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Professor Niamh Forde

  • Position: Professor of Molecular Reproductive Biosciences
  • Areas of expertise: Reproductive biology, Uterine biology, Transcriptomics, Proteomics, Comparative molecular physiology, 3D models, microfluidics, extracellular scaffolds, organoids, non-coding RNA, microRNA,
  • Email: N.Forde@leeds.ac.uk
  • Location: LIGHT Laboratories
  • Website: Twitter | Googlescholar

Profile

Reproductive biosciences

Qualifications: BA (Mod) Biochemistry - Trinity College Dublin, PhD University College Dublin. 

Research Area: 

Prof Forde is Professor and Chair of Molecular Reproductive Biosciences based in the School of Medicine at the University of Leeds. She also Co-founded, is Co-Director and Academic Lead for LeedsOmics a virtual research Institute. 

Her group is focused on understanding the molecular interactions between the uterine endometrium and the embryo that are required for successful early pregnancy in mammalian species with different implantation strategies (humans, cattle, pigs, mice). We are also interested in and how the maternal environment/stressors and sex of the embryo influences these interactions with consequences for life-course health of offspring. We use a combination of in vivo and in vitro (including micro-fluidics, organoids, and extracellular scaffolds) approaches, as well as omics technologies to understand fundamentally how both protein coding and non-coding parts of the genome regulate endometrial function for food, fertility and health. We are also interested in the role components of extracellular vesicles play in these processes (including miRNAs, lncRNAs and proteins). 

Responsibilities

  • Founder and Academic lead for LeedsOmics
  • Associate Editor for Reproduction

Professional memberships

  • SSR
  • SRF
  • Biochemical Society

Research groups and institutes

  • Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine
  • Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Centre
<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>
Projects
    <li><a href="//phd.leeds.ac.uk/project/1354-licamm-3d-in-vitro-modelling-of-the-uterus-for-fertility,-food,-and-health">LICAMM 3D in vitro modelling of the uterus for fertility, food, and health</a></li> <li><a href="//phd.leeds.ac.uk/project/1355-non-coding-rnas-in-endometrial-function">Non-coding RNAs in endometrial function</a></li>