The Molly Towell Perinatal Research Foundation (MTPRF) was established in 1988 as a legacy of the estate of Dr. Molly Towell. Dr. Towell was a pioneering clinician-scientist in the field of maternal-fetal medicine and had a particular interest in the influence of maternal nutrition on infant outcomes. For more about Dr. Towell, see About Molly Towell. Dr. Towell instructed that the major objectives of the Foundation were:

• To fund graduate and undergraduate fellowships for individuals in the field of fetal and neonatal medicine

• To provide start-up operating funds to assist in research and education in the field of fetal and neonatal medicine

The overall goal of the MTPRF is to encourage perinatal research in Canada. As per Dr. Towell’s direction, the Foundation will support original and innovative research, which she defined as the pursuit of new information derived from basic or clinical research. High priority is given to projects that concern fetal growth or metabolism, but any studies that involve original research in fetal or neonatal medicine will be considered. Purely epidemiological research or clinical trials, however, will not be considered.

Dr. Marc-Olivier Deguise

Extreme preterm birth complications are the main cause of death in young children. Most extremely premature infants develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). With no cure, BPD has long-lasting complications. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) can support lung growth/repair and has been shown to be safe in preterm infants. Key questions remain to optimize the delivery and therapeutic efficacy of MSC to ensure successful translation. Participating in the creation of clinically relevant neonatal piglet model (features of surfactant removal (respiratory distress syndrome), high oxygen, injurious ventilation and inflammation) mirroring several insults in the initial acute lung injury preceding BPD, Dr. Marc-Olivier Deguise is now set to use this instrumental model to optimize delivery, dosing, frequency, relevant outcomes, and mechanisms of action of MSC to guide future clinical trials’ design. Dr. Marc-Olivier Deguise is currently a neonatal-perinatal medicine fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), part of the clinician-investigator program at the University of Ottawa, who has joined Dr. Thebaud’s laboratory to further the cellular therapeutic development for preterm infants. His previous work during his neonatal fellowship includes two Cochrane systematic reviews evaluating non-invasive ventilation modalities for preterm infants and post-extubation as well as a systematic review on the use of mesenchymal stromal cells in preclinical model of necrotizing enterocolitis. He obtained his MD/PhD degree at the University of Ottawa under the supervision of Dr. Kothary’s where he significantly advanced the idea of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) as a systemic disease rather than merely a motor neuron disease. The breadth of his work was recognized by multiple accolades, most notably the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Award for medical students (2018) and the Dr. Ronald G. Worton Researcher in Training Award of the Ottawa Hospital (2017), amongst others. More details can be found under his OrciD profile.

Dr. Sarah McColman

Dr. Sarah McColman is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto and the Keenan Research Centre at Unity Health Toronto, working under the supervision of Dr. Hagar Labouta. She earned her PhD in Molecular Science from Toronto Metropolitan University, where she designed nanoparticle models of SARS-CoV-2 and explored the physical chemistry of protein-nanoparticle interactions. Her current research focuses on using nanomedicine and organ-on-a-chip technology to tackle challenges in maternal-fetal health. She builds microfluidic models that replicate key pregnancy-related organs—such as the placenta and fetal lungs—to investigate how therapeutic nanoparticles travel through and interact with these environments. This work enables safer, more precise testing of prenatal drug delivery systems. Blending bioengineering with nanotechnology, Dr. McColman is helping to pave the way for innovative therapies designed specifically for pregnancy. Her research aims to improve fetal treatment strategies and support healthier outcomes for both mothers and their babies.  

Dr. Yusmaris Cariaco

Dr. Yusmaris Cariaco is a Venezuelan placenta biologist specializing in placental dysfunction and its impact on fetal development. She holds a Master’s degree and a PhD in Applied Immunology and Parasitology from the Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil, where her doctoral research elucidated critical mechanisms underlying adverse pregnancy outcomes caused by infectious diseases. In 2022, Dr. Cariaco joined Dr. Bainbridge’s Placenta Lab at the University of Ottawa as a postdoctoral fellow, integrating advanced histological and transcriptomic approaches to investigate the consequences of prenatal opioid and cannabis exposure on placental health and fetal growth. She has already characterized the placental signature of multidrug exposure in a mouse model and, in her next research phase, will employ comprehensive multi‑omics approaches to determine how drug‑induced placental alterations influence neurodevelopmental trajectories in offspring. Her work seeks to uncover disrupted biological processes and adverse neurological programming associated with multidrug exposure, thereby advancing our understanding of the effects of prenatal drug exposure and informing evidence‑based harm‑reduction strategies that empower pregnant individuals to make informed decisions about substance use.