Dr Rachel Quilang

Profile

I graduated from the University of the West of Scotland with a BSc (Hons) First Class in Applied Biomedical science in 2014.  As I wanted to pursue a career in research, I began a PhD at the same university under the supervision of Dr Fiona Menzies and Professor Fiona Henriquez.  During this time I focused on placental biology and was introduced to the parasite, Toxoplasma gondii.  I gained an interest in how it can be congenitally transmitted from mother to fetus and how the maternal immune response controls infection, with a focus on the atypical chemokine receptor 2 (ACKR2).   

Wanting to stay in the field of reproductive biology, I joined the University of Leeds as a Postdoctoral Research Assistant in June of 2019 as part of an MRC funded project led by Dr Karen Forbes.

Research interests

My research is focused on extracellular vesicle-bound microRNAs during pregnancies complicated by diabetes.  I am interested in the effects these may have on placental growth and fetal development, where infants are born either large or small for their gestational age.

Qualifications

• PhD, Reproductive Biology, University of the West of Scotland (2019)
• BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Sciences (First Class), University of the West of Scotland (2014)

Professional memberships

• Society for Endocrinology
• International Society for Extracellular Vesicles
• UK Society for Extracellular Vesicles
• The Physiological Society
• British Society for Immunology
• Royal Society of Biology

Research groups and institutes

• Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine
• Discovery and Translational Science