A Journey Through the Human Body

Women’s health in pregnancy provides important clues about their health in later life. In this talk I will present this evidence and new work looking for further clues in the placenta. The placenta links mother and foetus, providing oxygen, nutrients and protection during pregnancy. It also has a role in regulating mothers’ physiology during pregnancy. By looking for placental damage in a unique archive of thousands of placentas collected as part of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, we aim to understand what causes pregnancy complications like pre-eclampsia, and how they are linked with later life heart disease and stroke risk.

The use of e-cigarette (vaping) has risen rapidly in recent years. We know e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking, but some continue to smoke alongside vaping, commonly known as dual use. Our research examined how certain substance use, sociodemographic, and health factors may shape initial transitions in nicotine use among young adults. We aimed to uncover why some quit smoking entirely, others switch exclusively to vaping, and what leads to dual use.

Whilst urbanisation can bring many health and economic benefits, rapid and unplanned urbanisation can have many negative social and environmental health impacts. In the UK, about 85% of the population live in urban areas, and the environment where we live can influence our health, including from our cardiovascular system. In this talk, I will present some evidence, including from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, on how the urban environment, particularly air pollution, traffic noise and the built environment, might influence cardiovascular health.