Katherine J. Perschbacher, a Graduate Student in Molecular Medicine Program, was invited to present her ongoing research at the American Heart Association’s 2018 Council on Hypertension conference. Katie’s work demonstrates an association between reduced expression of a gene that controls G protein signaling (RGS2) within the placenta and the development of the cardiovascular disorder, preeclampsia.  She has demonstrated that, disruption of this gene within the placenta is sufficient to cause pregnant mice to develop the signs of preeclampsia, and now she has discovered molecular mechanisms that underlie the suppression of this gene in human placenta during preeclampsia.  Her work identifies multiple potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for this underserved area of cardiovascular and obstetric medicine. 

Katie is completing her dissertation work in the Grobe laboratory within the Department of Pharmacology. Her work has been supported by a pre-doctoral research fellowship from the American Heart Association, and she looks forward to graduation in December 2018.