Piper Miller is a PhD researcher investigating placental health under Professor Kirsty Pringle. Her research explores how Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) affects the placenta and contributes to inflammation during pregnancy.

Her work focuses on understanding how high glucose levels and insulin resistance place stress on placental cells. In particular, Piper investigates how processes such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress may trigger inflammatory pathways, including activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. These biological stress responses are known to play important roles in other metabolic diseases, but their role in the placenta during GDM is still not fully understood.

By studying how these pathways interact, Piper’s research aims to better understand why placental dysfunction occurs in GDM and how it may contribute to pregnancy complications. This work helps to identify new therapeutic targets to improve outcomes for both mothers and babies.