The goal of the Interdisciplinary Reproduction & Health Group (IRHG) Seminar Series is to highlight transdisciplinary precision research taking place in the reproductive health field, provide opportunities for collaboration among researchers to build their own research efforts and promote clinical/researcher activity across the University of Missouri System and our partners.

The IRHG was organized and established through a faculty-driven, grass roots effort in 2016 to develop an integrative interdisciplinary program that transcends traditional departmental, college and system boundaries to foster excellence in reproduction, health research and education at Mizzou.

View all upcoming Reproductive Health events on the IRHG Seminar Series website.

For questions about this event, please reach out to Wipawee Winuthayanon.

Trophoblast Cells at the Uterine-Placental Interface

Speaker: Michael J. Soares, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center

Date: March 6, 2024, 4-5 p.m.

Location: Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Building, Atkins Family Seminar Room

In-person and virtual option

• Light snack will be provided in person. All are welcome!
• Attend virtually in Zoom with ID 969 5309 4849 and passcode 422673. 

About the Speaker

Dr. Soares received his undergraduate degree from California State University, Chico and his doctoral degree from the University of Hawaii. He received postdoctoral training at the University of California, Santa Cruz and Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Soares is currently a University Distinguished Professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center, with appointments in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He also serves as Director of the Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research at the University of Kansas and Director of the Center for Perinatal Research at the Children’s Research Institute, Children’s Mercy Kansas City. Dr. Soares’ research program focuses on regulatory processes associated with pregnancy, especially events controlling the development of the hemochorial placenta.

His laboratory investigates specialized survival strategies used by the embryo as it grows within the mother's womb. Central to the embryo's survival is the formation of an organ derived from the embryo called the placenta. This organ gains access to the maternal blood supply and facilitates the delivery of nutrients to the fetus. They study how early stem cells develop into the placenta. They have learned that the placenta is built in response to cues present in the maternal environment; and diseases of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, result when the embryo is not successful in its adaptations to the maternal environment. Inadequate in utero adaptive responses have potentially long-lasting impacts on adult health and disease. For more information on their research, please visit the Soares Lab website.