Dr Amanda Highet
Senior Research Compliance Officer
Research Services
Division of Research and Innovation
As a researcher in the Placental Development Laboratory my work focuses on identifying the key regulators of trophoblast cell function and early placental development.
During normal pregnancy there is extensive structural remodelling of high-resistance spiral arteries of the uterus into low-resistance, high-capacity vessels to permit adequate blood flow to the placenta. A subpopulation of placental trophoblast cells, the extravillous cytotrophoblasts (EVT), invade these maternal blood vessels where they replace the endothelial lining and degrade most of the musculo-elastic tissue in the vessel walls. The spiral arteries are plugged by invading endovascular EVTs to restrict blood flow and sustain a low oxygen environment of 1-2% oxygen, until the plugs are removed and maternal blood fills the intevillous space. I am investigating how the maintanance of the low oxygen environment promotes trophoblast invasion and differentiation early in the first trimester, and how the placenta responds to the oxidative stress associated with the onset of maternal blood flow.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2021 - ongoing Senior Research Compliance Officer The University of Adelaide 2016 - 2022 Research Compliance Officer (Gene Technology) The University of Adelaide 2011 - 2016 NHMRC Australian Biomedical Training Fellow University of Adelaide -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2007 - 2009 University of Adelaide Australia PhD 2002 - 2006 University of South Australia Australia Bachelor of Laboratory Medicine
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Journals
2011-2017 (part time from 2014) NHMRC Australian Biomedical Training Fellowship $290,032. Project title: Essential stages in the early development of the placenta and their role in preeclampsia
2016 Robinson Research Institute Travel Grant $550. To present at the Society for Reproductive Biology Conference, August 2016, Gold Coast, Australia
2015 Llewellin and Margaret Davey Travel/Skills Competency Award $2230. To present at the International Federation of Placenta Associations (IFPA) conference, September 2015, Brisbane, Australia
2012 Robinson Institute/School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health Travel Grant $750. To present at Society for Reproductive Biology Conference
2011 Research Centre for Reproductive Health Travel Grant $500. To present at ANZPRA Satellite Meeting and the Society for Reproductive Biology Conference, and to attend the World Congress for Reproductive Biology, Cairns Australia
2007-2009 Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (UK) project funding $150,000. The role of novel toxins in the sudden infant death syndrome
2007-2009 Australian Postgraduate Award PhD Scholarship $20,427 pa. Bacterial Toxins and Genetic Variations in the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
2006 MS McLeod Departmental Research Fund $10,000. Bacterial toxins in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Research Project in Reproductive Health Tutorial- Presenting research results –figures, tables and text
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Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2013 - 2015 Co-Supervisor Hypoxia Induced HIF-1/HIF-2 Activity alters Trophoblast Transcriptional Regulation across Gestation Master of Philosophy (Medical Science) Master Full Time Mrs Sultana Mahabbat-e Khoda
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