Modeling neurovascular-cognitive complications after preeclampsia-like conditions in rodents

Speaker: Dr. Paula Warrington, Associate Professor, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, The University of Mississippi Medical Center Jackson

Dr. Junie Paula Warrington is an associate professor in the department of Neurology and associate director of the PhD Program in Neuroscience at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She received a PhD in neuroscience from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 2011 and has co-authored over 40 peer-reviewed manuscripts and editorials and 1 book chapter. Dr. Warrington’s research has been continuously funded by a Pre- and Post-doctoral fellowship from the American Heart Association and a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence grant from the National Institutes of Health. She received an administrative supplement award to link pregnancy-induced neurovascular impairment to Alzheimer's disease. Her lab was recently supported by an NIH R56 award investigating mechanisms of seizures in pregnancy. 

Dr. Warrington serves as co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Neuroscience Research and consulting editor of AJP: Heart, and served as digital media editor of Stroke. She has also guest edited 3 special issues in scientific journals. Dr. Warrington serves on multiple committees at professional organizations such as the Society for Neuroscience and Council on Hypertension. She has received numerous awards for her work, including being featured on the cover of the Physiologist magazine. The best part of her job is mentoring. She has mentored numerous undergraduate, high school, medical, and graduate students during her career. Using preclinical animal models, Dr. Warrington works on identifying pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to neurovascular abnormalities and seizures in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy during antepartum, peripartum, and postpartum periods. Her work utilizes knockout and reporter mouse models, pharmacological, molecular, and behavioral approaches to elucidate underlying mechanisms, with the hope of identifying therapeutic targets for prevention and treatment of pregnancy-associated neurological sequelae. Her ultimate goal is to change the landscape of academia by making it a more welcoming and supportive environment for future scientists.

Talk summary:

Epidemiological studies have shown an increased risk of vascular dementia and mortality from Alzheimer’s disease in women with a history of preeclampsia. The underlying mechanisms are not fully known and preclinical models are not fully characterized. Using the reduced utero-placental perfusion model in rats and mice, Dr. Warrington's group has shown evidence of neuroinflammation, modest learning deficits, reduced cerebral perfusion, and increased expression of Alzheimer’s disease markers at 2 months postpartum.

Agenda:

9-9:45 am PDT: Speaker presentation

9:45-10:00 am PDT: Question and answer period

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