Natalie Nakatsui
Project: Investigating the impact of excessively high cholesterol levels during pregnancy on placenta function
“One of the most surprising parts of my summer has been learning about how much patience troubleshooting requires and what a major part of research it is. Extensive problem-solving goes into adjusting protocols and figuring out why an experiment did not work as expected. Learning to remain patient and curious through these setbacks has been as valuable an experience as my successes.”
Summary: Having high cholesterol levels is a risk factor for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the world. In contrast, during pregnancy, high cholesterol levels are needed for normal fetal development. However, when cholesterol levels become too high, it increases the risk of developing pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, which can lead to the mother and child having serious health complications during pregnancy and later in life.
While we do not know how preeclampsia develops, the placenta, a new organ that develops only in pregnancy to support the growth of the fetus, may be key. Preclinical animal models have shown that excessively high cholesterol levels during pregnancy lead to the accumulation of lipids in the placenta, which causes cell stress leading to inflammation. These effects differ depending on the sex of the fetus. However, we do not know if the same changes occur in humans.
The goal of this project is to find out whether high cholesterol levels during pregnancy affect placental function in humans; if they are associated with lipid accumulation, cell stress and inflammation; and whether the sex of the fetus plays a role. We will categorize participants by their cholesterol levels and fetal sex, and assess their placentas for lipid accumulation. Additionally, we will analyze cell stress and inflammatory pathway markers in placentas from male and female offspring to determine whether there are sex-specific differences.
This research will increase our understanding of how high cholesterol levels in pregnancy increase the risk of complications and of how preeclampsia develops. This project aims to identify ways to prevent and treat preeclampsia and related complications, with the goal of improving outcomes for women and their children.
Natalie Nakatsui was supervised by Dr. Sandra Davidge in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. Her WCHRI summer studentship was funded by the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. She is enrolled in the bachelor of science program at the University of Alberta.
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.
