Mississippi Preeclampsia Collaborative Center
Research Highlights
Preeclampsia Research Month: Weekly Researcher Highlights
Our weekly Researcher Spotlight series highlights innovative work advancing the understanding, detection and treatment of preeclampsia. Featured work includes early detection through predictive biomarkers and improved screening, as well as investigations into underlying disease mechanisms, including placental dysfunction, vascular changes, immune responses and inflammation. The series also explores the long-term maternal health outcomes, alongside efforts to develop targeted therapies and translate scientific discoveries into clinical practice. Additional focuses include maternal-fetal health interactions, placental biology, precision medicine approaches and emerging diagnostic technologies. Importantly, this series also highlights research addressing health disparities and promoting equity in maternal care, with the overarching goal of improving outcomes for mothers and babies.
Drs. Rachael F. Morris, James M. Tucker and Sarah R. Novotny serve in Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) roles dedicated to managing high-risk pregnancies, with a strong focus on hypertensive disorders such as preeclampsia. Their clinical expertise includes first-trimester risk assessment, advanced ultrasound and Doppler evaluation, and individualized care plans that incorporate preventive strategies like low-dose aspirin for at-risk patients. They specialize in the early recognition and management of complications—including fetal growth restriction and preterm birth—while coordinating multidisciplinary care to optimize outcomes for both mother and baby. In addition to their clinical work, they are actively involved in research exploring the underlying mechanisms of preeclampsia, including placental dysfunction and angiogenic biomarkers, as well as improving screening models and testing interventions to reduce disease severity. Their contributions also extend to patient education and community outreach, helping to raise awareness of warning signs and promote timely care during Preeclampsia Awareness Month and throughout the year.
Drs. Babbette LaMarca, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Denise Cornelius, Associate Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Pharmacology are leading investigators researching mechanisms of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, particularly preeclampsia. Their work focuses on the role of immune system activation, inflammation, and vascular dysfunction in the development of the disease. Dr. LaMarca’s research has been instrumental in identifying how factors such as placental ischemia, T cell activation and B cell activation, and angiotensin II type 1 receptor autoantibodies (AT1-AA) contribute to elevated blood pressure and maternal endothelial dysfunction. Complementing this, Dr. Cornelius specializes in the innate immunological aspects of preeclampsia, with an emphasis on natural killer cells and macrophages, cytokine production, and their regulatory role of immune pathways driving hypertension during pregnancy.
Together, their research programs utilize both clinical and translational models to explore how immune and vascular pathways intersect to influence maternal and fetal outcomes. In addition to advancing scientific understanding, they are committed to mentoring trainees and supporting collaborative research efforts that bridge basic science and clinical care. Their contributions continue to shape innovative strategies for early detection, prevention, and treatment of preeclampsia, while also supporting education and awareness initiatives within the community.
Drs. Lorena Amaral, Department of Pharmacology and Kedra Wallace, Department of Pharmacology. Through their collaborative efforts, Drs. Amaral and Wallace are working to identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets that can improve early detection and guide intervention strategies. Dr. Amaral’s work examines the role of progesterone and its metabolites in regulating maternal immune function and how this affects vascular function during pregnancy. Specifically she studies the effects of progesterone regulated pathways on vascular tone, inflammation, and blood pressure. Her research explores how disruptions in progesterone signaling may contribute to endothelial dysfunction and the development of hypertension, with the goal of identifying hormone-based mechanisms that could be leveraged for therapeutic intervention.
Dr. Wallace’s research complements this work by focusing on the role of placental ischemia and its downstream effects on maternal organ systems, including the kidneys and cardiovascular system. She has contributed to advancing experimental models that mimic the clinical features of preeclampsia, allowing for the investigation of mechanisms such as reduced uteroplacental perfusion, angiogenic imbalance, and renal injury.
Together, their research integrates translational and preclinical approaches to better understand how impaired placental signaling leads to systemic maternal disease.