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Medical College of Wisconsin School of Graduate Studies U1-Research 2F Microscope Lab-Grad-hero
Elaine Schumacher

Elaine Schumacher

Graduate Student

Program

  • Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences

Biography

Mentor: Stephanie Olivier-Van Stichelen, PhD
Year Entered MCW: 2024
Previous Education: BS, Biology, Concentration in Biomedical Sciences, St. Norbert College, 2024

Research Interests

My research focuses on understanding how stress during pregnancy may contribute to the development of pregnancy-related disorders, particularly gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). I study O-GlcNAcylation, a dynamic post-translational modification that integrates nutrient and stress signals to regulate protein function. This modification is catalyzed by the enzyme O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT). Notably, previous work in the lab has identified that placental OGT levels are reduced in pregnancies of male fetuses complicated by GDM. This suggests a potential link between stress signaling, OGT regulation, and sex-specific susceptibility to GDM.

To investigate this, I am developing a cellular model using BeWo trophoblast-like cells to mimic stress conditions relevant to pregnancy, including oxidative stress, heat shock, and glucocorticoid exposure. My goal is to determine whether these stressors lead to downregulation of OGT, thereby disrupting O-GlcNAc signaling in ways that may reflect changes observed in male GDM placentas. This foundational work will inform future studies using in vivo models and contribute to a better understanding of how stress and fetal sex interact to influence placental function and pregnancy outcomes. Ultimately, this research aims to uncover molecular mechanisms that may guide the development of targeted interventions for pregnancy complications.


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