2023, Appointed Permanent Executive Director
2023, Awarded Liley Lectureship for 2023 PAS Meeting
2022, Received TMC Women in Medicine and Science Mid-Career Faculty Leadership Development Award
2022, Attended the American Association Mid-Career Women Faculty Leadership Seminar
2021, Elected Chair of Tufts PO Women in Medicine and Science Committee
2021, Appointed Interim Executive Director, Mother Infant Research Institute
2020, Joined Tufts Institute for Global Obesity Research (TIGOR) Steering Committee
2020, Appointed Chair-Elect of Tufts PO Women in Medicine and Science Committee
2019, Appointed member, Society of Reproductive Investigation Global Outreach Committee
2019, Elected Basic Science Representative of Perinatal Research Society Council
2016, Mary Hellerstein Junior Faculty Professional Development Award, sponsored by Women Faculty of the School of Medicine, CWRU. Cleveland, OH.
2012, 5th Isotope Tracers in Metabolic Research Course Travel Award, Little Rock, AK
2011, Outstanding Trainee of the Year Award for oral presentation at the Heart Research Center’s 13th annual retreat. Portland, OR.
2010, NIH-NICHD New Investigator Award at the Perinatal Biology Symposium, Aspen, CO
2010, Outstanding Trainee of the Year Award for poster presentation at the Heart Research Center’s 12th annual retreat. Portland, OR.
2007, Travel Award at the Perinatal Research Society Meeting. Savannah, GA
2007, NIH Young Investigator Travel Award at the Perinatal Biology Symposium. Aspen, CO
2006, Honorable mention for “Outstanding Trainee of the Year Award” for outstanding presentation at the Heart Research Center’s 9th annual scientist retreat. Portland, OR
2006, Spring/Summer Thesis Completion Bursary, Queen’s University
2006, Christopher Knapper Award for Excellence in Teaching, Queen’s University. Nominated for teaching in Gross Anatomy for Medical Students. This award honors Teaching Assistants who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the education of students. The selection process is entirely student-administered.
2005, Travel Award at the Ontario Hypertension Society Annual Spring Meeting. Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
2003 Travel Award at the Annual Meeting of the CAANCB. Ottawa, Canada (46th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Federation of Biological Societies)
2001, C.P. Leblond Research Presentation Award in recognition of the best poster presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Anatomy, Neurobiology, and Cell Biology (CAANCB) Ottawa, Canada (44th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Federation of Biological Societies)
2001, Award for poster presentation at the Ontario Hypertension Society Annual Spring Meeting, Huntsville, Canada
For a complete list of Dr. O'Tierney-Ginn's publications, see: Full List
SELECTED NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESENTATIONS
"Placental pathophysiology in women with Type 2 Diabetes in pregnancy", American Diabetes Association 82nd Scientific Sessions, Update on Type 2 Diabetes in Pregnancy Mini-symposium, New Orleans, LA June 3, 2022.
"Impact of placental lipid metabolism on fetal delivery", Society of Reproductive Investigation Annual Meeting, Placental lipids Mini-symposium, Denver, CO March 18, 2022.
"Fit placentas need fish – role of omega-3s in pregnancy outcomes," Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Grand Rounds, University of Hawaii, August 18, 2021.
"Placental lipid handling is exquisitely sensitive to the maternal metabolic milieu," Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Group Seminar, Michigan State University, June 28, 2021..
"Sensitivity of placental lipid handling to the maternal metabolic milieu," Exercise and Nutrition in Pregnancy Lab, East Carolina University, March 2, 2021.
"Obesity and placental metabolism," University of Cambridge, Center for Trophoblast Research Annual Conference, Cambridge, UK, 2019.
NIH-NICHD
2022-2027
"Placental miRNAs paracrine and endocrine roles in insulin sensitivity in pregnancy." The goal of the study is to investigate mechanisms by which selected candidate placental miRNAs participate in the interplay between placenta and glucose-insulin regulation during pregnancy.
Role: MPI
Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition
2022-2023
Produce prescriptions on maternal and birth outcomes: A food is medicine intervention among pregnant women.
Role: Co-I
NIH
2022-2023
Maternal metabolic Markers of infant adiposity (MAMMA) study supplement. The overall goal of this study is to determine how maternal fat metabolism in early pregnancy programs placental lipid metabolism and a baby’s fat deposition.
Role: PI
NIH-NICHD
2022-2027
“Placental miRNAs paracrine and endocrine roles in insulin sensitivity in pregnancy." The overall goal of the study is to investigate mechanisms by which selected candidate placental miRNAs participate in the interplay between placenta and glucose-insulin regulation during pregnancy.
Role : MPI
Tufts Health Plan
2022-2023
Produce prescriptions for improving maternal and birth outcomes and reducing health disparities. The goal is to assess the feasibility of integrating nutrition into prenatal care using produce prescription programs, to improve maternal and birth outcomes among low-income pregnant women.
Collaborator: Fang Fang Zhang, Friedman School of Nutrition, Tufts University.
Tufts Institute for Global Obesity Research (TIGOR) Pilot award
2021-2022
Placental Mediation of Maternal Obesity Impact on Neonatal Metabolism: a Multi-omics Approach. The goal of this project is to identify placental mRNA-miRNA interactions associated with neonatal metabolic profiles and fat accrual.
Collaborator: Nirmala Nanguneri, TMC
Role: PI
NORCH Pilot and Feasibility Grant
2020-2021
The Placenta and pro-resolving superfamily of mediators: New insights into intergenerational obesity.
Role: Co-I
R01HD091735 NIH/NICHD
2019
Administrative Supplement to Placental miRNA profiles associated with maternal insulin resistance and fetal adiposity: maternal-placental crosstalk.
The study will examine the role of epigenetics in fetal growth disparities between racial/ethnic groups.
Sequencing data will be analyzed in collaboration with Dr. Tianjiao Chu from Magee Women's Research Institute in Pittsburgh.
Role: PI
NIH R01 HD091054
2017-2022
Placental Lipid Metabolism Impacts Fetal Adiposity and is Programmed by the Maternal Metabolic Milieu in Early Pregnancy.
The goal of this project is to determine how maternal fat metabolism in early pregnancy programs placental lipid metabolism and neonatal fat deposition.
Role: PrincipaI Investigator
NIH R01 HD091735
2017-2021
Placental miRNA Profiles Associated with Maternal Insulin Resistance and Fetal Adiposity: Maternal-Placental Crosstalk.
The goal of this project is to determine the association between miRNA originating in the placenta with maternal insulin resistance and fetal adiposity.
Role: PrincipaI Investigator
NIH HD 088061-01A1
2016-2021
Lifestyle Intervention in Preparation for Pregnancy.
The primary aim of this project is to decrease adiposity at birth in infants of overweight/obese women through lifestyle intervention of behavioral modification, healthy eating and exercise before a planned pregnancy using a RCT in women after their first pregnancy.
Role: Co-Investigator
NIH/NICHD R00HD062841
K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award
2013-2016
Maternal Obesity Suppresses Essential Fatty Acid Transport in the Placenta.
The goals of this project were to determine the degree to which maternal obesity alters gender-specific fatty acid transport in the placenta
Role: Principal Investigator
Perrie O’Tierney-Ginn, PhD is a Principal Investigator in the MIRI. Dr. O’Tierney-Ginn’s overall interest is to understand the effect of the maternal nutritional environment (metabolism, diet, body composition) on placental function, and fetal nutrient delivery and growth. Dr. O’Tierney-Ginn’s work is funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Please visit her external lab website at www.placentascience.com for more information.
