Developing a fetal gene therapy with Anna David

In this interview, Anna David from University College London, UK discusses her research in fetal growth restriction using maternal gene therapy. Anna describes the rationale for prenatal gene therapy, the challenges in testing pregnant women and working with regulatory agencies to begin the first clinical trials in this field.

About the author:

Anna David is consultant in Obstetrics and Maternal / Fetal Medicine at UCLH. Joining University College London (UCL) in 2000 from Queen Charlotte’s Hospital, Professor David was awarded a PhD for her work on fetal gene therapy for treatment of early onset genetic disease in 2005 and then trained in Maternal Fetal Medicine at UCLH under Professor Charles Rodeck. In 2008 she was awarded a prestigious UK HEFCE/Department of Health funded Senior Clinical Lectureship in women’s health at UCL and UCLH when she took up a consultant post. Anna is Head of the Research Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the Institute for Women’s Health, UCL. With funding from the European Commission, her team is developing new treatments for fetal growth restriction using maternal gene therapy, and is pioneering the first clinical trial of in utero stem cell transplantation for brittle bone disease. She has won awards for her mentorship of academic trainees and colleagues, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Original publication:

Video originally published on RegMedNet from the Future Science Group, a digital platform that unites the diverse regenerative medicine community.