Theresa Powell, PhD

​Professor
Section of Neonatology
Department of Pediatrics
Division of Reproductive Sciences
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Education
BS (1981) Morehead State University,
PhD in Biology (1989) University of Kentucky
Postdoctoral fellowships at Department of Reproductive Sciences University of California San Diego (1989-1991) and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco (1991-1994)

Contact
Research Complex 2
12700 East 19th Avenue
Room 3100A, MS 8613
Aurora, CO 80045

Phone: (303) 724-2016
Fax: (303) 724-3512

Research Interests
Dr. Powell is internationally recognized for her work in determining the molecular mechanisms regulating ion and macronutrient transport in the human placenta and characterizing changes in placental function in association to important pregnancy complications. Currently, the primary focus of Dr. Powell’s research is to better understand how the abnormal metabolic environment of obesity or gestational diabetes in pregnant women affects placental function and the long-term health of her baby. Specifically, Dr. Powell is interested in identifying endocrine signals linking maternal adipose tissue to placental function and fetal growth and developing novel intervention paradigms for improving the maternal metabolic environment and pregnancy outcomes in obese women.

Full List of Publications

Recent Publications

1. James-Allan LB, Rosario FJ, Barner K, Lai A, Guanzon D, McIntyre HD, Lappas M, Powell TL, Salomon C, Jansson T. Regulation of glucose homeostasis by small extracellular vesicles in normal pregnancy and in gestational diabetes. FASEB J. 2020 Apr; 34(4):5724-5739. PMID: 32154621.
2. James-Allan LB, Teal S, Powell TL, Jansson T. Changes in Placental Nutrient Transporter Protein Expression and Activity Across Gestation in Normal and Obese Women. Reprod Sci. 2020 Feb 18. PMID: 32072607.
3. Stremming J, Jansson T, Powell TL, Rozance PJ, Brown LD. Reduced Na+ K+ -ATPase activity may reduce amino acid uptake in intrauterine growth restricted fetal sheep muscle despite unchanged ex vivo amino acid transporter activity. J Physiol. 2020 Apr; 598(8):1625-1639. PMID: 31909825.
4. Jansson T, Castillo-Castrejon M, Gupta MB, Powell TL, Rosario FJ. Down-regulation of placental Cdc42 and Rac1 links mTORC2 inhibition to decreased trophoblast amino acid transport in human intrauterine growth restriction. Clin Sci (Lond). 2020 Jan 17; 134(1):53-70. PMID: 31825077.
5. Vaughan OR, Thompson F, Lorca RA, Julian CG, Powell TL, Moore LG, Jansson T. Effect of high altitude on human placental amino acid transport. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2020 Jan 01; 128(1):127-133. PMID: 31804891.
6. Jessel RH, Rosario FJ, Chen YY, Erickson K, Teal SB, Kramer A, Cotton E, Ryan S, Jansson T, Powell TL. Decreased placental folate transporter expression and activity in first and second trimester in obese mothers. J Nutr Biochem. 2020 Mar; 77:108305. PMID: 31926453.
7. Vaughan OR, Powell TL, Jansson T. Glucocorticoid regulation of amino acid transport in primary human trophoblast cells. J Mol Endocrinol. 2019 Nov; 63(4):239-248. PMID: 31505460
8. Vyas V, Guerra DD, Bok R, Powell T, Jansson T, Hurt KJ. Adiponectin links maternal metabolism to uterine contractility. FASEB J. 2019 Dec; 33(12):14588-14601. PMID: 31665924.
9. Castillo-Castrejon M, Jansson T, Powell TL. No evidence of attenuation of placental insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation and amino acid transport in maternal obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2019 12 01; 317(6):E1037-E1049. PMID: 31573844.
10. Ramzan AA, Bitler BG, Hicks D, Barner K, Qamar L, Behbakht K, Powell T, Jansson T, Wilson H. Adiponectin receptor agonist AdipoRon induces apoptotic cell death and suppresses proliferation in human ovarian cancer cells. Mol Cell Biochem. 2019 Nov; 461(1-2):37-46. PMID: 31292831.