Svetlana Dambaeva, MD, PhD
Not Available for Appointments
Education
Medical School:
Siberian State Medical University
Specialization:
Ph.D. degree in Immunology and Allergology from the prestigious Institute of Immunology in Moscow
Fellowships:
Medical Laboratory Immunology Fellowship program, accredited by the American Society of Microbiology in the clinical immunology laboratory at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
Board Certification:
Board certified as a Diplomate by the American Board of Medical Laboratory Immunology (ABMLI)
Faculty Appointment:
Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Chicago Medical School/Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
Experience
Practice Interests
Research Interests
Specialty: Clinical Immunology
Research:
Dr. Dambaeva’s research interests include immune response at the maternal-fetal interface and pathogenesis of infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss. Infertility and recurrent pregnancy losses affect millions of women and often no explanation is found. With a focus on clinical laboratory diagnostics, Dr. Dambaeva’s goal is to develop and validate novel diagnostic tests that will help physicians identify the etiology of pregnancy loss and infertility.
The endometrium is a unique tissue that undergoes cyclic changes. Expression of factors involved in progesterone signaling (FOXO1), tissue homeostasis (SCNN1A, SGK1, SCL2A1), and uterine NK cell proliferation and function (IL15, GZMB) will determine decidualization status. Combined evaluation of these factors and other factors is a valuable approach to identifying patients who will benefit from therapeutic actions to improve endometrial conditions. For cellular players at the maternal-fetal interface, Dr. Dambaeva’s research is focused on NK cells and innate lymphoid cells (ILC). NK cells are the most abundant cells in the late luteal phase and early pregnancy endometrium. Analysis of KIRs and their ligands is important for predicting the hypo-functionality of NK cells. ILCs are known to play a central role in tissue remodeling/homeostasis at mucosal and epithelial barrier surfaces and are detected in pregnant and non-pregnant endometrium (ILC1 and ILC3). The characterization of factors involved in the regulation of ILC activity and the role of IL-22 in cycling and pregnant endometrium will advance the understanding of the pathogenesis of pregnancy-related disorders. Moreover, uncovering a relationship between uterine NK cells and ILC will provide important information on the development and plasticity of ILC subsets. The determination of the optimal balance between pro-inflammatory and homeostatic signals required for the establishment of a healthy pregnancy is a necessary step in the development of valid diagnostic tests.