Immortalising organs: A feminist study of emerging placental technologies
The Team: Dr Jaya Keaney, Dr Jacqueline Dalzeill, Dr Marnie Winter, A/Prof Neera Bhatia, A/Prof Dominique Martin
Although pivotal to maternal and foetal health, the placenta is still not well understood, constraining scientific research on critical conditions like preeclampsia and foetal growth restriction. This is due in part to a lack of appropriate research models: animal placentas are inaccurate mimics, and human placenta donated from births and terminations has a limited research life. However, new biotechnologies are changing this. Emerging in recent years, placental organoids and placenta-on-chip models allow for placental cells to be cultured and grown indefinitely, or “immortalised”. This project explores new placental technologies from a feminist perspective, considering crucial questions of consent, ownership, commodification and antenatal care that emerge as these technologies reshape placenta research practices.
The Team: Dr Jaya Keaney (lead CI, pictured), Dr Jacqueline Dalzeill, Dr Marnie Winter, A/Prof Neera Bhatia, A/Prof Dominique Martin