Adequate amounts of iodine and thyroid hormone are essential for normal intellectual development of the unborn child. Early in pregnancy, before fetal thyroid gland function, the fetus relies on its mother to supply enough thyroid hormone. When the fetus can make its own thyroid hormone, it still depends on a maternal supply of iodide. However the processes that control the supply of maternal iodide and thyroid hormone to the fetus are still poorly understood. Since many parts of the world are iodine deficient (including Australia to a moderate degree), it is increasingly important to understand these transport processes. Additionally, there has been much in the media concerning pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins; the so called ‘endocrine disruptors'. We believe that these chemicals interfere with thyroid hormone transport across the placenta, thereby exerting their unwanted effects on human fetal brain development, and aim to understand how they do this. We have recently published articles that describe a mechanism for iodide transport to the fetus and the discovery of an important secreted placental protein (transthyretin) that appears to be involved in thyroid hormone transport.

For further information regarding our research and projects available for students please contact either Professor Robin Mortimer or Dr. Kerry Richard.