Timothy Regnault, PhD
Children’s Health Research Institute
Scientist, Fetal and Newborn Health Program
Lawson Health Research Institute
Scientist, Children’s Health Research Institute
University of Western Ontario
Assistant Professor, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Physiology &
Pharmacology.
Contact Information
Tel: (519) 646-6000 Ext. 61446
Fax: (519) 646-6213
E-mail: tim.regnault@uwo.ca
Brief Biography
Dr. Timothy Regnault received his Bachelor of Rural Science (Honours II.1) degree from the University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia in 1988. In 1991, Dr. Regnault entered into his doctorate studies at the University of Western Sydney (UWS) Hawkesbury in conjunction with The Division of Animal Production, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Prospect, New South Wales, Australia. During this time Dr. Regnault worked under the supervision of Drs. Rex Scaramuzzi, Hutton Oddy, Colin Nancarrow and Sri Sriskandarajah and was the recipient of a CSIRO/UWS PhD Scholarship. Upon completion of his PhD studies in 1996 he joined the Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (UCHSC), Denver, Colorado (USA) as a postdoctoral fellow under the mentorship of Drs. Fredrick Battaglia, Randal Wilkening and Russ Anthony.
In the late nineties, Dr. Regnault received an appointment as Instructor, and in 2000 was appointed to the position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UCHSC. Dr. Regnault was appointed the Assistant Director of the Perinatal Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, UCHSC in 2001. He joined The University of Western Ontario as an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Pharmacology & Physiology in 2005.
Research Interests
• fetoplacental and maternal metabolism associated with fetal growth restriction
• mechanisms involved in the development of placental insufficiency (PI) and fetal adaptations to PI
• fetal oxygen and the interaction with nutrient transport systems, specifically the regulation of amino acid
transport systems and the role of fetal methylation/acetylation status in overall nutrient utilization
Research Activities
Dr. Regnault’s research focuses on nutrient transport systems and the molecular mechanisms involved, with a particular emphasis on fetoplacental oxygenation and placental/hepatic/renal/muscle amino acid transport in FGR. In human and animal studies, periods of low oxygen content in the developing fetus have been associated with changes in fetal essential amino acid (EAA) concentrations, suggestive of EAA losses from fetal tissue beds, or reduced EAA utilization. In support of this idea, is that low fetal oxygen content is associated with reduced overall fetal development and growth. Furthermore, there are now reports that reduced fetal muscle development is associated with altered glucose and fatty acid utilization, leading to a predisposition for the development insulin resistance and obesity in later life, or what is commonly termed the Metabolic Syndrome.
Awards and Recognition
Funding in support of "The effects of an endotoxin challenge upon fetal muscle lysine transport" - Awarded by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Funding in support of " The molecular mecahnisms of hypoxic induced impaired amino acid transport in fetal growth restriction" - Awarded by Lawson Health Research Institute
Funding in support of " The hypoxic induced cellular release of the amino acid osmolyte, taurine: Regulation and interaction with cellular hypoxia induced apoptosis in a fetal guinea pig model of growth restriction" - Awarded by University of Western Ontario
Funding in support of " The impact of dietary fatty acids on inflammation during pregnancy, lactation and fetal development" - Awarded by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
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