David Olson

Area of Study / Keywords

parturition human pregnancy preterm birth term birth cytokines chemokines leukocytes neutrophils monocytes inflammatory mechanisms IL-1 IL-6 fetal inflammation stress resilience abuse allostatic load perinatal programming natural disaster rat mouse

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About

PhD: St. Louis University

Post-doctoral Fellowship: University of Western Ontario

Olson Lab 


Research Interests: Parturiton, preterm birth, fetal development, prenatal maternal stress

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Research

I am a perinatal physiologist dedicated to improving women’s pregnancy health and fetal and newborn health. Over the years, much of my research focused on revealing the physiological steps that lead to labour and birth. My goal was always to find suitable diagnostic and therapeutic targets for the problem of preterm birth.

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In recent years, my research has expanded to explore prenatal maternal stress (with Dr. Gerlinde Metz, University of Lethbridge) as one cause of preterm birth and the often-accompanying fetal inflammation. We explore these problems from their origins to their consequences and possible solutions.

�    What causes preterm birth and fetal inflammation? 

�    How can we identify vulnerable women? 

�    Once we identify these women, how do we diagnose them clinically and treat them effectively? 

�    Can our therapeutics also solve the health consequences experienced by the offsprin (with Dr. Sylvain Chemtob, Universit� de Montr�al)? 

 

This broad approach to studying preterm birth has led my lab to work with global experts in neuroscience, epidemiology, psychology, pharmacology, drug development, epigenetics, computer science, clinical sciences, and other healthcare scientists and providers. 

 

As well, this work has resulted in the formation of two companies. I founded Livmor Diagnostics (now Livmor Biosciences) in 2012 to develop our patented Leukocyte Migration Assay into a clinical diagnostic. I also co-founded Maternica Therapeutics in 2019 with Dr. Chemtob and others to commercialize promising therapeutics to block preterm birth and fetal inflammation. Through these efforts, I hope to find real solutions for the problem of preterm birth, which impacts 15 million babies yearly. I also hope to provide an environment for my trainees where they can explore both the research and commercialization of science.

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Teaching

I manage the course, Fetal Physiology, PHYSIOLOGY 513, a senior undergraduate and graduate level course. It is a seminar style course exploring contemporary concepts in maternal pregnancy physiology, fetal development, parturition (birth) and new adaptation to independent life. Students in the course are expected to be self-learners and have considerable independence in selecting sub-topics for study. They each make several oral presentations to the class and write short papers. Improvement of oral and written communication skills, independent study and critical thinking abilities is emphasized.

I also accept senior undergraduate students in my laboratory who are enrolled in one-year research courses through their home departments or faculties.

Pike A., Mikolas C., Tompkins K., Olson J., Olson D.M., Brémault-Phillips S.

Frontiers in Public Health. 2022 May; 10 10.3389/fpubh.2022.725256

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9th Canadian National Perinatal Research Meeting (CNPRM), Online meeting, May 30 - June 3, 2022. . 2022 May;

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Canadian National Perinatal Research Meeting (CNPRM), Online meeting, May 30 - June 3, 2022. 2022 May;

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Lopes N.A., Falkenberg E.A., Wiley C., Patel V., Serrano-Lomelin J., Fang X., Weiler A.M., McCreary J.K., Metz G.A.S., Olson D.M.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES. 2022 May; 23 (11):6169 10.3390/ijms23116169

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Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Annual Research Day, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, May 13, 2022. . 2022 May;

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Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Annual Research Day, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, May 13, 2022. . 2022 May;

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Lee H., Patel V., Onushko M., Fang X., Chemtob S., Olson D.

Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2022 May; 13 10.3389/fphar.2022.898008

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Society for Reproductive Investigation 69th Annual Meeting, Reproductive Sciences 2022;29(Supp 1): 53A-54A, Denver, Colorado, USA, March 15-19, 2022. (Abstract O-025). . 2022 March;

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Woman and Children’s Health Research Institute Virtual Research Day, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, November 4, 2021. . 2021 November;

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Woman and Children’s Health Research Institute Virtual Research Day, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, November 4, 2021. . 2021 November;

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Takahashi Y., Saito M., Usuda H., Takahashi T., Watanabe S., Hanita T., Sato S., Kumagai Y., Koshinami S., Ikeda H., Carter S., Fee E.L., Furfaro L., Chemtob S., Keelan J., Olson D., Yaegashi N., Newnham J.P., Jobe A.H., Kemp M.W.

PLoS One. 2021 September; 16 (9 September):e0257847 10.1371/journal.pone.0257847

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Leimert K.B., Xu W., Princ M.M., Chemtob S., Olson D.M.

Frontiers in Cellular and Infectious Microbiology. 2021 August; 11 10.3389/fcimb.2021.660983

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Verstraeten B.S.E., Elgbeili G., Hyde A., King S., Olson D.M.

CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY-REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE. 2021 August; 66 (8):710-718 10.1177/0706743720970859

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Society for Reproductive Investigation 68th Annual Meeting, Reproductive Sciences. 2021;26 (1 Suppl), Boston, Massachusetts, USA, July 6-9, 2021. (Abstract W-003). 2021 July;

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Society for Reproductive Investigation 68th Annual Meeting, Reproductive Sciences, 2021;26 (1 Suppl), Boston, Massachusetts, USA July 6-9, 2021. (Abstract W-015) Virtual poster.. 2021 July;

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Society for Reproductive Investigation 68th Annual Meeting, Reproductive Sciences. 2021;26 (1 Suppl), Boston, Massachusetts, USA, July 6-9, 2021. . 2021 July;

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Mikolas C., Pike A., Jones C., Smith-MacDonald L., Lee M., Winfield H., Griffiths J., Perry R., Olson D.M., Heber A., Olson J., Sevigny P.R., Brémault-Philips S.

Frontiers in Psychology. 2021 July; 12 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.651522

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Society for Reproductive Investigation 68th Annual Meeting, Reproductive Sciences, 2021;26 (1 Suppl), Boston, Massachusetts, USA July 6-9, 2021. . 2021 July;