Henry Burrows
Project: Identifying how Zika virus kills placental surface cells
“In high school, I was fortunate to briefly work in the Houghton Lab on Hepatitis C vaccine research... which started my interest in aspects of virology. I have always been interested in developmental physiology and find the placenta to be one of the most fascinating and unique organs in the human body.”
Summary: The placenta develops during pregnancy to support the fetus. Only a handful of viruses can infect it. Much of the placenta's resistance to infection is due to a cell known as the syncytiotrophoblast (ST). The ST spans the placenta's maternal-facing surface as one giant cell with no gaps, helping defend against viruses that would normally try to squeeze between cells. One of the few viruses that can infect the placenta is Zika virus, which is transferred by mosquitoes. Currently, there is no vaccine for Zika virus, and infection often goes unnoticed. When it occurs in the first three months of pregnancy, it can cause congenital Zika syndrome in the child, characterized by a significantly smaller head — a condition known as microcephaly.
Our lab has discovered that Zika virus causes ST cell death, contributing to placental inflammation, which is known to contribute to the development of congenital Zika syndrome.
This project aims to identify how Zika virus causes ST cell death by identifying the cell receptors with which the virus interacts. We will test our hypothesis with human placental tissue and cultures to identify which receptors are expressed and whether we can interfere with them to reduce cell death.
Knowing how Zika virus is recognized by the placenta and leads to ST cell death can provide insight into potential treatments for congenital Zika syndrome.
Henry Burrows was supervised by Dr. Meghan Riddell in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, and his WCHRI summer studentship was funded by the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. He is enrolled in the Honors physiology program in the Faculty of Science.
Read more about WCHRI’s training awards for students at all levels and generous grants for researchers. See the rest of the 2026 summer studentship recipients here.
