معرفی
Lara Morley is a Clinical Lecturer and Subspecialty Trainee in Reproductive Medicine & Surgery at the University of Leeds' School of Medicine within the Faculty of Medicine and Health and Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Her work bridges clinical practice at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust with cutting-edge research on placental biology and maternal-fetal health.
Education
- MBChB and intercalated BSc in Microbiology, University of Leeds (2010)
- PhD in Placental Blood Flow Sensing and Regulation, LICAMM, University of Leeds (2021)
Research Focus: Dr. Morley investigates molecular controllers of placental blood flow, particularly PIEZO1 ion channels, to address fetal growth restriction and placental dysfunction. Her work spans endothelial mechanosensing, vascular remodeling in diabetes, and long-term cardiovascular consequences of pregnancy complications. She combines basic science (cellular models, molecular pathways) with translational applications (clinical guidelines, therapeutic development) to break intergenerational cycles of poor pregnancy outcomes.
Publication Trends: Analysis of her 2021-2025 publications reveals three dominant threads: (1) PIEZO1's role in placental vascular regulation under mechanical/osmotic stress; (2) Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in diabetic pregnancies; (3) Clinical management of placenta accreta and cardiac adaptations in gestational diabetes. Her work consistently bridges molecular mechanisms and clinical obstetrics, with increasing emphasis on therapeutic targeting.
Awards
- Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Mentorship & Funding: Dr. Morley supervises PhD/MSc/BSc projects and mentors through ESREP/EXCEL scholarships. Her research is funded by NIHR Clinical Lectureship, Wellcome Trust ISSF, MRC, RCOG, and Tommy's National Centre for Preterm Birth Research. She contributes to Cochrane reviews, WHO guidelines, and RCOG scientific impact papers.
Research Ecosystem: She operates within the Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (LICAMM), specifically the Cardiometabolic Section of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, collaborating with the Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Centre on placental vascular biology and clinical translation.
