Ashley Moffett

Ashley Moffett, is a Professor in the Department of Pathology at the University of Cambridge specialising in Reproductive Immunology, and a fellow of King's College, Cambridge. She became a fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 2015, and a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2019. Career Moffett has been at the forefront of research into the immunology of trophoblast invasion and its role in placentation for over 25 years. Her main areas of research currently are into interactions between maternal Killer-cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor (KIR) and fetal HLA-C molecules, the culture of human trophoblast cells and the link between KIR/HLA-C variants to pre-eclampsia, puerperal sepsis and obstructed labour. She leads the maternal health scheme as part of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Global Health Research. Her research has shown that women with pre-eclampsia have differences in genes involved in cell communication, to women without pre-eclampsia. These genes are involved in chemical signalling between placenta trophoblast cells and natural killer immune cells. In 2018, Moffet was a lead researcher of a team that developed miniature versions of placentas outside the body. These artificial placenta organoids provide an additional tool for research into placental development and the effects of hormones, drugs, and infection such as Zika virus.