Josselyn Barahona
Program: Immunology
Current advisor: Wayne M. Yokoyama, MD
Undergraduate university: Williams College
Research summary
During early pregnancy, the uterine microenvironment undergoes dynamic changes that establish a tolerant maternal-fetal interface to support the development of the semiallogenic fetus. Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are the most prominent leukocyte occupying the maternal component of the maternal-fetal interface during this remodeling process. It has become increasingly evident that uNK cells play a critical role in promoting successful pregnancy outcomes as disrupted uNK cell homeostasis has been associated with obstetrical complications, including recurrent spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia, and placenta accreta, in both humans and mice. Although uNK cell appear to play a role in the uterine adaptations that promote tolerance at the fetal-maternal interface, the cellular origins of uNK cells and their contributions to pregnancy remain poorly understood. Thus, the overarching goal of this research project is to elucidate the cellular origins of uNK cells to better understand their role in murine pregnancy.
Graduate publications