Placenta

The human placenta is a transient, yet vital organ bridging the mother and her fetus during pregnancy. Pathologies of the placenta can lead to fatal complications associated with the blood flow that may threaten the life of the fetus. This collaborative project with the University of Manchester aims to uncover the relationship between the structure and function of the placenta via modelling the blood flow on both sides of the placenta.

Simulation of red blood cells flowing through the maternal side of a human placenta. Credits: Qi (Charles) Zhou (postdoc).

Funding

The Placenta project has been funded by the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC, EP/T008806/1).