Anna Cochrane

Anna is a PhD student on the British Heart Foundation 4-Year PhD Studentship Programme in Cardiovascular Research, supervised by Prof. Dino Giussani and Prof. Susan Ozanne.

Anna works in the Giussani Lab investigating the impact of maternal obesity during pregnancy on cardiovascular development in the offspring using a novel ovine model.

Anna's PhD research investigates the impact of maternal obesity in pregnancy on fetal cardiovascular function. Rates of obesity have reached epidemic proportions, with over half of women in the UK entering pregnancy overweight or obese. This is concerning as women living with obesity are at higher risk of experiencing pregnancy complications. On top of this, their offspring are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life. My research aims to assess the impacts of maternal obesity on fetal cardiovascular health during pregnancy, and to better understand how cardiovascular dysfunction develops. Using an ovine model of maternal obesity in pregnancy, we are able to surgically instrument the fetal offspring for long-term monitoring of fetal cardiovascular function. So far, we have identified alterations in fetal cardiovascular function, under normal conditions and in response to common challenges experienced during pregnancy, which may predispose towards increased risk of cardiovascular disease in later life.

Anna was selected by the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience to represent the University of Cambridge for the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar (SIYSS) for 2024. This selection was based on her ongoing PhD work, academic achievement, and international conference prizes.