Selected Presentations & Appearances
Guest Session: American Society for Reproductive Immunology (ASRI) Symposium
Maternal Inflammation and Programming of Fetal Neuroimmune Function
The placenta represents the 'front line' for immunologic communication between mother and fetus. The evidence for developmental disruption is recorded by cellular lesions and molecular signals of the placental tissue, such that translation of these signals is the key to understanding immunologic and/or inflammatory mechanisms of perinatal pathology. By recognizing patterns in placental inflammatory lesions, perinatal scientists grow closer to deciphering the mechanistic code for adverse pregnancy outcomes, as well as long term maternal and child health.
Objective 1: Identify inflammatory lesions of the placenta which correlate with postpartum maternal cardiovascular disease risk.
Objective 2: Describe neonatal adverse outcomes linked to placental inflammation.
Objective 3: Recognize patterns of placental lesions which provide mechanistic subsets for heterogeneous disease states such as preterm birth.
Outreach & Engaged Scholarship
North Carolina
Charity event to raise money towards better understanding—and, eventually, maybe even curing—illnesses like depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, postpartum depression, schizophrenia and anorexia.
Each year, thousands of participants come together at the Angus Barn in Raleigh to show solidarity for family, friends and community members living with a mental illness. After the walk is over, we celebrate our achievement with a family-friendly afternoon of food, games, music and prizes.
100% of the money raised by participants directly funds local mental health research at the UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Psychiatry. And, just as critically, it helps call attention to the stigma and significance of these often invisible illnesses, which affect as many as one in five American adults.
Service to the Profession
The role of the committee is to:
Plan and coordinate a variety of educational activities and programs of ASRI;
Develop informational and educational materials in reproductive immunology for the audiences with which ASRI wishes to communicate;
Participate in activities and coalitions that foster education in the life sciences.
Committee Mission
The ASRI Education Committee is dedicated to promoting science education and helping its members in science outreach activities. These include the:
ASRI Courses in reproductive Immunology
ASRI Summer Research Program for Undergraduate students
Grant Review for Reproductive Immunologists Program ("GRRIP")
Committee-sponsored symposia at the ASRI Annual Meeting
The role of the committee is to:
Plan and coordinate a variety of educational activities and programs of ASRI;
Develop informational and educational materials in reproductive immunology for the audiences with which ASRI wishes to communicate;
Participate in activities and coalitions that foster education in the life sciences.
Committee Mission
The ASRI Education Committee is dedicated to promoting science education and helping its members in science outreach activities. These include the:
ASRI Courses in reproductive Immunology
ASRI Summer Research Program for Undergraduate students
Grant Review for Reproductive Immunologists Program ("GRRIP")
Committee-sponsored symposia at the ASRI Annual Meeting
Service to Duke
Duke University Medical Center’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Duke Institute for Health Innovation formed a transdisciplinary team to develop models for time-series prediction of eight SMM phenotypes: hemorrhage, sepsis, acute heart failure (AHF), acute renal failure (ARF), adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), eclampsia, air and thrombotic embolism, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Our work models distinct, clinically actionable phenotypes for eight of the most common and dangerous complications for maternal morbidity, showing strong predictive capacity for each in real time (prediction range: 4 hours).
Focus group consisting of faculty members across the spectrum of tenure and non-tenure track and assistant, associate and professor levels, charged with providing thoughtful input into the process of updating and revising certain promotion and tenure related matters.
Academic & Administrative Activities
Duke Task Forces:
Maternal Early Warning System (MEWS) Governance Team 2021-present
Duke OB/Gyn Hemorrhage Task Force 2020-present
Duke OB/Gyn Hypertension Workgroup 2020-2022
Faculty Search Committee - Translating Duke Health Children's Health and Discovery Initiative 2017-2018
National Committees:
Pan-American Society for the Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS2), Board of Directors, Oct 2022-present
Pan-American Society for the Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS2), Patient Management Committee Chair 2021-present
Pan-American Society for the Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS2), Publication Committee 2021-present
Pan-American Society for the Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS2), Education Committee 2021-present
American Society for Reproductive Immunology, Education Committee Chair 2018-present
Professional Memberships:
-Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FACOG), 2019, (2009-2018 Associate Member)
-Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Associate Fellow, 2013-present
-Pan-American Society for the Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS2), 2021-present
-American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM), 2014-present
-Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI), Regular Member, 2016-present
-North Carolina Obstetrical and Gynecologic Society, 2018-present
-The American Society for Reproductive Immunology, Regular Member, 2018-present
Primary Supervising Physician:
Estela Field, CNM
Abigail Haberman, NP
Amanda O'Briant, CNM
Pennilee West, CNM
DeEtte Reel, CNM
Lisa Barkley, CNM
Ashley Lawson, CNM
Emily Joubert, CNM
Carleen McKenna, CNM
Cherese Infinito, CNM
Virginia Goracke, NP
Kaitlyn Wittwer, CNM
Casey Hartell, CNM
Stashawna Sutton, NP
Alicia Jowers, CNM
Cassandra Jo Lagod, CNM
Clinical Activities
Inpatient Obstetrics, High-Risk
Management of Morbidly Adherent Placentation / Placenta Accreta Spectrum
Complex Obstetric Surgery
High-Risk Pregnancy Consultation
Preterm Birth Prevention - Preconception and Prenatal Care
Fetal Diagnosis