Project Reference: TRG27-IMS-LD1

Project title: Dynamic cellular changes in the pregnant brain

Project outline

Pregnancy is an evolutionarily ancient and fundamental feature of mammals, with around 80% of women worldwide experiencing it during their lifetime. During pregnancy, maternal physiology undergoes profound adaptations to support fetal development, including major changes in hormonal regulation, energy homeostasis, and the emergence of parenting behaviour. The hypothalamus is a key integrative centre that coordinates pregnancy-related endocrine and metabolic signals to regulate these physiological and behavioural adaptations. These changes are essential for maintaining a healthy pregnancy, preparing for lactation, supporting offspring survival, and promoting maternal recovery after birth. Consequently, disruption of hypothalamic adaptations could adversely affect maternal and fetal health during pregnancy and influence long-term health outcomes. Despite their importance, the molecular changes in hypothalamic neurons that coordinate pregnancy adaptations remain poorly understood. It is also unclear whether common metabolic challenges, such as obesity, disrupt the integration of metabolic and pregnancy signals within the hypothalamus and what the consequences are for the mother and offspring.

This project will use mouse models to examine cellular changes in the maternal hypothalamus throughout pregnancy and relate them to behavioural and metabolic adaptations. The student will use spatial transcriptomics, tracing of newly born cells, and electrophysiological patch clamp recordings across pregnancy in control and obese dams. These studies will be combined with measurements of circulating hormones and behavioural assessment using a naturalistic freely-moving recording system with multi-angle video and markerless tracking and behavioural segmentation. The student will gain hands-on expertise in a broad range of techniques spanning molecular neuroscience, neurophysiology, and behavioural neuroscience.

Principal Supervisor

Dr Laura Dearden

Email address: ld454@cam.ac.uk

Department / Partner Institute: Institute of Metabolic Science (IMS)

Website: https://www.mrl.ims.cam.ac.uk/staff/dr-laura-dearden

BBSRC strategic theme

Bioscience for an integrated understanding of health