Peter Nathanielsz, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor, The University of Wyoming | Adjunct, Southwest National Primate Research Center

Research Focus

Dr. Nathanielsz’ current and future research is centered on pregnancy and developmental research which is the key to prevention of everything from marked structural abnormalities such as cleft palate to the subtle changes that we do not see in minute structure of the heart and other organs that are now known to predispose to:

    1. Adult heart disease
    2. Obesity
    3. Diabetes
    4. Other chronic conditions.

Biographical and Research Summary

Dr. Nathanielsz is Founding Director of Texas Pregnancy & Life-course Health Research Center. The Center has always sought to foster collaboration throughout the United States and the whole world to encourage multidisciplinary and multi-institutional approaches. The University of Wyoming offers opportunities to combine studies that benefit both animal and human health and improve the productivity of our nation.

The Center has entered an exciting era of biomedical science in which understanding gene-environment interactions will lead to better health of our society. Developmental programming affects all everyone as they pass through the most plastic periods of life as fetuses and newborns and our goal is to understand these processes. One of the most active areas of their work is to understand how early life affects even aging. Dr. Nathanielsz’ metaphor is that if the automobile is put together with sub-optimal components, it will not run as far, as fast, or for as long as one is well built. Thus, the study of developmental programming is essential to improving health from “womb to tomb.” Our central aim has been to provide comparative data from all species that can best serve translation to human developmental programming.

Education

  • Sc.D., (1993) Cambridge University, England
  • M.D., Fetal Endocrinology (1977) Cambridge University, England
  • Ph.D., Physiology (1968) Cambridge University, England
  • M.B., BChir, Obstetrics University College Med School-London
  • B.A., Natural Sciences (1961)  Cambridge University, England

Honors and Awards

  • 2015    Review Panel “Obstetric-Fetal Pharmacology Research Centers ORPC U54”
  • 2012     President’s Distinguished Scientist Award Society for Gynecologic Investigation
  • 2011    NHLBI Role of Epigenetics in Blood Pressure Regulation and Development of Hypertension Workshop
  • 2008    Invited Speaker – National Academy of Sciences Committee to Reexamine IOM Pregnancy Weight

Lab Members

  • Hillary Huber
  • Tursunjan Nurmamat
  • Shanshan Yang
  • Martha Avila
  • McKenna M. Kiehne
  • Karen Moore
  • Steve Rios
  • Dongbin Xie
  • Cun Li
  • Ablat Tursun
  • Elena Zambrano
  • Susan L. Jenkins
  • Greg Langone
  • Kavina Patel
  • Sam Vega
  • Junfei Li, Student