Welcome to Dr. Jennifer Wood's Lab
The overarching goal of the lab is to understand how chronic metabolic stress and inflammation impair fertility in female animals and women. We use multiple mouse models of obesity and a cow model of chronic ovarian inflammation to achieve this goal. Our current studies center on the impact of inflammation on oocyte quality which directly impacts successful fertilization and embryonic development with reduced oocyte quality significantly contributing to embryo loss. Recent studies also suggest that poor gamete quality alters the developmental trajectory of the embryo which in turn impacts subsequent placental and fetal growth and development. Thus, poor gamete quality may play a role in developmental programming of metabolic syndromes and abnormal reproductive function in viable offspring.
Dr. Wood's Lab Team
Dr. Wood's Laboratory Alumni
Rebecca Bott, Heidi Harris, Deb Clopton, Michelle Baltes-Breitwish, Daniel Larson, Jeremy Martin, Renee (Pohlman) McFee, Shantille Kruse