxic development. 

Publications

Key publications: 

Itani, N., Skeffington, K.L., Beck, C., Giussani, D.A. (2016). Sildenafil therapy for fetal cardiovascular dysfunction during hypoxic development: Studies in the chick embryo. Journal of Physiology doi: 10.1113/JP273393

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27861916

Itani, N., Skeffington, K.L., Beck, C., Niu, Y., Giussani, D.A. (2016). Melatonin rescues cardiovascular dysfunction during hypoxic development in the chick embryo. Journal of Pineal Research 60(1), 16-26.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4832387/

Giussani, D.A., Niu, Y., Herrera, E.A., Richter, H.G., Camm, E.J., Thakor, A.S., Kane, A.D., Hansell, J.A., Brain, K.L., Skeffington, K.L., Itani, N., Wooding, F.B., Cross, C.M., Allison, B.J. (2014). Heart Disease Link to Fetal Hypoxia and Oxidative Stress. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 814, 77-87.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25015802

 

Research Associate
Dr Nozomi  Itani

Affiliations

Collaborator profiles: 
Classifications: 
Person keywords: 
(DOHaD)
antioxidant
Developmental Origins of Health Disease
preventative therapy