Jonker Lab
We explore how the earliest stages of life shape the heart — and how that knowledge can improve cardiovascular health across the lifespan.
About us
Before birth, working cardiac myocytes proliferate abundantly, the coronary capillary tree expands, and connective tissues are laid down in the heart and blood vessels. The fetus is exquisitely responsive to its environment and can alter its growth and maturation in just days. These adaptations help meet immediate challenges but may also have lasting consequences. We are interested in how the fetus responds to adverse conditions such as placental insufficiency, anemia, and congenital cardiac malformations—and whether we can promote beneficial adaptations during the perinatal period to improve lifelong health.
Lab culture
Sonnet Jonker, Sam Louey, and the members of the Jonker Lab are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where all individuals have equitable access to training, collaboration, networking, advancement, and a positive work experience. We welcome lab members from all backgrounds and are dedicated to removing barriers that limit participation in biomedical research careers.
Funding
NIH / NHLBI
Additional Ventures
Collins Medical Trust
Gerlinger Trust
News
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Society for Reproductive Investigation Annual Meeting
I’m pleased to be attending the Society for Reproductive Investigation Annual Meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico with Eric McClellan’s intern, Emma Harris-Clippinger. Emma is an undergraduate student at the University of Oregon who is interested in a career in women’s health, pregnancy, and parturition. She’s been working with Eric to analyze lung tissue from…
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Neeka wins award at the Aspen Perinatal Biology Symposium!
Neeka Barooni and Sonnet Jonker attended the 2025 Aspen Perinatal Biology Symposium in Colorado. Neeka presented her abstract “Metabolic response to premature lipid exposure in fetal cardiomyocytes” while I discussed “Physiological response to fetal intravenous lipid emulsion in mid-gestation.” These abstracts describe a study in which we infused Intralipid into fetal sheep from 85 to…
Cover image: CC0, Montana History Portal