Alison J Forhead

Dr. Alison J Forhead is a University Lecturer in the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge and an active member of Cambridge Reproduction. Her work bridges experimental physiology and clinical reproductive science within the university's interdisciplinary research framework.

Her research centers on fetal endocrine regulation, specifically examining hormone bioavailability (glucocorticoids, thyroid hormones, leptin, insulin-like growth factors, renin-angiotensin system) and their synergistic roles in fetal growth, organ maturation, and preparation for birth. She investigates molecular mechanisms controlling cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal development alongside metabolic and nutritional pathways using diverse experimental models.

Dr. Forhead's work provides critical insights into pathological conditions including prematurity, intrauterine growth restriction, and developmental origins of adult diseases, with direct implications for improving maternal-fetal health outcomes and clinical interventions in reproductive medicine.