{"id":123899,"date":"2025-08-04T10:07:19","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T15:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=123899"},"modified":"2025-08-04T10:07:21","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T15:07:21","slug":"dr-harris-recognized-with-prestigious-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2025\/08\/04\/dr-harris-recognized-with-prestigious-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Harris recognized with prestigious award"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"panel body-content\"><div class=\"panel__container\">\n<p>Lynda Harris, PhD, a leading investigator in placental biology at the UNMC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has been awarded the 2025 Andr\u00e9e Gruslin Award by the International Federation of Placenta Associations (IFPA). The award honors mid-career female scientists who have made significant contributions to placental research and mentorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt is an honor and a privilege,\u201d Dr. Harris said. \u201cThis award has given me the opportunity to pause and reflect, not only on the recognition of my work, but on the mentorship and support I\u2019ve received from the placental research community over the past 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Harris said that the award reflects \u201cteam science in action,\u201d crediting the dedication of her lab members and collaborators past and present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The award is named for Dr. Andr\u00e9e Gruslin, a Canadian clinician-scientist whose work advanced understanding of placental function and pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. Her legacy, Dr. Harris said, has had a lasting impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHer research informed my lab\u2019s models of placental dysfunction, especially our work on uterine vascular remodeling,\u201d Dr. Harris said. \u201cBut even more inspiring was her unwavering dedication to research, mentorship and patient care while living with terminal breast cancer. That is a true testament to her grace and determination.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although Dr. Harris said she will not attend this year\u2019s IFPA meeting in person due to her participation in UNMC\u2019s iLEAD Program, she will deliver her award lecture virtually. Her presentation will trace her journey from her undergraduate research project in atherosclerosis which ultimately led to a career in placental biology, drug delivery and nanotechnology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More recently, her lab has shown that nanoparticles decorated with placental homing peptides can selectively deliver cargo to the placentas of pregnant rhesus macaques, without transfer to the fetus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis technology will allow us to safely and effectively deliver medicines to correct the placental pathology that underlies many common pregnancy complications without risk of harming the developing baby,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Harris also acknowledged the unique challenges in the field, particularly the lack of appropriate model systems for testing new therapies during pregnancy. However, she said advances in trophoblast cell lines and 3D placental organoids are offering promising new avenues for study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For early-career researchers, especially women, Dr. Harris offered this advice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour path likely won\u2019t be predictable, and it will be hard work. But focus on the positives. For me, these are intellectual freedom, the opportunity to be creative, work collaboratively and attend conferences in exciting destinations,\u201d she said. \u201cCelebrate your wins, no matter how small. Build your network. Say yes to opportunities. And contribute to the research community, it\u2019s how you grow and build your professional reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reflecting on her own professional journey, Dr. Harris recalled her first IFPA meeting in 2004 as a junior postdoc in California. Since then, she said she has attended 16 of the past 20 annual meetings, many in far destinations such as Buenos Aires, Hiroshima and Rotorua.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe IFPA community is small, but this allows you to develop enduring friendships and provides many opportunities to contribute,\u201d she said. \u201cWe even sing our own version of \u2018YMCA,\u2019 replacing it with &#8216;IFPA,&#8217; at the conference dinner, complete with choreography. That sense of connection is part of what makes this field so special.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lynda Harris, PhD, receives Andr\u00e9e Gruslin Award from International Federation of Placenta Associations. 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