Washington University in St. Louis (WU)
My lab focuses primarily on the laboratory diagnostics of endocrinology and reproductive physiology with a particular emphasis on maternal fetal medicine. Recently, our work has examined how to properly assess the risk for fetal lung maturity using either lamellar body counts or a method using fluorescent polarization. We have developed easy-to-use tables for the assessment of risk for respiratory distress syndrome using results from the fluorescent polarization assay and gestational age.
We have also examined the cytokines IL-6, TNFá, and IL-2 receptor in cervicovaginal fluid as markers of impending preterm delivery. Cytokines have been shown to be associated with preterm delivery in serum and amniotic fluid, but few studies have been done using cervicovaginal fluid. Our studies suggest that IL-6 performs similar to fetal fibronectin in predicting delivery within 14 days.