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. Rachael FitzPatrick

Dr. Rachael FitzPatrick is a postdoctoral fellow in the Lahl Laboratory at the University of Calgary. She completed her PhD at the University of Victoria, where she investigated the role of eosinophils in gastrointestinal immunity during homeostasis, bacterial infection, and the development of oral tolerance in early life. Through studying mucosal immunity during early life—and inspired by her own experience as a parent—Dr. FitzPatrick developed a deep interest in the perinatal period and the complex immune interactions that occur between mothers and infants. Her current research focuses on how immune factors in breast milk and the maternal–infant microbiota shape lifelong intestinal IgA responses established during early life. Using neonatal rotavirus infection as a model, she aims to uncover the mechanisms by which maternal-derived factors shape the establishment of durable immune protection in offspring, promoting lifelong gastrointestinal health. By defining how early-life exposures shape mucosal immunity, her work seeks to inform strategies that support healthy immune development and disease prevention across the lifespan.

Dr. Christian Bellissimo

Advanced-age pregnancies (aged 35 and over at conception) carry a heightened risk of obstetrical complications, many of which stem from impaired placental development and function. Dr. Christian Bellissimo, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Alberta, has received funding to support his investigation of how maternal age influences the abundance and function of uterine-resident immune cells, which are essential for placental health and development. Combining spatial omics and in vitro placental stem cell co-culture models, this research aims to identify immune-associated factors which drive age-related pregnancy risk. This work will help uncover new therapeutic targets to improve placental function and mitigate adverse pregnancy outcomes for those who conceive later in life.