Postpartum tissue repair

The growing number of deliveries by caesarean section confronts obstetric medicine with a new challenge: how to achieve full regeneration of the uterine wound. Defective repair and ensuing scar formation pose a high risk of endometriosis, infertility, or, in case of later pregnancy, abnormally invasive placentation. At our lab we address this challenge interdisciplinarily, from the interface between the immune system and wound healing in obstetrics. We hypothesize that in cae­sarean deliveries concomitant to labour, the drastic uterine immune changes induced foster the regeneration of the wound. In contrast, in absence of labour, a perturbation of immune responses may hinder uterine healing, resulting in scar formation at the former caesarean wound. To test this hypothesis, we aim to create a spatial-temporal overview of the interaction between the immune system and the uterine wound healing process following labour-induced vaginal and caesarean deliveries, respectively, in mice and human tissues. Based on this knowledge, we expect that interventions to recreate optimal conditions for uterine regeneration will be within reach. 

We are happy to welcome you in our team to carry out your master's or doctoral thesis research in the field of human or experimental obstetrics.

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