Learn more about The Olson Laboratory Team
David M. Olson
Ph.D., D.Sc., FRCOG, FCAHS
University of Alberta Distinguished
Professor
Primary Investigator
His career and research program have been dedicated to improving maternal-child health.
I am David Olson, Ph.D., D.Sc., FRCOG, FCAHS, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology with adjunct appointments to the Departments of Pediatrics and Physiology. As a perinatal physiologist in a clinical department, my work focuses on improving women’s pregnancy and newborn health. This work has resulted in almost 200 peer-reviewed publications, 26 book chapters, and over 400 conference abstracts.
My studies and patents on products to diagnose and treat preterm birth and fetal/newborn inflammation and on pregnant women’s vulnerability to environmental mental health stressors are internationally renowned. I served the University of Alberta community for 31 years as Director of the Perinatal Research Centre, chair/member of faculty strategic planning committees, course coordinator, mentor of trainees and colleagues, and collaborator.
Beyond, I founded the Canadian National Perinatal Research Meeting, the International Inflammatory Pathways to Preterm Birth Team, and the Optimal Pregnancy Environment Risk Assessment (OPERA) program. I chair the Worldwide Universities Network Public Health Committee and was an elected officer in three societies. In 2021, I was awarded a Doctor of Science (honoris causa) from U Lethbridge for my contributions to women's pregnancy health. I received the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry Tier I Basic Science Mentor Award in 2022 and was named a University of Alberta Distinguished Professor in 2023.
I am a firm believer in the importance of translating scientific discoveries into products that serve society. I have founded two companies, and my trainees witness and participate in the process of commercialization, broadening their perspectives and career choices.
Kelycia Leimert
B.Sc., Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
I'm a Senior Scientist in The Olson Laboratory. I manage the lab and work with our trainees to advance our projects.
My career is dedicated to improving health outcomes for individuals impacted by preterm birth. During my Ph.D., I examined the inflammatory cooperativity between ligands, cells, and tissues in the uterus as a hallmark of human parturition. A unique postdoctoral experience in Accra, Ghana, solidified my intent to improve women's pregnancy health by translating discovery science into valuable products. Together with our collaborators, I am now developing diagnostic tools and therapies for preterm birth and fetal inflammation.
I am a founder of Livmor Biosciences, Inc., and I am a member of the management team of Maternica Therapeutics, Inc.
Carla S. Alvarado
B.Sc., M.Sc., M.Sc.
Laboratory Technologist
I am a Laboratory Technologist in The Olson Laboratory, where I oversee the animal colonies and the projects related to them. I also teach the trainees the animal techniques they need to complete their projects, and I advise them as needed.
I have two master’s degrees: one is in Biochemical Science from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, and the other is in Nutrition and Metabolism from the University of Alberta.
Currently, I’m working with several trainees on a newborn mouse model of inflammation and testing the efficacy of our allosteric antagonists in improving lifelong tissue and organ health.
Anna Noga
B.Sc., Ph.D.
Project Translation Coordinator
I am The Olson Laboratory Project Translation Coordinator. I help team members with their publications, grant applications, and any other communication materials.
I obtained my Ph.D. in the Department of Biochemistry, and I completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Pediatrics, both at the University of Alberta.
Since then, my work experience has included science outreach, non-profit administration, diversity and inclusion in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), teaching, and knowledge translation.
Kazumasa Fuwa
M.D., Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
I’m a Neonatologist from Nihon University in Tokyo and have treated many preterm infants.
Treating these babies is challenging because many are so sick from developing in an inflammatory environment and then being born before their organs are fully developed.
My clinical experiences made me interested in finding solutions to intrauterine inflammation and preterm birth. During my Ph.D., I created a novel detection method for Ureaplasma, a bacterium that commonly causes chorioamnionitis. I have since patented it in Japan.
I’m now working in The Olson Laboratory as a Postdoctoral Fellow. I am researching the IL-6 and IL-1ß receptor antagonists as novel therapies against preterm birth and fetal inflammation.
Nayara A. Lopes
PharmB., Ph.D.
Graduate Student
I am a trained Pharmacist, graduated from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG - Brazil) and I am in the final year of my Ph.D. studies in Physiology.
I am researching the implications of stress exposure during pregnancy by analyzing the uterine inflammatory profiles of rats and the health outcomes of their offspring. I am also investigating the inflammatory patterns in the placenta after chronic use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during pregnancy.
My interest in the role the environment plays in pregnancy outcomes and child health grew while working at maternity hospitals in Brazil. I witnessed many cases of poor maternal health and adverse child outcomes due to pregnancy complications.
Tania Rodezno
B.A.
Graduate Student
I am a graduate student in The Olson Laboratory.
I graduated with a B.A. in Biology from Augustana University, SD, USA, where my previous mentor and I collaborated briefly with Dr. Olson.
Here, I strive to continue that research and elucidate the role of neutrophil activation on term and preterm labour and determine the chemokine composition of human placental membranes at the time of term and preterm parturition.
Wendy Xu
B.Sc.
Graduate Student
I am a graduate student in the Olson Lab.
I first joined The Olson Laboratory for my undergraduate Honours Physiology thesis project, where I studied the paternal influence on the transgenerational inheritance of stress and preterm birth in rats.
After graduating with my B.Sc. in Physiology from the University of Alberta in June 2021, I stayed on as a Laboratory Technologist for a year.
Now, my project focuses on examining the effects of Interleukin (IL)-6 and HSJ633, an IL-6 receptor antagonist, on cytokine and chemokine regulation in human fetal membranes.
