Centre staff
Dr Susan Laird
Head of department of biosciences
Phone 0114 225 3035
Email s.m.laird@shu.ac.uk
Research interests
Female reproductive disorders
Human endometrial function in health and disease
The role of the endometrium is to accept the implanting embryo; endometrial dysfunction can therefore lead to infertility and recurrent miscarriage. Dr Laird has 15 years experience in the study of the physiology and pathology of the human endometrium, including the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in endometrial function, the role of the endometrium in recurrent miscarriage and implantation failure and the role of cytokines in pelvic adhesion formation.
The work is in collaboration with T.C. Li , at the Jessop Hospital for Women in Sheffield.
The role of cytokines in endometial function
Cytokines are known to play an important role in the control of endometrial function. We are therefore using immunocytochemical, RT-PCR and western blot analysis to investigate the menstrual cycle dependent expression of cytokines and their receptors in the endometrium. A particular interest is in the cytokines, leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and interleukin 11, as experiments in knock out mice have suggested that these are particularly important in embryo implantation.
More recent work has involved looking at the expression of chemokines especially CXCL12. The expression of these proteins in the endometrium of normal fertile women and women who suffer recurrent miscarriage or implantation failure after IVF is being compared. Further studies using primary endometrial cell culture systems and human endometrial cell lines are being carried out to investigate the effects that these molecules have on endometrial function. In addition, we are investigating the intracellular signaling pathways from cytokine and chemokine receptors in endometrial cells.
The expression of leukocyte populations in women with recurrent miscarriage
The endometrium contains a specialist population of leucocytes, in particular a population of uterine natural killer cells which are different from those in peripheral blood and are thought to play a role in implantation. We are investigating the numbers of these cells in the endometrium of fertile women and women with recurrent miscarriage or implantation failure after IVF. We are also correlating their numbers with expression of chemokines which may be involved in their recruitment to endometrial tissue.
Development of a model to study human implantation
This project involves the development of a model using trophoblastic stem cells and endometrial cell primary culture to investigate human embryo implantation. Embryoid bodies of trophoblastic stem cells are cultured with endometrial cells and the induction of expression of embryonic and endometrial proteins is investigated. This work is carried out in collaboration with Professor Harry Moore of the Centre for Stem Cell Research, University of Sheffield.
Recent publications
Tuckerman E., Mariee, N., Prakash, A., Laird, S.M. and Li, T.C. (2010). Uterine natural killer cells in peri-implantation endometrium from women with repeated implantation failure after IVF. Journal of Reproductive Immunology, 87(1-2):60-6
Cocksedge, K,A., Saravelos, S.H., Wang, Q., Tuckerman, E. Laird, S.M. and Li, T.C. (2008). Does free androgen index predict subsequent pregnancy outcome in women with recurrent miscarriage? Human Reproduction 23, 797-802.
Prakash A. Tuckerman E., Laird S.M., Ola, B., Li, T.C. and Ledger, W.L. (2008). A preliminary study comparing the endometrial expression of inhibin, activin and follistatin in women with a history of implantation failure after IVF treatment and a control group. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 115, 532-536.
Tuckerman E., Laird S.M., Prakash A. and Li T.C (2007). Prognostic value of the measurement of uterine natural killer (uNK) cells in the endometrium of women with recurrent miscarriage. Human Reproduction 22, 2208-2213.
Amer, S.A., Laird, S.M., Ledger, W.L. and Li, T.C. (2007) Effect of laparoscopic ovarian diathermy on circulating inhibin B in women with anovulatory polycystic ovarian syndrome; a possible new mechanism of action. Human Reproduction 22, 389-394.
Metwally, M., Tuckerman, E.M., Laird, S.M. and Li, T.C. (2007). Impact of high body mass index on endometrial morphology and function in the peri-implantation period in women with recurrent miscarriage. Reproductive BioMedicine Online 14, 328-334.
Prakash, A., Li, T.C., Tuckerman, E., Laird, S.M., Wells, M and Ledger, W.L. (2006). A study of luteal phase expression of inhibin, activin and follistatin subunits in the endometrium of women with recurrent miscarriage. Fertility and Sterility 86, 1723-1730.
Tuckerman, E., Li, T.C. and Laird, S.M. (2006) Endometrial integrin expression in women with recurrent miscarriage. Fertility and Sterility 86, 755-757.
Laird, S.M., Tuckerman, E.M. and Li, T.C. (2006). Cytokine expression in the endometrium of women with implantation failure and recurrent miscarriage. Reproductive Biomedicine Online 13, 13-23.
Prakash, A., LI, T.C., Laird, S.M., Nargund, G., Ledger, W.L. (2006). Absence of follicular phase defect in women with recurrent miscarriage. Fertility and Sterility 85, 1784-1790
Huran, R., Ruban, L., Matin, M., Draper, J., Jenkins, N.M., Liew, G.C., Andrews, P.W., Li, T.C., Laird. S.M. and Moore H.D.M. (2006). Cytotrophoblast stem cell lines derived from human embryonic stem cells and their capacity to mimic invasive implantation events. Human Reproduction 21, 1349-1358.
Laird, S.M., Tuckerman, E.M. and Li, T.C. (2006). Cytokine expression in the endometrium of women with implantation failure and recurrent miscarriage. Reproductive Biomedicine Online 13, 13-22.
Prakash, A., Laird, S.M., Li, T.C. and Ledger, WL (2006). Preliminary prospective study of the endocrinology of conception cycles and early pregnancy in women with anti-phospholipid syndrome treated with low molecular weight heparin. Fertility and Sterility 85, 165-170.
Linjawi, S.A., Laird, S.M., Li, T.C. and Blakemore, A.I.F. (2005) IL1 receptor antagonist and IL1β polymorphisms in women with recurrent miscarriage. Fertility and Sterility 83, 1549-1552.
Prakash, A., Laird, S.M., Tuckerman E., Li, T.C. and Ledger, W. (2005). Inhibin A and activin A may be used to predict pregnancy outcome in women with recurrent miscarriage. Fertility and Sterility 83, 1758-1763.
Christiansen, OB, Anderson, A, Bosch, E, Daya, S, Delves, P, Hviid, T, Kutteh, W, Laird, SM, Li, TC, van der Ven, K. (2005). Evidence-based investigations and treatments of recurrent pregnancy loss. Fertility and Sterility 83, 821-839.
PhD students
- Robert Widdowson:
The molecular basis of chemokine action in the endometrium.
Co-director of studies Dr Adrian Hall - Mariam El-Sheikhi: Chemokines and human endometrial cell function.
