My project is investigating the transfer of Bifidobacteria and other bacteria from the mother to her baby and how this impacts health. Using placenta cells grown in flasks, as shown in the picture, we can start to understand the mechanisms involved in bacterial transfer across the placenta. I moved to the Hall lab in August 2016 to work on this exciting project after completing my PhD at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland (2012-2016). My PhD investigated the role of short chain fatty acids (small molecules produced by bacteria) in intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury.