Biography:

 

Dr. Alexander Beristain is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia and a Principal Investigator at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. His research focuses on understanding how the human placenta develops during early pregnancy and how this process is influenced by maternal health and environmental factors. The placenta is essential for supporting fetal growth by regulating the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and hormones between mother and baby.

The Beristain Laboratory studies trophoblast cells, the specialized placental cells responsible for implantation into the uterus and establishment of the maternal-fetal interface. Using advanced stem cell and organoid models, together with single-cell genomics and spatial transcriptomics, his team investigates how oxygen levels, inflammation, and maternal conditions such as obesity shape placental and uterine development. A major goal of this work is to identify the earliest biological events that contribute to pregnancy complications including preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, infertility, and pregnancy loss.
By uncovering the mechanisms that govern healthy placental development, Dr. Beristain’s research aims to advance new strategies to improve pregnancy outcomes and lifelong health for women and children.