Barrozo Lab Members

Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital
Email: enrico.barrozo@bcm.edu

Bio: Dr. Enrico R. Barrozo is an early-stage investigator focusing on understanding the interactions between host-microbe dynamics and early immune development. Dr. Barrozo completed his Ph.D. in Genetics and Genomics at the University of Florida and his postdoctoral training in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital. He has received funding, including an NIH Predoctoral Fellowship, NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship, NIH Loan Repayment Award in Pediatrics, pilot awards from the Maternal and Infant Environmental Health Riskscape (MIEHR) Research Center and Gulf Coast Center for Precision Environmental Health (GC-CPEH), and a Career Development Award from the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT).

His pioneering research includes using single-cell and spatial transcriptomics in placentas to identify immune microenvironments in a congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) mouse model and from COVID-19 patients. Dr. Barrozo's research aims to translate these findings into interventions that improve maternal-fetal health outcomes, specifically focusing on how prenatal exposures impact the developmental origins of health and disease. His dedication to advancing the field of maternal-fetal medicine through innovative research makes him an emerging leader in his field.

For more details and Dr. Barrozo's complete list of publications, visit PubMed or Google Scholar.

Co-Investigators

Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Expertise: Bioinformatics, machine learning, large-scale data analysis
Bio: Dr. Jochum is an Assistant Professor in Obstetrics & Gynecology and collaborates with OB/GYN at Baylor Main with Dr. Barrozo and has an office in the Pavilion for Women II. Dr. Jochum is an experienced bioinformatician, as evidenced by his multiple publications showcasing his ability to process, analyze, and visualize large biological datasets. In the past, he has built and parameter-optimized several supervised and unsupervised machine-learning models to gain insight into how molecular mechanisms impact pregnancy, birth, and infancy. Dr. Jochum has over 10 years of experience as a computer scientist and bioinformatician, initially acquired in the U.S. Armed Services and later formalized in his graduate training at Texas A&M. After joining Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital for postdoctoral training, he collaborated with computational biologists at Rice University to develop a novel bioinformatic software package that enables the analyses of difficult to sequence low biomass samples and distinguish from contaminant controls. He has full fluency in both Python and R statistical programming languages and has deep experience processing and analyzing datasets from various omics technologies. He built and maintains the OB/GYN at Baylor Main bare metal high-performance research computing cluster. Dr. Jochum continues to develop data processing and analysis methods, design customized shell scripts to build analytic pipelines in support of this project, and contribute to the research training of Barrozo Lab trainees, OB/GYN Department Faculty, Residents and Fellows, Baylor medical students, and summer undergraduates. Dr. Jochum’s roles include aiding in the processing, analyzing, and interpreting large-scale datasets and utilizing state-of-the-art machine learning techniques to derive novel insights.

Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Expertise: Developmental origins of health and disease, environmental exposures
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Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Expertise: Multiomics including metabolomics, proteomics, and microbiome studies
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Bio: Dr. Hammerquist is an MFM Fellow at Baylor College of Medicine and a vital contributor to Dr. Barrozo’s Lab. She focuses on the role of microplastics in preterm birth, combining her clinical expertise with research on environmental exposures and their impact on maternal-fetal health. Her research integrates molecular biology and clinical insights, advancing the understanding of how microplastics affect pregnancy outcomes.

Ph.D. Candidate in the Development, Disease Models, and Therapeutics (DDMT) Graduate Program and Medical Scientist Training Program
Bio: Maryshe has a profound interest in disease intervention and prevention during early development. She is working on developing and testing novel fetal gene therapeutic agents using a humanized mouse model. Her current research aims to establish a proof-of-concept model for in utero gene therapy to treat sickle cell disease (SCD). This work involves optimizing lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery systems for CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, assessing the phenotypic rescue of SCD, and evaluating potential immune responses. Maryshe has received numerous awards for her research presentations and is dedicated to incorporating health equity into her research initiatives.

Jacquelyne Howell, MS2, Student Opportunities for Advancement in Research (SOAR) Program
Bio: Jacquelyne is a researcher in the Barrozo Lab, delving into the impact of microplastics on cellular and molecular processes. With previous experience in physiology, developmental biology, and bioinformatics, she is exploring how microplastics influence placental cell cultures. Jacquelyne’s background in RNA sequencing and transcriptomic analysis enhances her commitment to elucidating the environmental factors affecting human health at the cellular level.

Audra Lane, MS1, Student Opportunities for Advancement in Research (SOAR) Program
Bio: Audra is drawing from her background in bioinformatics to investigate the etiology of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) using single-cell RNAseq datasets, in collaboration with the clinical and research team taking care of PAS patients at Texas Children’s Hospital. She is excited to explore her interest in women’s health and advance the lab’s presence in the field of placental biology.

Anne “Annie” Tatooles, MS1, Student Opportunities for Advancement in Research (SOAR) Program
Bio: Annie is drawing from her background in engineering science and anthropology to investigate how environmental and dietary exposures contribute to preterm birth. Before medical school, she worked for the U.S. military in project management within a rapid prototyping office, where she led multi-day field tests of emerging technologies. She is excited to apply her technical and hands-on experience to women’s health and to advance the lab’s research in placental biology.

Bio: Mrs. Cynthia Shope has been a cornerstone of the OB/GYN research team at Baylor College of Medicine since 2007. As the Senior Lab Manager, she plays a crucial role in maintaining the lab's day-to-day operations. Cindy organizes and tracks all aspects of tissue samples, models, metadata, and storage. She ensures the lab's functionality and compliance with IACUC and biosafety regulations at Baylor, Texas Children's Hospital, and Harris Health. Cindy's extensive regulatory compliance experience and dedication make her an invaluable asset to Dr. Barrozo’s Lab and the broader research community.

Bio: Ms. Lori Showalter has been a dedicated member of the OB/GYN research team at Baylor College of Medicine since 2007. She maintains cell cultures and organizes and tracks tissue samples, models, and metadata. Lori's outstanding molecular biology skillset, including techniques such as PCR, qPCR, and Western blotting, ensures the lab's research projects are executed with precision and accuracy. Her long-term commitment and expertise significantly enhance the lab's research capabilities and support the success of ongoing projects.

Bio: Myla supports all projects in Dr. Barrozo’s Lab, contributing to research on microplastics, fetal immune development, and maternal-fetal health. She is developing expertise in spatial transcriptomics, a cutting-edge technology for studying gene expression within tissue contexts. Myla’s collaborative approach and growing technical skills make her a valuable team member in advancing the lab’s research goals.

Bio: Noah is an undergraduate at the University of Houston and an integral member of Dr. Barrozo’s Lab at Baylor College of Medicine, focusing on fetal immune development. He specializes in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis, contributing to uncovering the intricacies of immune programming during early development. Noah is developing a strong foundation in field research and data analysis, complementing the lab’s advanced transcriptomic studies. His dedication and analytical skills enhance the lab’s research into maternal-fetal interactions.

Bio: Nell is a pre-medical undergraduate at Rice University with an interest in the applications of genetics to fetal health outcomes. She is working on adjusting existing CRISPR-Cas9 gene therapy protocols for anemias to the in-utero treatment of Alpha-Thalassemia Major. Nell is developing foundations in CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing techniques, as well as in academic writing and research presentation. Nell was in the BCM SMART Program in 2025.