Mana Parast, MD, PhD
Professor, Pathology
​Dr. Parast is a physician-scientist with clinical and research expertise in placental development and pathology. She is the Director of the Perinatal Pathology Service and Co-Director of the Center for Perinatal Discovery at UC San Diego. She is also a member of the UC San Diego Stem Cell Program as well as the Institute of Engineering in Medicine.Â
Our lab explores the pathophysiology of placenta-based pregnancy disorders, including preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, and stillbirth. We use a variety of model systems, including transgenic mouse models, primary placental cells, as well as stem cell-based culture systems in order to unravel the underlying pathophysiology, as well as identification of therapeutic targets, for the above pregnancy complications. Learn more about the placenta and how our lab uses stem cells to model placental development:
