Pol Solé-Navais is a group leader at the Wallenberg Laboratory, University of Gothenburg (Sweden), with extensive experience in international collaborative genetic efforts. By integrating computational biology with large-scale genetic and registry data, we aim to understand the mechanisms behind pregnancy loss and other pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. Our ultimate goal is to transform reproductive biology and advance molecular diagnostics. In his work, he uses parent-offspring genetic data to tease out maternal from fetal effects and understand the interplay between these two distinct, but otherwise related, genomes.

Genetic susceptibility to shorter gestational duration and preterm birth

The duration of gestation is critical for neonatal survival and health, with early deliveries being the world-leading direct cause of death in neonates and children under five years of age. As a pregnancy trait, it is affected by two distinct, but otherwise related, genomes, the maternal and fetal, imposing challenges in its study and laboratory follow-up. By using genetic data from parent-offspring trios and high-quality phenotypic data from Nordic registries, we delve into how the number of previous pregnancies affects the maternal genetic effects behind the duration of gestation. We also explore connections between these genetic effects and other pregnancy traits at both at the beginning and the end of gestation.